diff --git a/python/lib/sift_py/ingestion/channel.py b/python/lib/sift_py/ingestion/channel.py
index ff08e77c..a1bd3914 100644
--- a/python/lib/sift_py/ingestion/channel.py
+++ b/python/lib/sift_py/ingestion/channel.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ def from_pb(cls, message: ChannelConfigPb) -> Self:
 
     def fqn(self) -> str:
         """
-        The fully-qualified channel name of a channel called 'voltage' is simply `voltage'. The
+        The fully-qualified channel name of a channel called 'voltage' is simply `voltage`. The
         fully qualified name of a channel called 'temperature' of component 'motor' is a `motor.temperature'.
         """
         return channel_fqn(self)
diff --git a/python/lib/sift_py/ingestion/config/telemetry.py b/python/lib/sift_py/ingestion/config/telemetry.py
index 70bcde4d..94bc1ad2 100644
--- a/python/lib/sift_py/ingestion/config/telemetry.py
+++ b/python/lib/sift_py/ingestion/config/telemetry.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 from sift_py.ingestion.flow import FlowConfig
 from sift_py.ingestion.rule.config import (
     ExpressionChannelReference,
+    ExpressionChannelReferenceChannelConfig,
     RuleAction,
     RuleActionAnnotationKind,
     RuleActionCreateDataReviewAnnotation,
@@ -191,7 +192,9 @@ def _from_yaml(
                     tags=tags,
                 )
 
-            channel_references: List[ExpressionChannelReference] = []
+            channel_references: List[
+                ExpressionChannelReference | ExpressionChannelReferenceChannelConfig
+            ] = []
 
             for channel_reference in rule.get("channel_references", []):
                 for ref, val in channel_reference.items():
diff --git a/python/lib/sift_py/ingestion/rule/config.py b/python/lib/sift_py/ingestion/rule/config.py
index 613d1d70..3597501e 100644
--- a/python/lib/sift_py/ingestion/rule/config.py
+++ b/python/lib/sift_py/ingestion/rule/config.py
@@ -2,12 +2,13 @@
 
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
 from enum import Enum
-from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, TypedDict
+from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, TypedDict, cast
 
 from sift.annotations.v1.annotations_pb2 import AnnotationType
 from sift.rules.v1.rules_pb2 import ActionKind
 
 from sift_py._internal.convert.json import AsJson
+from sift_py.ingestion.channel import ChannelConfig
 
 
 class RuleConfig(AsJson):
@@ -40,13 +41,38 @@ def __init__(
         description: str,
         expression: str,
         action: RuleAction,
-        channel_references: List[ExpressionChannelReference],
+        channel_references: List[
+            ExpressionChannelReference | ExpressionChannelReferenceChannelConfig
+        ],
         sub_expressions: Dict[str, Any] = {},
     ):
+        self.channel_references = []
+
+        for channel_reference in channel_references:
+            config = channel_reference.get("channel_config")
+
+            if config is not None:
+                config = cast(ChannelConfig, config)
+
+                self.channel_references.append(
+                    {
+                        "channel_reference": channel_reference["channel_reference"],
+                        "channel_identifier": config.fqn(),
+                    }
+                )
+            else:
+                channel_ref = cast(ExpressionChannelReference, channel_reference)
+
+                self.channel_references.append(
+                    {
+                        "channel_reference": channel_ref["channel_reference"],
+                        "channel_identifier": channel_ref["channel_identifier"],
+                    }
+                )
+
         self.name = name
         self.description = description
         self.action = action
-        self.channel_references = channel_references
         self.expression = self.__class__.interpolate_sub_expressions(expression, sub_expressions)
 
     def as_json(self) -> Any:
@@ -182,9 +208,19 @@ class RuleActionKindStrRep(Enum):
 
