diff --git a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link.erl b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link.erl
index d91b33c3a..76228c052 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link.erl
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ maybe_push_route_op(Op, Topic, RouteID) ->
 
 maybe_push_route_op(Op, Topic, RouteID, PushFun) ->
     lists:foreach(
-        fun(#{upstream := Cluster, topics := LinkFilters}) ->
+        fun(#{name := Cluster, topics := LinkFilters}) ->
             case topic_intersect_any(Topic, LinkFilters) of
                 false ->
                     ok;
diff --git a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_api.erl b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_api.erl
index c74d2d3f7..33634607e 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_api.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_api.erl
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ links_config_example() ->
                     <<"t/topic-example">>,
                     <<"t/topic-filter-example/1/#">>
                 ],
-            <<"upstream">> => <<"emqxcl_b">>
+            <<"name">> => <<"emqxcl_b">>
         },
         #{
             <<"enable">> => true,
@@ -111,6 +111,6 @@ links_config_example() ->
                     <<"t/topic-example">>,
                     <<"t/topic-filter-example/1/#">>
                 ],
-            <<"upstream">> => <<"emqxcl_c">>
+            <<"name">> => <<"emqxcl_c">>
         }
     ].
diff --git a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_app.erl b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_app.erl
index ddf3028a2..41f1a0a77 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_app.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_app.erl
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ start_msg_fwd_resources(LinksConf) ->
 
 remove_msg_fwd_resources(LinksConf) ->
     lists:foreach(
-        fun(#{upstream := Name}) ->
+        fun(#{name := Name}) ->
             emqx_cluster_link_mqtt:remove_msg_fwd_resource(Name)
         end,
         LinksConf
diff --git a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_config.erl b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_config.erl
index 2b5dea2e8..f27c7702e 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_config.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_config.erl
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ add_link(_DisabledLinkConf) ->
     ok.
 
 remove_links(LinksConf) ->
-    [remove_link(Name) || #{upstream := Name} <- LinksConf].
+    [remove_link(Name) || #{name := Name} <- LinksConf].
 
 remove_link(Name) ->
     _ = emqx_cluster_link_mqtt:remove_msg_fwd_resource(Name),
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ remove_link(Name) ->
 update_links(LinksConf) ->
     [update_link(Link) || Link <- LinksConf].
 
-update_link({OldLinkConf, #{enable := true, upstream := Name} = NewLinkConf}) ->
+update_link({OldLinkConf, #{enable := true, name := Name} = NewLinkConf}) ->
     case what_is_changed(OldLinkConf, NewLinkConf) of
         both ->
             _ = ensure_actor_stopped(Name),
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ update_link({OldLinkConf, #{enable := true, upstream := Name} = NewLinkConf}) ->
         msg_resource ->
             ok = update_msg_fwd_resource(OldLinkConf, NewLinkConf)
     end;
-update_link({_OldLinkConf, #{enable := false, upstream := Name} = _NewLinkConf}) ->
+update_link({_OldLinkConf, #{enable := false, name := Name} = _NewLinkConf}) ->
     _ = emqx_cluster_link_mqtt:remove_msg_fwd_resource(Name),
     ensure_actor_stopped(Name).
 
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ what_is_changed(OldLink, NewLink) ->
 are_fields_changed(Fields, OldLink, NewLink) ->
     maps:with(Fields, OldLink) =/= maps:with(Fields, NewLink).
 
-update_msg_fwd_resource(_, #{upstream := Name} = NewConf) ->
+update_msg_fwd_resource(_, #{name := Name} = NewConf) ->
     _ = emqx_cluster_link_mqtt:remove_msg_fwd_resource(Name),
     {ok, _} = emqx_cluster_link_mqtt:ensure_msg_fwd_resource(NewConf),
     ok.
@@ -248,8 +248,8 @@ update_msg_fwd_resource(_, #{upstream := Name} = NewConf) ->
 ensure_actor_stopped(ClusterName) ->
     emqx_cluster_link_sup:ensure_actor_stopped(ClusterName).
 
-upstream_name(#{upstream := N}) -> N;
-upstream_name(#{<<"upstream">> := N}) -> N.
+upstream_name(#{name := N}) -> N;
+upstream_name(#{<<"name">> := N}) -> N.
 
 maybe_increment_ps_actor_incr(New, Old) ->
     case emqx_persistent_message:is_persistence_enabled() of
@@ -284,9 +284,9 @@ increment_ps_actor_incr(#{ps_actor_incarnation := Incr} = Conf) ->
 increment_ps_actor_incr(#{<<"ps_actor_incarnation">> := Incr} = Conf) ->
     Conf#{<<"ps_actor_incarnation">> => Incr + 1};
 %% Default value set in schema is 0, so need to set it to 1 during the first update.
-increment_ps_actor_incr(#{<<"upstream">> := _} = Conf) ->
+increment_ps_actor_incr(#{<<"name">> := _} = Conf) ->
     Conf#{<<"ps_actor_incarnation">> => 1};
-increment_ps_actor_incr(#{upstream := _} = Conf) ->
+increment_ps_actor_incr(#{name := _} = Conf) ->
     Conf#{ps_actor_incarnation => 1}.
 
 convert_certs(LinksConf) ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_mqtt.erl b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_mqtt.erl
index 7a8bf1dff..5185803b6 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_mqtt.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_mqtt.erl
@@ -80,16 +80,9 @@
 
 -define(PUB_TIMEOUT, 10_000).
 
