diff --git a/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/ComponentEntityV1alpha1.test.ts b/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/ComponentEntityV1alpha1.test.ts
index 030c99c151..10d66ac880 100644
--- a/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/ComponentEntityV1alpha1.test.ts
+++ b/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/ComponentEntityV1alpha1.test.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ describe('ComponentV1alpha1Validator', () => {
         type: 'service',
         lifecycle: 'production',
         owner: 'me',
+        subcomponentOf: 'monolith',
         providesApis: ['api-0'],
         consumesApis: ['api-0'],
       },
@@ -103,6 +104,21 @@ describe('ComponentV1alpha1Validator', () => {
     await expect(validator.check(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/owner/);
   });
 
+  it('accepts missing subcomponentOf', async () => {
+    delete (entity as any).spec.subcomponentOf;
+    await expect(validator.check(entity)).resolves.toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects wrong subcomponentOf', async () => {
+    (entity as any).spec.subcomponentOf = 7;
+    await expect(validator.check(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/subcomponentOf/);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects empty subcomponentOf', async () => {
+    (entity as any).spec.subcomponentOf = '';
+    await expect(validator.check(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/subcomponentOf/);
+  });
+
   it('accepts missing providesApis', async () => {
     delete (entity as any).spec.providesApis;
     await expect(validator.check(entity)).resolves.toBe(true);
diff --git a/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/ComponentEntityV1alpha1.ts b/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/ComponentEntityV1alpha1.ts
index e511dcb24a..97519ad403 100644
--- a/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/ComponentEntityV1alpha1.ts
+++ b/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/ComponentEntityV1alpha1.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ const schema = yup.object<Partial<ComponentEntityV1alpha1>>({
       type: yup.string().required().min(1),
       lifecycle: yup.string().required().min(1),
       owner: yup.string().required().min(1),
+      subcomponentOf: yup.string().notRequired().min(1),
       providesApis: yup.array(yup.string().required()).notRequired(),
       consumesApis: yup.array(yup.string().required()).notRequired(),
     })
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ export interface ComponentEntityV1alpha1 extends Entity {
     type: string;
     lifecycle: string;
     owner: string;
+    subcomponentOf?: string;
     providesApis?: string[];
     consumesApis?: string[];
   };