diff --git a/kong/conf_loader/init.lua b/kong/conf_loader/init.lua
index a7d9497e9c6..9d004438e16 100644
--- a/kong/conf_loader/init.lua
+++ b/kong/conf_loader/init.lua
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ local CONF_INFERENCES = {
     }
   },
   router_flavor = {
-    enum = { "traditional", "traditional_compatible", "atc" },
+    enum = { "traditional", "traditional_compatible", "expressions" },
   },
   worker_state_update_frequency = { typ = "number" },
 
diff --git a/kong/db/migrations/core/016_280_to_300.lua b/kong/db/migrations/core/016_280_to_300.lua
index 9264ac4a83e..45dfe20c625 100644
--- a/kong/db/migrations/core/016_280_to_300.lua
+++ b/kong/db/migrations/core/016_280_to_300.lua
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ return {
 
       DO $$
         BEGIN
-          ALTER TABLE IF EXISTS ONLY "routes" ADD COLUMN "atc" TEXT;
+          ALTER TABLE IF EXISTS ONLY "routes" ADD COLUMN "expression" TEXT;
         EXCEPTION WHEN duplicate_column THEN
           -- Do nothing, accept existing state
         END;
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ return {
       -- add new hash_fallback_uri_capture field to upstreams
       ALTER TABLE upstreams ADD hash_fallback_uri_capture text;
 
-      ALTER TABLE routes ADD atc text;
+      ALTER TABLE routes ADD expression text;
       ALTER TABLE routes ADD priority int;
     ]],
 
diff --git a/kong/db/schema/entities/routes.lua b/kong/db/schema/entities/routes.lua
index b6b33979f1b..3f8c65e2c83 100644
--- a/kong/db/schema/entities/routes.lua
+++ b/kong/db/schema/entities/routes.lua
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ local atc = require("kong.router.atc")
 local router = require("resty.router.router")
 
 
-if kong and kong.configuration and kong.configuration.router_flavor == "atc" then
+if kong and kong.configuration and kong.configuration.router_flavor == "expressions" then
   return {
     name         = "routes",
     primary_key  = { "id" },
@@ -37,20 +37,20 @@ if kong and kong.configuration and kong.configuration.router_flavor == "atc" the
       { response_buffering  = { type = "boolean", required = true, default = true }, },
       { tags             = typedefs.tags },
       { service = { type = "foreign", reference = "services" }, },
-      { atc = { type = "string", required = true }, },
+      { expression = { type = "string", required = true }, },
       { priority = { type = "integer", required = true, default = 0 }, },
     },
 
     entity_checks = {
       { custom_entity_check = {
-        field_sources = { "atc", "id", },
+        field_sources = { "expression", "id", },
         fn = function(entity)
           local s = atc.get_schema()
           local r = router.new(s)
 
-          local res, err = r:add_matcher(0, entity.id, entity.atc)
+          local res, err = r:add_matcher(0, entity.id, entity.expression)
           if not res then
-            return nil, "DSL failed validation: " .. err
+            return nil, "Router Expression failed validation: " .. err
           end
 
           return true
diff --git a/kong/db/schema/entities/routes_subschemas.lua b/kong/db/schema/entities/routes_subschemas.lua
index 5e351706346..dcc35e6f8a9 100644
--- a/kong/db/schema/entities/routes_subschemas.lua
+++ b/kong/db/schema/entities/routes_subschemas.lua
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ local grpc_subschema = {
 }
 
 
-if kong and kong.configuration and  kong.configuration.router_flavor == "atc" then
+if kong and kong.configuration and  kong.configuration.router_flavor == "expressions" then
   return {}
 
 else
diff --git a/kong/router/atc_compat.lua b/kong/router/atc_compat.lua
index 4a575035bdf..82e6e4dd8f0 100644
--- a/kong/router/atc_compat.lua
+++ b/kong/router/atc_compat.lua
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ function _M.new(routes, cache, cache_neg)
       assert(inst:add_matcher(route_priority(route), route_id, get_atc(route)))
 
     else
-      local atc = route.atc
+      local atc = route.expression
 
       local gen = gen_for_field("net.protocol", OP_EQUAL, route.protocols)
       if gen then