--spec ensure_msg_fwd_resource(binary() | map()) ->
+-spec ensure_msg_fwd_resource(map()) ->
     {ok, emqx_resource:resource_data() | already_started} | {error, Reason :: term()}.
-ensure_msg_fwd_resource(ClusterName) when is_binary(ClusterName) ->
-    case emqx_cluster_link_config:link(ClusterName) of
-        #{} = Conf ->
-            ensure_msg_fwd_resource(Conf);
-        undefined ->
-            {error, link_config_not_found}
-    end;
-ensure_msg_fwd_resource(#{upstream := Name, resource_opts := ResOpts} = ClusterConf) ->
+ensure_msg_fwd_resource(#{name := Name, resource_opts := ResOpts} = ClusterConf) ->
     ResOpts1 = ResOpts#{
         query_mode => async,
         start_after_created => true
diff --git a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_router_syncer.erl b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_router_syncer.erl
index b7d165419..6808da0bd 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_router_syncer.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_router_syncer.erl
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ status(Cluster) ->
 %% 1. Actor + MQTT Client
 %% 2. Syncer
 
-start_link(#{upstream := TargetCluster} = LinkConf) ->
+start_link(#{name := TargetCluster} = LinkConf) ->
     supervisor:start_link(?REF(TargetCluster), ?MODULE, {sup, LinkConf}).
 
 %% Actor
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ init({sup, LinkConf}) ->
 init({actor, State}) ->
     init_actor(State).
 
-child_spec(actor, #{upstream := TargetCluster} = LinkConf) ->
+child_spec(actor, #{name := TargetCluster} = LinkConf) ->
     %% Actor process.
     %% Wraps MQTT Client process.
     %% ClientID: `mycluster:emqx1@emqx.local:routesync`
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ child_spec(actor, #{upstream := TargetCluster} = LinkConf) ->
     Actor = get_actor_id(),
     Incarnation = new_incarnation(),
     actor_spec(actor, ?ACTOR_REF(TargetCluster), Actor, Incarnation, LinkConf);
-child_spec(ps_actor, #{upstream := TargetCluster, ps_actor_incarnation := Incr} = LinkConf) ->
+child_spec(ps_actor, #{name := TargetCluster, ps_actor_incarnation := Incr} = LinkConf) ->
     actor_spec(ps_actor, ?PS_ACTOR_REF(TargetCluster), ?PS_ACTOR, Incr, LinkConf).
 
 child_spec(syncer, ?PS_ACTOR, Incarnation, TargetCluster) ->
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ syncer_spec(ChildID, Actor, Incarnation, SyncerRef, ClientName) ->
         type => worker
     }.
 
-mk_state(#{upstream := TargetCluster} = LinkConf, Actor, Incarnation) ->
+mk_state(#{name := TargetCluster} = LinkConf, Actor, Incarnation) ->
     #st{
         target = TargetCluster,
         actor = Actor,
diff --git a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_schema.erl b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_schema.erl
index b6d0fbcda..f46249a4f 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_schema.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_schema.erl
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ links_schema(Meta) ->
 fields("link") ->
     [
         {enable, ?HOCON(boolean(), #{default => true, desc => ?DESC(enable)})},
-        {upstream, ?HOCON(binary(), #{required => true, desc => ?DESC(upstream)})},
+        {name, ?HOCON(binary(), #{required => true, desc => ?DESC(link_name)})},
         {server,
             emqx_schema:servers_sc(#{required => true, desc => ?DESC(server)}, ?MQTT_HOST_OPTS)},
         {clientid, ?HOCON(binary(), #{desc => ?DESC(clientid)})},
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ links_validator(Links) ->
     ),
     check_errors(Dups, duplicated_cluster_links, names).
 
