diff --git a/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/create.go b/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/create.go
index 101d936c0af6b7..f38eb69d681760 100644
--- a/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/create.go
+++ b/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/create.go
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ func (m *Manager) createDefiniteWorkspacePod(startContext *startWorkspaceContext
 						{
 							MatchExpressions: []corev1.NodeSelectorRequirement{
 								{
-									Key:      "gitpod.io/workloads/workspace/" + workloadType,
+									Key:      "gitpod.io/workload_workspace_" + workloadType,
 									Operator: corev1.NodeSelectorOpExists,
 								},
 							},
diff --git a/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/testdata/cdwp_withaffinity_regular.golden b/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/testdata/cdwp_withaffinity_regular.golden
index 14827aba72f388..28d587ff028267 100644
--- a/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/testdata/cdwp_withaffinity_regular.golden
+++ b/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/testdata/cdwp_withaffinity_regular.golden
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@
                             {
                                 "matchExpressions": [
                                     {
-                                        "key": "gitpod.io/workloads/workspace/regular",
+                                        "key": "gitpod.io/workload_workspace_regular",
                                         "operator": "Exists"
                                     }
                                 ]
diff --git a/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/testdata/cdwp_withaffinityheadless.golden b/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/testdata/cdwp_withaffinityheadless.golden
index c1f14a7d9d753c..88067d1bcef2b1 100644
--- a/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/testdata/cdwp_withaffinityheadless.golden
+++ b/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/testdata/cdwp_withaffinityheadless.golden
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@
                             {
                                 "matchExpressions": [
                                     {
-                                        "key": "gitpod.io/workloads/workspace/headless",
+                                        "key": "gitpod.io/workload_workspace_headless",
                                         "operator": "Exists"
                                     }
                                 ]