diff --git a/controllers/auth_config_controller.go b/controllers/auth_config_controller.go
index e871c961..b34a3e1e 100644
--- a/controllers/auth_config_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/auth_config_controller.go
@@ -1001,21 +1001,15 @@ func buildPredicates(authConfig *api.AuthConfig, patterns []api.PatternExpressio
 
 func buildJSONExpressionPatterns(authConfig *api.AuthConfig, pattern api.PatternExpressionOrRef) ([]jsonexp.Expression, error) {
 	expressionsToAdd := api.PatternExpressions{}
-	expressions := make([]jsonexp.Expression, len(expressionsToAdd))
 	if expressionsByRef, found := authConfig.Spec.NamedPatterns[pattern.PatternRef.Name]; found {
 		expressionsToAdd = append(expressionsToAdd, expressionsByRef...)
 	} else if pattern.PatternExpression.Operator != "" {
 		expressionsToAdd = append(expressionsToAdd, pattern.PatternExpression)
-	} else if pattern.Predicate != "" {
-		if predicate, err := cel.NewPredicate(pattern.Predicate); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		} else {
-			expressions = append(expressions, predicate)
-		}
 	}
 
-	for _, expression := range expressionsToAdd {
-		expressions = append(expressions, buildJSONExpressionPattern(expression))
+	expressions := make([]jsonexp.Expression, len(expressionsToAdd))
+	for i, expression := range expressionsToAdd {
+		expressions[i] = buildJSONExpressionPattern(expression)
 	}
 	return expressions, nil
 }