diff --git a/api/v1alpha1/ratelimit_types.go b/api/v1alpha1/ratelimit_types.go
index e013579efdf0..5904e7f1eeb8 100644
--- a/api/v1alpha1/ratelimit_types.go
+++ b/api/v1alpha1/ratelimit_types.go
@@ -108,49 +108,25 @@ type SourceMatch struct {
 }
 
 // HeaderMatch defines the match attributes within the HTTP Headers of the request.
-type HeaderMatch struct { // TODO: zhaohuabing this type could be replaced with a general purpose StringMatch type.
-	// Type specifies how to match against the value of the header.
-	//
-	// +optional
-	// +kubebuilder:default=Exact
-	Type *HeaderMatchType `json:"type,omitempty"`
-
+type HeaderMatch struct {
 	// Name of the HTTP header.
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:MinLength=1
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:MaxLength=256
 	Name string `json:"name"`
 
-	// Value within the HTTP header. Due to the
-	// case-insensitivity of header names, "foo" and "Foo" are considered equivalent.
+	// Distinct matches any and all possible unique values encountered in the
+	// specified HTTP Header.
+	// Note that each unique value will receive its own rate limit bucket.
+	// Only one of Distinct or Match can be set.
+	Distinct *bool `json:"distinct,omitempty"`
+
+	// Match specifies how to match against the value of the header.
 	// Do not set this field when Type="Distinct", implying matching on any/all unique
 	// values within the header.
-	//
-	// +optional
-	// +kubebuilder:validation:MaxLength=1024
-	Value *string `json:"value,omitempty"`
+	// Only one of Distinct or Match can be set.
+	Match *StringMatch `json:"match,omitempty"`
 }
 
-// HeaderMatchType specifies the semantics of how HTTP header values should be compared.
-// Valid HeaderMatchType values are "Exact", "RegularExpression", and "Distinct".
-//
-// +kubebuilder:validation:Enum=Exact;RegularExpression;Distinct
-type HeaderMatchType string
-
-// HeaderMatchType constants.
-const (
-	// HeaderMatchExact matches the exact value of the Value field against the value of
-	// the specified HTTP Header.
-	HeaderMatchExact HeaderMatchType = "Exact"
-	// HeaderMatchRegularExpression matches a regular expression against the value of the
-	// specified HTTP Header. The regex string must adhere to the syntax documented in
-	// https://github.com/google/re2/wiki/Syntax.
-	HeaderMatchRegularExpression HeaderMatchType = "RegularExpression"
-	// HeaderMatchDistinct matches any and all possible unique values encountered in the
-	// specified HTTP Header. Note that each unique value will receive its own rate limit
-	// bucket.
-	HeaderMatchDistinct HeaderMatchType = "Distinct"
-)
-
 // RateLimitValue defines the limits for rate limiting.
 type RateLimitValue struct {
 	Requests uint          `json:"requests"`
diff --git a/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go b/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
index 87eb64069275..90604002da6d 100644
--- a/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
+++ b/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
@@ -1180,15 +1180,15 @@ func (in *GroupVersionKind) DeepCopy() *GroupVersionKind {
 // DeepCopyInto is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, writing into out. in must be non-nil.
 func (in *HeaderMatch) DeepCopyInto(out *HeaderMatch) {
 	*out = *in
-	if in.Type != nil {
-		in, out := &in.Type, &out.Type
-		*out = new(HeaderMatchType)
+	if in.Distinct != nil {
+		in, out := &in.Distinct, &out.Distinct
+		*out = new(bool)
 		**out = **in
 	}
-	if in.Value != nil {
-		in, out := &in.Value, &out.Value
-		*out = new(string)
-		**out = **in
+	if in.Match != nil {
+		in, out := &in.Match, &out.Match
+		*out = new(StringMatch)
+		(*in).DeepCopyInto(*out)
 	}
 }