diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9b9d3de5..866c6b3f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ helm delete --namespace test my-application
 | httpRoute.hostnames | tpl/list | `nil` | Hostnames for the HTTPRoute. |
 | httpRoute.additionalLabels | object | `{}` | Additional labels for HTTPRoute. |
 | httpRoute.annotations | object | `{}` | Annotations for HTTPRoute. |
-| httpRoute.rules | tpl/list | `[{"backendRefs":[{"name":"{{ include \"application.name\" $ }}","port":"{{ (first $.Values.service.ports).port | int }}"}],"matches":[{"path":{"type":"PathPrefix","value":"/"}}]}]` | Rules for HTTPRoute. |
+| httpRoute.rules | tpl/list | `[{"backendRefs":[{"name":"{{ include \"application.name\" $ }}","port":"{{ (first $.Values.service.ports).port }}"}],"matches":[{"path":{"type":"PathPrefix","value":"/"}}]}]` | Rules for HTTPRoute. |
 
 ### Route Parameters
 
diff --git a/application/templates/_helpers.tpl b/application/templates/_helpers.tpl
index 76ce78ac..5691e7d3 100644
--- a/application/templates/_helpers.tpl
+++ b/application/templates/_helpers.tpl
@@ -92,3 +92,53 @@ reference:
   kind: Route
   name: {{ include "application.name" . }}
 {{- end }}
+
+{{/*
+Renders httpRoute rules with proper integer type for port fields.
+Usage:
+{{ include "application.httpRoute.rules" . }}
+*/}}
+{{- define "application.httpRoute.rules" -}}
+{{- $rulesYaml := include "application.tplvalues.render" ( dict "value" .Values.httpRoute.rules "context" . ) -}}
+{{- $wrappedYaml := printf "rules:\n%s" $rulesYaml -}}
+{{- $parsed := $wrappedYaml | fromYaml -}}
+{{- range $ruleIndex, $rule := $parsed.rules -}}
+{{- if $ruleIndex }}
+{{ end -}}
+- {{- if $rule.matches }}
+  matches: {{ $rule.matches | toYaml | nindent 4 }}
+  {{- end }}
+  {{- if $rule.filters }}
+  filters: {{ $rule.filters | toYaml | nindent 4 }}
+  {{- end }}
+  {{- if $rule.sessionAffinity }}
+  sessionAffinity: {{ $rule.sessionAffinity | toYaml | nindent 4 }}
+  {{- end }}
+  {{- if $rule.timeouts }}
+  timeouts: {{ $rule.timeouts | toYaml | nindent 4 }}
+  {{- end }}
+  {{- if $rule.backendRefs }}
+  backendRefs:
+  {{- range $rule.backendRefs }}
+  {{- $portVal := .port | int }}
+  {{- if or (lt $portVal 1) (gt $portVal 65535) }}
+    {{- fail (printf "Invalid port value: %v. Port must be between 1 and 65535" .port) }}
+  {{- end }}
+  - name: {{ .name }}
+    port: {{ $portVal }}
+    {{- if .weight }}
+    weight: {{ .weight | int }}
+    {{- end }}
+    {{- if .namespace }}
+    namespace: {{ .namespace }}
+    {{- end }}
+    {{- if .kind }}
+    kind: {{ .kind }}
+    {{- end }}
+    {{- if .group }}
+    group: {{ .group }}
+    {{- end }}
+  {{- end }}
+  {{- end }}
+{{- end -}}
+{{- end -}}
diff --git a/application/templates/httproute.yaml b/application/templates/httproute.yaml
index 02c4ed75..107d78a3 100644
--- a/application/templates/httproute.yaml
+++ b/application/templates/httproute.yaml
@@ -22,5 +22,5 @@ spec:
   useDefaultGateways: {{ .Values.httpRoute.useDefaultGateways }}
   {{- end }}
   hostnames: {{- include "application.tplvalues.render" ( dict "value" .Values.httpRoute.hostnames "context" $ ) | nindent 4 }}
-  rules: {{- include "application.tplvalues.render" ( dict "value" .Values.httpRoute.rules "context" $ ) | nindent 4 }}
+  rules: {{- include "application.httpRoute.rules" . | nindent 4 }}
 {{- end }}
diff --git a/application/tests/httproute_test.yaml b/application/tests/httproute_test.yaml
index 38fb51dd..877fd60a 100644
--- a/application/tests/httproute_test.yaml
+++ b/application/tests/httproute_test.yaml
@@ -280,3 +280,40 @@ tests:
       - equal:
           path: spec.rules[0].filters[0].requestRedirect.port
           value: 443
+
+  - it: renders HTTPRoute with default service port when using template expression
+    set:
+      applicationName: "test-app"
+      httpRoute:
+        enabled: true
+        parentRefs:
+          - name: my-gateway
+        hostnames:
+          - example.com
+        rules:
+          - matches:
+              - path:
+                  type: PathPrefix
+                  value: /
+            backendRefs:
+              - name: '{{ include "application.name" $ }}'
+                port: '{{ (first $.Values.service.ports).port }}'
+      service:
+        enabled: true
+        ports:
+          - port: 8080
+            name: http
+            protocol: TCP
+            targetPort: 8080
+    capabilities:
+      apiVersions:
+        - gateway.networking.k8s.io/v1
+    asserts:
+      - equal:
+          path: spec.rules[0].backendRefs[0].name
+          value: test-app
+      - equal:
+          path: spec.rules[0].backendRefs[0].port
+          value: 8080
+      - isKind:
+          of: HTTPRoute
diff --git a/application/values.yaml b/application/values.yaml
index 50f459da..7dc5d682 100644
--- a/application/values.yaml
+++ b/application/values.yaml
@@ -641,7 +641,7 @@ httpRoute:
             value: /
       backendRefs:
         - name: '{{ include "application.name" $ }}'
-          port: '{{ (first $.Values.service.ports).port | int }}'
+          port: '{{ (first $.Values.service.ports).port }}'
 
 route:
   # -- (bool) Deploy a Route (OpenShift) resource.