diff --git a/docs/CLI.md b/docs/CLI.md
index 1d224d722..6bcd9208b 100644
--- a/docs/CLI.md
+++ b/docs/CLI.md
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ hold the primary role), and a target that is already active (prints a no-op noti
 
 ```
 $ kubectl dba dc-dr switchover cli-test -n demo --to dc-a
-Switchover of demo/cli-test to "dc-a" requested (scope primary-dc-clitest, from PlacementPolicy cli-test-pp failoverPolicy trigger (Group "clitest")).
+Switchover of demo/cli-test to "dc-a" requested (scope primary-dc-clitest, from PlacementPolicy cli-test-pp failoverGroupRef "clitest").
 The operator will quiesce, wait for catch-up, and hand off; zero committed rows are lost.
 Monitor:  kubectl dba dc-dr status cli-test -n demo
 Abort:    kubectl dba dc-dr abort cli-test -n demo
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ operator's own gates read, so the display cannot drift from the real decision.
 $ kubectl dba dc-dr status pg-dcdr -n demo
 Database:      demo/pg-dcdr (Ready)
 Failover scope: primary-dc
-                (PlacementPolicy dcdr-postgres failoverPolicy trigger (Global))
+                (PlacementPolicy dcdr-postgres failoverPolicy (Global))
 Member DCs:    dc-a, dc-b
 Active DC:     dc-b   DR phase: Steady
 Protected:     true  (data center "dc-a" is streaming 0 bytes behind, within the 16777216 byte budget)
@@ -329,13 +329,13 @@ kubectl dba dc-dr active-dc DB_NAME -n NS -q          # just the DC name, for sc
 ```
 
 Given a database, its scope is resolved exactly as the operator resolves it (the
-PlacementPolicy's `failoverPolicy.trigger`, falling back to the legacy
-`dr.kubedb.com/failover-group` annotation, else Global) and the matching Lease is read.
+PlacementPolicy's `failoverPolicy.failoverGroupRef`, else Global) and the matching
+Lease is read.
 
 ```
 $ kubectl dba dc-dr active-dc pg-dcdr -n demo
 Active DC:  dc-b
-Lease:      dc-failover/primary-dc  (scope from PlacementPolicy dcdr-postgres failoverPolicy trigger (Global))
+Lease:      dc-failover/primary-dc  (scope from PlacementPolicy dcdr-postgres failoverPolicy (Global))
 Renewed:    2s ago (lease duration 45s)
 Transitions:41
 Members:    dc-a,dc-b
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ Diagnosing failover for demo/pg-dcdr
 
   [OK  ] database is DC-DR distributed and armed
   [OK  ] failover scope resolves to primary-dc
-         PlacementPolicy dcdr-postgres failoverPolicy trigger (Global)
+         PlacementPolicy dcdr-postgres failoverPolicy (Global)
   [WARN] holder "dc-b" is renewing normally, so the authority will NOT move on its own
          the Lease was renewed 5s ago, inside its 45s duration: that data center's agent is alive
          -> this is by design: no database-level condition (client errors, QPS, lag, a crashed
diff --git a/pkg/dcdr/activedc.go b/pkg/dcdr/activedc.go
index 988ea15ba..be39a17b9 100644
--- a/pkg/dcdr/activedc.go
+++ b/pkg/dcdr/activedc.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func NewCmdActiveDC(f cmdutil.Factory) *cobra.Command {
 			authority for which data center is active.
 
 			Given a database name, its failover scope is resolved first (the
-			PlacementPolicy's failoverPolicy trigger, exactly as the operator
+			PlacementPolicy's failoverPolicy failoverGroupRef, exactly as the operator
 			resolves it) and the matching Lease is read. Given --lease, that Lease is
 			read directly, which also works for a scope whose database is gone.
 
diff --git a/pkg/dcdr/dcdr.go b/pkg/dcdr/dcdr.go
index c820eaa71..e1cf1f4b2 100644
--- a/pkg/dcdr/dcdr.go
+++ b/pkg/dcdr/dcdr.go
@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@ const (
 	AnnSwitchoverStart = "dr.kubedb.com/switchover-started"
 	AnnQuiesceActive   = "dr.kubedb.com/quiesce-active"
 	AnnAcceptDataLoss  = "dr.kubedb.com/accept-failover-data-loss"
-	AnnFailoverGroup   = "dr.kubedb.com/failover-group"
 	AnnMaxLagBytes     = "dr.kubedb.com/switchover-max-lag-bytes"
 
 	AnnLeaseHandoffTo = "dr.open-cluster-management.io/handoff-to"
@@ -202,49 +201,31 @@ type Scope struct {
 }
 
 // ResolveScopeForDB mirrors the operator's scopeForDB: the PlacementPolicy's
-// failoverPolicy.trigger is the source of truth (Group with a name, else Global);
-// the dr.kubedb.com/failover-group annotation is consulted only when the policy
-// carries no failoverPolicy; otherwise the scope is Global.