-link_name(#{upstream := Name}) -> Name;
-link_name(#{<<"upstream">> := Name}) -> Name.
+link_name(#{name := Name}) -> Name;
+link_name(#{<<"name">> := Name}) -> Name.
 
 topics_validator(Topics) ->
     Errors = lists:foldl(
diff --git a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_sup.erl b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_sup.erl
index 0991583e2..2025510fc 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_sup.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_sup.erl
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ init(LinksConf) ->
     ExtrouterGC = extrouter_gc_spec(),
     RouteActors = [
         sup_spec(Name, ?ACTOR_MODULE, [LinkConf])
-     || #{upstream := Name} = LinkConf <- LinksConf
+     || #{name := Name} = LinkConf <- LinksConf
     ],
     {ok, {SupFlags, [ExtrouterGC | RouteActors]}}.
 
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ sup_spec(Id, Mod, Args) ->
         modules => [Mod]
     }.
 
-ensure_actor(#{upstream := Name} = LinkConf) ->
+ensure_actor(#{name := Name} = LinkConf) ->
     case supervisor:start_child(?SERVER, sup_spec(Name, ?ACTOR_MODULE, [LinkConf])) of
         {ok, Pid} ->
             {ok, Pid};
diff --git a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/test/emqx_cluster_link_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/test/emqx_cluster_link_SUITE.erl
index e38cd3999..e023aacab 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/test/emqx_cluster_link_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/test/emqx_cluster_link_SUITE.erl
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ mk_source_cluster(BaseName, Config) ->
         "\n name = cl.source"
         "\n links = ["
         "\n   { enable = true"
-        "\n     upstream = cl.target"
+        "\n     name = cl.target"
         "\n     server = \"localhost:31883\""
         "\n     clientid = client.source"
         "\n     topics = []"
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ mk_target_cluster(BaseName, Config) ->
         "\n name = cl.target"
         "\n links = ["
         "\n   { enable = true"
-        "\n     upstream = cl.source"
+        "\n     name = cl.source"
         "\n     server = \"localhost:41883\""
         "\n     clientid = client.target"
         "\n     topics = [\"#\"]"
diff --git a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/test/emqx_cluster_link_config_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/test/emqx_cluster_link_config_SUITE.erl
index e09f12ce4..97e62402c 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/test/emqx_cluster_link_config_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/test/emqx_cluster_link_config_SUITE.erl
@@ -101,14 +101,14 @@ t_config_update(Config) ->
         <<"pool_size">> => 1,
         <<"server">> => <<"localhost:", (integer_to_binary(LPortB))/binary>>,
         <<"topics">> => [<<"t/test-topic">>, <<"t/test/#">>],
-        <<"upstream">> => NameB
+        <<"name">> => NameB
     },
     LinkConfB = #{
         <<"enable">> => true,
         <<"pool_size">> => 1,
         <<"server">> => <<"localhost:", (integer_to_binary(LPortA))/binary>>,
         <<"topics">> => [<<"t/test-topic">>, <<"t/test/#">>],
-        <<"upstream">> => NameA
+        <<"name">> => NameA
     },
 
     {ok, SubRef} = snabbkaffe:subscribe(
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ t_config_validations(Config) ->
         <<"pool_size">> => 1,
         <<"server">> => <<"localhost:", (integer_to_binary(LPortB))/binary>>,
         <<"topics">> => [<<"t/test-topic">>, <<"t/test/#">>],
-        <<"upstream">> => NameB
+        <<"name">> => NameB
     },
     DuplicatedLinks = [LinkConfA, LinkConfA#{<<"enable">> => false, <<"pool_size">> => 2}],
     ?assertMatch(
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ t_config_validations(Config) ->
     ?assertMatch(
         {error, #{reason := required_field}},
         erpc:call(NodeA, emqx_cluster_link_config, update, [
-            [maps:remove(<<"upstream">>, LinkConfA)]
+            [maps:remove(<<"name">>, LinkConfA)]
         ])
     ),
     ?assertMatch(
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ t_config_validations(Config) ->
         erpc:call(NodeA, emqx_cluster_link_config, update, [[LinkConfA]])
     ),
     LinkConfUnknown = LinkConfA#{
-        <<"upstream">> => <<"no-cluster">>, <<"server">> => <<"no-cluster.emqx:31883">>
+        <<"name">> => <<"no-cluster">>, <<"server">> => <<"no-cluster.emqx:31883">>
     },
     ?assertMatch(
         {ok, _},
@@ -365,14 +365,14 @@ t_config_update_ds(Config) ->
         <<"pool_size">> => 1,
         <<"server">> => <<"localhost:", (integer_to_binary(LPortB))/binary>>,
         <<"topics">> => [<<"t/test-topic">>, <<"t/test/#">>],
-        <<"upstream">> => NameB
+        <<"name">> => NameB
     },
     LinkConfB = #{
         <<"enable">> => true,
         <<"pool_size">> => 1,
         <<"server">> => <<"localhost:", (integer_to_binary(LPortA))/binary>>,
         <<"topics">> => [<<"t/test-topic">>, <<"t/test/#">>],
-        <<"upstream">> => NameA
+        <<"name">> => NameA
     },
 
