diff --git a/pkg/oam/util/helper.go b/pkg/oam/util/helper.go
index 3238a853..88f669fb 100644
--- a/pkg/oam/util/helper.go
+++ b/pkg/oam/util/helper.go
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ var (
 const (
 	// TraitPrefixKey is prefix of trait name
 	TraitPrefixKey = "trait"
+	DefinitionAnnotation = "definition.oam.dev/name"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -226,7 +227,11 @@ func PassLabelAndAnnotation(parentObj oam.Object, childObj labelAnnotationObject
 
 // GetCRDName return the CRD name of any resources
 // the format of the CRD of a resource is <kind purals>.<group>
+// Now the CRD name of a resource could also be defined as `metadata.annotations.definition.oam.dev/name`
 func GetCRDName(u *unstructured.Unstructured) string {
+	if crdName, ok := u.GetAnnotations()[DefinitionAnnotation]; ok {
+		return crdName
+	}
 	group, _ := APIVersion2GroupVersion(u.GetAPIVersion())
 	resources := []string{Kind2Resource(u.GetKind())}
 	if group != "" {