diff --git a/.github/workflows/spectral-lint.yml b/.github/workflows/spectral-lint.yml
index fc8d95b51..ad84f4637 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/spectral-lint.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/spectral-lint.yml
@@ -32,4 +32,4 @@ jobs:
         with:
           # Path to the OpenAPI spec files and openapi/v2.yaml
           file_glob: openapi/v2.yaml
-          spectral_ruleset: tools/spectral/.spectral.yaml
+          spectral_ruleset: tools/spectral/.spectral.yaml #If updated, need to update in MMS too.
diff --git a/tools/spectral/.spectral.yaml b/tools/spectral/.spectral.yaml
index eb4614f05..78017c105 100644
--- a/tools/spectral/.spectral.yaml
+++ b/tools/spectral/.spectral.yaml
@@ -184,6 +184,17 @@ rules:
           field: allow_diff
           pattern: "^true$"
 
+   no-slash-before-custom-method:
+    description: "Custom methods (e.g., ':applyItem') should not be preceded by a '/'."
+    message: "The path '{{path}}' contains a '/' before a custom method. Custom methods should not start with a '/'."
+    severity: error
+    given: "$.paths"
+    then:
+      field: "@key"
+      function: pattern
+      functionOptions:
+        notMatch: "/[^/]+/:[a-zA-Z]+$"
+
 overrides:
   - files: # load sample data has an issue with different path param names for different VERBS
       - "*.yaml#/paths/~1api~1atlas~1v1.0~1groups~1%7BgroupId%7D~1sampleDatasetLoad~1%7BsampleDatasetId%7D"
diff --git a/tools/spectral/README.md b/tools/spectral/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1bcaf9aca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/spectral/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# Spectral updates
+
+If adding new rules or updating .spectral.yaml overall, the validations will instantly get updated across mongodb/openapi repository.
+
+To propagate the changes in MMS, engineers must open a PR and update the pinned commit sha in mms.
+
+Please perform the following steps:
+1. [ ] Open a PR with the spectral changes and validate that the Spectral lint checks work.
+2. [ ] Review and merge the PR.
+3. [ ] Open a PR in mms, updating the commit sha of the spectral file imported.
+4. [ ] Validate all tests pass.
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