diff --git a/internal/cmd/egctl/translate.go b/internal/cmd/egctl/translate.go
index b588d931fbad..62f06d41c868 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/egctl/translate.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/egctl/translate.go
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ func translateGatewayAPIToIR(resources *gatewayapi.Resources) (*gatewayapi.Trans
 	}
 
 	t := &gatewayapi.Translator{
-		GatewayControllerName:   resources.GatewayClass.Spec.ControllerName,
+		GatewayControllerName:   string(resources.GatewayClass.Spec.ControllerName),
 		GatewayClassName:        gwapiv1.ObjectName(resources.GatewayClass.Name),
 		GlobalRateLimitEnabled:  true,
 		EndpointRoutingDisabled: true,
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ func translateGatewayAPIToGatewayAPI(resources *gatewayapi.Resources) (gatewayap
 
 	// Translate from Gateway API to Xds IR
 	gTranslator := &gatewayapi.Translator{
-		GatewayControllerName:   resources.GatewayClass.Spec.ControllerName,
+		GatewayControllerName:   string(resources.GatewayClass.Spec.ControllerName),
 		GatewayClassName:        gwapiv1.ObjectName(resources.GatewayClass.Name),
 		GlobalRateLimitEnabled:  true,
 		EndpointRoutingDisabled: true,
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ func translateGatewayAPIToXds(dnsDomain string, resourceType string, resources *
 
 	// Translate from Gateway API to Xds IR
 	gTranslator := &gatewayapi.Translator{
-		GatewayControllerName:   resources.GatewayClass.Spec.ControllerName,
+		GatewayControllerName:   string(resources.GatewayClass.Spec.ControllerName),
 		GatewayClassName:        gwapiv1.ObjectName(resources.GatewayClass.Name),
 		GlobalRateLimitEnabled:  true,
 		EndpointRoutingDisabled: true,
diff --git a/internal/gatewayapi/translator.go b/internal/gatewayapi/translator.go
index ca90be5b6932..9dc93532479a 100644
--- a/internal/gatewayapi/translator.go
+++ b/internal/gatewayapi/translator.go
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ type TranslatorManager interface {
 // for Gateway API resources.
 type Translator struct {
 	// GatewayControllerName is the name of the Gateway API controller
-	GatewayControllerName gwapiv1.GatewayController
+	GatewayControllerName string
 
 	// GatewayClassName is the name of the GatewayClass
 	// to process Gateways for.