+// failoverPolicy.failoverGroupRef is the source of truth (a named FailoverGroup
+// follows its primary-dc-<group> Lease); no reference, or no policy, is Global.
 func ResolveScopeForDB(ctx context.Context, dyn dynamic.Interface, db *unstructured.Unstructured) (*Scope, error) {
 	ppName, _, _ := unstructured.NestedString(db.Object, "spec", "podTemplate", "spec", "podPlacementPolicy", "name")
-	if ppName != "" {
-		pp, err := dyn.Resource(PlacementGVR).Get(ctx, ppName, metav1.GetOptions{})
-		if err == nil {
-			s := &Scope{MemberDCs: memberDCsFromPP(pp)}
-			trigger, found, _ := unstructured.NestedMap(pp.Object, "spec", "clusterSpreadConstraint", "failoverPolicy", "trigger")
-			if found {
-				scope, _ := trigger["scope"].(string)
-				group, _ := trigger["group"].(string)
-				if scope == "Group" && group != "" {
-					s.LeaseName = GroupLeasePrefix + group
-					s.Source = fmt.Sprintf("PlacementPolicy %s failoverPolicy trigger (Group %q)", ppName, group)
-					return s, nil
-				}
-				s.LeaseName = GlobalPrimaryLease
-				s.Source = fmt.Sprintf("PlacementPolicy %s failoverPolicy trigger (Global)", ppName)
-				return s, nil
-			}
-			// Policy exists but registers no failoverPolicy: back-compat annotation.
-			if g := db.GetAnnotations()[AnnFailoverGroup]; g != "" {
-				s.LeaseName = GroupLeasePrefix + g
-				s.Source = fmt.Sprintf("annotation %s (PlacementPolicy %s has no failoverPolicy)", AnnFailoverGroup, ppName)
-				return s, nil
-			}
-			s.LeaseName = GlobalPrimaryLease
-			s.Source = fmt.Sprintf("default Global (PlacementPolicy %s has no failoverPolicy); WARNING: this scope may not be registered, so no Lease may exist and protection may not be armed", ppName)
-			return s, nil
-		}
-		// The policy is referenced but unreadable: fall through to the annotation,
-		// but say so.
-		if g := db.GetAnnotations()[AnnFailoverGroup]; g != "" {
-			return &Scope{LeaseName: GroupLeasePrefix + g, Source: fmt.Sprintf("annotation %s (PlacementPolicy %s unreadable: %v)", AnnFailoverGroup, ppName, err)}, nil
-		}
+	if ppName == "" {
+		return &Scope{LeaseName: GlobalPrimaryLease, Source: "default Global (no PlacementPolicy set)"}, nil
+	}
+	pp, err := dyn.Resource(PlacementGVR).Get(ctx, ppName, metav1.GetOptions{})
+	if err != nil {
 		return &Scope{LeaseName: GlobalPrimaryLease, Source: fmt.Sprintf("default Global (PlacementPolicy %s unreadable: %v)", ppName, err)}, nil
 	}
-	if g := db.GetAnnotations()[AnnFailoverGroup]; g != "" {
-		return &Scope{LeaseName: GroupLeasePrefix + g, Source: "annotation " + AnnFailoverGroup}, nil
+	s := &Scope{MemberDCs: memberDCsFromPP(pp)}
+	if _, found, _ := unstructured.NestedMap(pp.Object, "spec", "clusterSpreadConstraint", "failoverPolicy"); !found {
+		s.LeaseName = GlobalPrimaryLease
+		s.Source = fmt.Sprintf("default Global (PlacementPolicy %s has no failoverPolicy); WARNING: this scope may not be registered, so no Lease may exist and protection may not be armed", ppName)
+		return s, nil
+	}
+	if group, _, _ := unstructured.NestedString(pp.Object, "spec", "clusterSpreadConstraint", "failoverPolicy", "failoverGroupRef", "name"); group != "" {
+		s.LeaseName = GroupLeasePrefix + group
+		s.Source = fmt.Sprintf("PlacementPolicy %s failoverGroupRef %q", ppName, group)
+		return s, nil
 	}
-	return &Scope{LeaseName: GlobalPrimaryLease, Source: "default Global (no PlacementPolicy set)"}, nil
+	s.LeaseName = GlobalPrimaryLease
+	s.Source = fmt.Sprintf("PlacementPolicy %s failoverPolicy (Global)", ppName)
+	return s, nil
 }
 
 func memberDCsFromPP(pp *unstructured.Unstructured) []string {
diff --git a/pkg/dcdr/debug.go b/pkg/dcdr/debug.go
index d31a6dbe9..0dced1cb1 100644
--- a/pkg/dcdr/debug.go
+++ b/pkg/dcdr/debug.go
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ func newCmdDebugFailover(f cmdutil.Factory) *cobra.Command {
 				findings = append(findings, finding{ok: true, title: "database is DC-DR distributed and armed"})
 			}
 			if strings.Contains(scope.Source, "WARNING") {
-				findings = append(findings, finding{title: "failover scope is registered", detail: scope.Source, remedy: "register the scope in the PlacementPolicy (clusterSpreadConstraint.failoverPolicy.trigger); an unregistered scope has no Lease and no protection", blocker: true})
+				findings = append(findings, finding{title: "failover scope is registered", detail: scope.Source, remedy: "register the scope in the PlacementPolicy (clusterSpreadConstraint.failoverPolicy, with failoverGroupRef for a group); an unregistered scope has no Lease and no protection", blocker: true})
 			} else {
 				findings = append(findings, finding{ok: true, title: fmt.Sprintf("failover scope resolves to %s", scope.LeaseName), detail: scope.Source})
 			}