     {ok, SubRef} = snabbkaffe:subscribe(
@@ -500,14 +500,14 @@ t_misconfigured_links(Config) ->
         <<"pool_size">> => 1,
         <<"server">> => <<"localhost:", (integer_to_binary(LPortB))/binary>>,
         <<"topics">> => [<<"t/test-topic">>, <<"t/test/#">>],
-        <<"upstream">> => <<"bad-b-name">>
+        <<"name">> => <<"bad-b-name">>
     },
     LinkConfB = #{
         <<"enable">> => true,
         <<"pool_size">> => 1,
         <<"server">> => <<"localhost:", (integer_to_binary(LPortA))/binary>>,
         <<"topics">> => [<<"t/test-topic">>, <<"t/test/#">>],
-        <<"upstream">> => NameA
+        <<"name">> => NameA
     },
 
     ?assertMatch({ok, _}, erpc:call(NodeB1, emqx_cluster_link_config, update, [[LinkConfB]])),
@@ -528,7 +528,7 @@ t_misconfigured_links(Config) ->
     ),
 
     {{ok, _}, {ok, _}} = ?wait_async_action(
-        erpc:call(NodeA1, emqx_cluster_link_config, update, [[LinkConfA#{<<"upstream">> => NameB}]]),
+        erpc:call(NodeA1, emqx_cluster_link_config, update, [[LinkConfA#{<<"name">> => NameB}]]),
         #{
             ?snk_kind := clink_route_bootstrap_complete,
             ?snk_meta := #{node := NodeA1}
@@ -554,7 +554,7 @@ t_misconfigured_links(Config) ->
                     LinkConfB#{<<"enable">> => false},
                     %% An extra dummy link to keep B hook/external_broker registered and be able to
                     %% respond with "link disabled error" for the first disabled link
-                    LinkConfB#{<<"upstream">> => <<"bad-a-name">>}
+                    LinkConfB#{<<"name">> => <<"bad-a-name">>}
                 ]
             ]
         )
@@ -562,7 +562,7 @@ t_misconfigured_links(Config) ->
 
     ?assertMatch({ok, _}, erpc:call(NodeA1, emqx_cluster_link_config, update, [[]])),
     {{ok, _}, {ok, _}} = ?wait_async_action(
-        erpc:call(NodeA1, emqx_cluster_link_config, update, [[LinkConfA#{<<"upstream">> => NameB}]]),
+        erpc:call(NodeA1, emqx_cluster_link_config, update, [[LinkConfA#{<<"name">> => NameB}]]),
         #{
             ?snk_kind := clink_handshake_error,
             reason := <<"cluster_link_disabled">>,
@@ -579,13 +579,13 @@ t_misconfigured_links(Config) ->
     ?assertMatch(
         {ok, _},
         erpc:call(NodeB1, emqx_cluster_link_config, update, [
-            [LinkConfB#{<<"upstream">> => <<"bad-a-name">>}]
+            [LinkConfB#{<<"name">> => <<"bad-a-name">>}]
         ])
     ),
     ?assertMatch({ok, _}, erpc:call(NodeA1, emqx_cluster_link_config, update, [[]])),
 
     {{ok, _}, {ok, _}} = ?wait_async_action(
-        erpc:call(NodeA1, emqx_cluster_link_config, update, [[LinkConfA#{<<"upstream">> => NameB}]]),
+        erpc:call(NodeA1, emqx_cluster_link_config, update, [[LinkConfA#{<<"name">> => NameB}]]),
         #{
             ?snk_kind := clink_handshake_error,
             reason := <<"unknown_cluster">>,
diff --git a/rel/i18n/emqx_cluster_link_schema.hocon b/rel/i18n/emqx_cluster_link_schema.hocon
index 77e4987f7..efd402569 100644
--- a/rel/i18n/emqx_cluster_link_schema.hocon
+++ b/rel/i18n/emqx_cluster_link_schema.hocon
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@ enable.desc:
 """Enable or disable a cluster link. The link is enabled by default, disabling it allows stopping the link without removing its configuration. The link must be enabled on both sides to be operational. Disabling the link should also be done on both clusters in order to free up all associated resources."""
 enable.label: "Enable"
 
-upstream.desc:
-"""Upstream cluster name. Must be exactly equal to the value of `cluster.name` configured at the remote cluster. Must not be equal to the local cluster.name. All configured cluster link upstream names must be unique."""
-upstream.label: "Upstream Name"
+link_name.desc:
+"""Linked (remote) cluster name. Must be exactly equal to the value of `cluster.name` configured at the remote cluster. Must not be equal to the local cluster.name. All configured cluster link names must be unique."""
+link_name.label: "Linked Cluster Name"
 
 server.desc:
 """MQTT host and port of the remote EMQX broker."""