 class ExpressionChannelReference(TypedDict):
     """
-    `reference`: The channel reference (e.g. '$1') used in the expression.
-    `identifier`: The fully qualified channel name. See `sift_py.ingestion.channel.channel_fqn`.
+    `channel_reference`: The channel reference (e.g. '$1') used in the expression.
+    `channel_identifier`: The fully qualified channel name. See `sift_py.ingestion.channel.channel_fqn`.
     """
 
     channel_reference: str
     channel_identifier: str
+
+
+class ExpressionChannelReferenceChannelConfig(TypedDict):
+    """
+    `channel_reference`: The channel reference (e.g. '$1') used in the expression.
+    `channel_config`: Instance of `sift_py.ingestion.channel.ChannelConfig`.
+    """
+
+    channel_reference: str
+    channel_config: ChannelConfig
diff --git a/python/lib/sift_py/ingestion/rule/config_test.py b/python/lib/sift_py/ingestion/rule/config_test.py
index 0c7ebfad..8ebc6cca 100644
--- a/python/lib/sift_py/ingestion/rule/config_test.py
+++ b/python/lib/sift_py/ingestion/rule/config_test.py
@@ -14,12 +14,15 @@ def test_rule_config_json():
         description="Rock & Roll",
         expression=voltage_rule_expression,
         action=RuleActionCreatePhaseAnnotation(),
-        channel_references={
-            "$1": ChannelConfig(
-                name="voltage",
-                data_type=ChannelDataType.DOUBLE,
-            ),
-        },
+        channel_references=[
+            {
+                "channel_reference": "$1",
+                "channel_config": ChannelConfig(
+                    name="voltage",
+                    data_type=ChannelDataType.DOUBLE,
+                ),
+            }
+        ],
     )
     assert voltage_rule_config.expression == voltage_rule_expression
 
@@ -32,18 +35,24 @@ def test_rule_config_json():
             tags=["foo", "bar"],
             assignee="foobar@baz.com",
         ),
-        channel_references={
-            "$1": ChannelConfig(
-                name="vehicle_state",
-                component="motor",
-                data_type=ChannelDataType.INT_32,
-            ),
-            "$2": ChannelConfig(
-                name="temperature",
-                component="motor",
-                data_type=ChannelDataType.INT_32,
-            ),
-        },
+        channel_references=[
+            {
+                "channel_reference": "$1",
+                "channel_config": ChannelConfig(
+                    name="vehicle_state",
+                    component="motor",
+                    data_type=ChannelDataType.INT_32,
+                ),
+            },
+            {
+                "channel_reference": "$2",
+                "channel_config": ChannelConfig(
+                    name="temperature",
+                    component="motor",
+                    data_type=ChannelDataType.INT_32,
+                ),
+            },
+        ],
         sub_expressions={
             "$3": 80,
         },
@@ -59,12 +68,15 @@ def test_rule_config_json():
             tags=["foo", "bar"],
             assignee="foobar@baz.com",
         ),
-        channel_references={
-            "$1": ChannelConfig(
-                name="log",
-                data_type=ChannelDataType.INT_32,
-            ),
-        },
+        channel_references=[
+            {
+                "channel_reference": "$1",
+                "channel_config": ChannelConfig(
+                    name="log",
+                    data_type=ChannelDataType.INT_32,
+                ),
+            },
+        ],
         sub_expressions={
             "$2": "Error",
         },
@@ -80,12 +92,15 @@ def test_rule_named_expressions():
         description="checks high periods of energy output",
         expression=kinetic_energy_gt_expression,
         action=RuleActionCreatePhaseAnnotation(),
-        channel_references={
-            "$1": ChannelConfig(
-                name="log",
-                data_type=ChannelDataType.INT_32,
-            ),
-        },
+        channel_references=[
+            {
+                "channel_reference": "$1",
+                "channel_config": ChannelConfig(
+                    name="velocity",
+                    data_type=ChannelDataType.INT_32,
+                ),
+            },
+        ],
         sub_expressions={
             "$mass": 10,
             "$threshold": 35,