diff --git a/internal/utils/jsonpatch/patch.go b/internal/utils/jsonpatch/patch.go
index 8c14ae19f4..868c9c2f32 100644
--- a/internal/utils/jsonpatch/patch.go
+++ b/internal/utils/jsonpatch/patch.go
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 
 	jsonpatchv5 "github.com/evanphx/json-patch/v5"
-	"sigs.k8s.io/yaml"
 
 	"github.com/envoyproxy/gateway/internal/ir"
 )
@@ -58,38 +57,18 @@ func ApplyJSONPatches(document json.RawMessage, patches ...ir.JSONPatchOperation
 		}
 
 		for _, path := range jsonPointers {
-			op := ir.JSONPatchOperation{
-				Path:  &path,
-				Op:    p.Op,
-				Value: p.Value,
-				From:  p.From,
-			}
-
-			// Convert patch to JSON
-			// The patch library expects an array so convert it into one
-			y, err := yaml.Marshal([]ir.JSONPatchOperation{op})
-			if err != nil {
-				tErr := fmt.Errorf("unable to marshal patch %+v, err: %s", op, err.Error())
-				tErrs = errors.Join(tErrs, tErr)
-				continue
-			}
-			jsonBytes, err := yaml.YAMLToJSON(y)
+			operation, err := toPatchOperation(path, p)
 			if err != nil {
-				tErr := fmt.Errorf("unable to convert patch to json %s, err: %s", string(y), err.Error())
-				tErrs = errors.Join(tErrs, tErr)
-				continue
-			}
-			patchObj, err := jsonpatchv5.DecodePatch(jsonBytes)
-			if err != nil {
-				tErr := fmt.Errorf("unable to decode patch %s, err: %s", string(jsonBytes), err.Error())
-				tErrs = errors.Join(tErrs, tErr)
+				tErrs = errors.Join(tErrs, err)
 				continue
 			}
 
+			patch := jsonpatchv5.Patch{operation}
+
 			// Apply patch
-			document, err = patchObj.ApplyWithOptions(document, opts)
+			document, err = patch.ApplyWithOptions(document, opts)
 			if err != nil {
-				tErr := fmt.Errorf("unable to apply patch:\n%s on resource:\n%s, err: %s", string(jsonBytes), string(document), err.Error())
+				tErr := fmt.Errorf("unable to apply patch: op=%s path=%s err: %s", string(p.Op), path, err.Error())
 				tErrs = errors.Join(tErrs, tErr)
 				continue
 			}
@@ -97,3 +76,52 @@ func ApplyJSONPatches(document json.RawMessage, patches ...ir.JSONPatchOperation
 	}
 	return document, tErrs
 }
+
+func toPatchOperation(path string, original ir.JSONPatchOperation) (jsonpatchv5.Operation, error) {
+	operation := make(jsonpatchv5.Operation, 4)
+
+	rawOp, err := marshalJSONString(string(original.Op))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to marshal patch op %q: %w", string(original.Op), err)
+	}
+	operation["op"] = rawOp
+
+	rawPath, err := marshalJSONString(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to marshal patch path %q: %w", path, err)
+	}
+	operation["path"] = rawPath
+
+	if original.From != nil {
+		rawFrom, err := marshalJSONString(*original.From)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to marshal patch from %q: %w", *original.From, err)
+		}
+		operation["from"] = rawFrom
+	}
+
+	if original.Value != nil {
+		operation["value"] = cloneRawJSON(original.Value.Raw)
+	}
+
+	return operation, nil
+}
+
+func marshalJSONString(value string) (*json.RawMessage, error) {
+	b, err := json.Marshal(value)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	raw := json.RawMessage(b)
+	return &raw, nil
+}
+
+func cloneRawJSON(src []byte) *json.RawMessage {
+	if src == nil {
+		rawNull := json.RawMessage([]byte("null"))
+		return &rawNull
+	}
+	cloned := make(json.RawMessage, len(src))
+	copy(cloned, src)
+	return &cloned
+}
diff --git a/internal/xds/translator/jsonpatch.go b/internal/xds/translator/jsonpatch.go
index c8b2a7141a..e4e3ceb361 100644
--- a/internal/xds/translator/jsonpatch.go
+++ b/internal/xds/translator/jsonpatch.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ import (
 	tlsv3 "github.com/envoyproxy/go-control-plane/envoy/extensions/transport_sockets/tls/v3"
 	resourcev3 "github.com/envoyproxy/go-control-plane/pkg/resource/v3"
 	"google.golang.org/protobuf/encoding/protojson"
-	"sigs.k8s.io/yaml"
 
 	"github.com/envoyproxy/gateway/internal/gatewayapi/status"
 	"github.com/envoyproxy/gateway/internal/ir"
@@ -68,17 +67,15 @@ func processJSONPatches(tCtx *types.ResourceVersionTable, envoyPatchPolicies []*
 			// If Path and JSONPath is "" and op is "add", unmarshal and add the patch as a complete
 			// resource
 			if p.Operation.Op == ir.JSONPatchOpAdd && p.Operation.IsPathNilOrEmpty() && p.Operation.IsJSONPathNilOrEmpty() {
-				// Convert patch to JSON
-				// The patch library expects an array so convert it into one
-				y, err := yaml.Marshal(p.Operation.Value)
-				if err != nil {
-					tErr := fmt.Errorf("unable to marshal patch %+v, err: %s", p.Operation.Value, err.Error())
+				if p.Operation.Value == nil {
+					tErr := fmt.Errorf("missing value for add operation with empty path")
 					tErrs = errors.Join(tErrs, tErr)
 					continue
 				}
-				jsonBytes, err := yaml.YAMLToJSON(y)
-				if err != nil {
-					tErr := fmt.Errorf("unable to convert patch to json %s, err: %s", string(y), err.Error())
+
+				jsonBytes := p.Operation.Value.Raw
+				if len(jsonBytes) == 0 {
+					tErr := fmt.Errorf("empty value for add operation with empty path")
 					tErrs = errors.Join(tErrs, tErr)
 					continue
 				}