diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/entry/rules/rule.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/entry/rules/rule.rb
index 4722f2e9a61ca47ac1b5fdaf31be1ca28c64b457..63bf1b38ac68c0599e86fd7aa32d56419b56c430 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/entry/rules/rule.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/entry/rules/rule.rb
@@ -9,11 +9,13 @@ class Rules::Rule < ::Gitlab::Config::Entry::Node
           include ::Gitlab::Config::Entry::Configurable
           include ::Gitlab::Config::Entry::Attributable
 
-          CLAUSES        = %i[if changes exists].freeze
-          ALLOWED_KEYS   = %i[if changes exists when start_in allow_failure variables].freeze
-          ALLOWABLE_WHEN = %w[on_success on_failure always never manual delayed].freeze
+          ALLOWED_KEYS = %i[if changes exists when start_in allow_failure variables].freeze
+          ALLOWED_WHEN = %w[on_success on_failure always never manual delayed].freeze
 
-          attributes :if, :changes, :exists, :when, :start_in, :allow_failure
+          attributes :if, :exists, :when, :start_in, :allow_failure
+
+          entry :changes, Entry::Rules::Rule::Changes,
+            description: 'File change condition rule.'
 
           entry :variables, Entry::Variables,
             description: 'Environment variables to define for rule conditions.'
@@ -28,8 +30,8 @@ class Rules::Rule < ::Gitlab::Config::Entry::Node
 
             with_options allow_nil: true do
               validates :if, expression: true
-              validates :changes, :exists, array_of_strings: true, length: { maximum: 50 }
-              validates :when, allowed_values: { in: ALLOWABLE_WHEN }
+              validates :exists, array_of_strings: true, length: { maximum: 50 }
+              validates :when, allowed_values: { in: ALLOWED_WHEN }
               validates :allow_failure, boolean: true
             end
 
@@ -41,6 +43,13 @@ class Rules::Rule < ::Gitlab::Config::Entry::Node
             end
           end
 
+          def value
+            config.merge(
+              changes: (changes_value if changes_defined?),
+              variables: (variables_value if variables_defined?)
+            ).compact
+          end
+
           def specifies_delay?
             self.when == 'delayed'
           end
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/entry/rules/rule/changes.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/entry/rules/rule/changes.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..be57e089f34c9da8ae7b48032b3ae1b4aeb711e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/entry/rules/rule/changes.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+module Gitlab
+  module Ci
+    class Config
+      module Entry
+        class Rules
+          class Rule
+            class Changes < ::Gitlab::Config::Entry::Node
+              include ::Gitlab::Config::Entry::Validatable
+
+              validations do
+                validates :config,
+                          array_of_strings: true,
+                          length: { maximum: 50, too_long: "has too many entries (maximum %{count})" }
+              end
+            end
+          end
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/entry/rules/rule/changes_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/entry/rules/rule/changes_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..3ed4a9f263f1d861dc274d781a57b28d3670615d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/entry/rules/rule/changes_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require 'fast_spec_helper'
+
+RSpec.describe Gitlab::Ci::Config::Entry::Rules::Rule::Changes do
+  let(:factory) do
+    Gitlab::Config::Entry::Factory.new(described_class)
+      .value(config)
+  end
+
+  subject(:entry) { factory.create! }
+
+  before do
+    entry.compose!
+  end
+
+  describe '.new' do
+    context 'when using a string array' do
+      let(:config) { %w[app/ lib/ spec/ other/* paths/**/*.rb] }
+
+      it { is_expected.to be_valid }
+    end
+
+    context 'when using an integer array' do
+      let(:config) { [1, 2] }
+
+      it { is_expected.not_to be_valid }
+
+      it 'returns errors' do
+        expect(entry.errors).to include(/changes config should be an array of strings/)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when using a string' do
+      let(:config) { 'a regular string' }
+
+      it { is_expected.not_to be_valid }
+
+      it 'reports an error about invalid policy' do
+        expect(entry.errors).to include(/should be an array of strings/)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when using a long array' do
+      let(:config) { ['app/'] * 51 }
+
+      it { is_expected.not_to be_valid }
+
+      it 'returns errors' do
+        expect(entry.errors).to include(/has too many entries \(maximum 50\)/)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when clause is empty' do
+      let(:config) {}
+
+      it { is_expected.to be_valid }
+    end
+
+    context 'when policy strategy does not match' do
+      let(:config) { 'string strategy' }
+
+      it { is_expected.not_to be_valid }
+
+      it 'returns information about errors' do
+        expect(entry.errors)
+          .to include(/should be an array of strings/)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe '#value' do
+    subject(:value) { entry.value }
+
+    context 'when using a string array' do
+      let(:config) { %w[app/ lib/ spec/ other/* paths/**/*.rb] }
+
+      it { is_expected.to eq(config) }
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/entry/rules/rule_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/entry/rules/rule_spec.rb
index 8627078843154af529c9b549d66d47d32d58026f..89d349efe8f5cd4d0770ec549f0f7d2f74bdcfc2 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/entry/rules/rule_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/entry/rules/rule_spec.rb
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@
 
   let(:entry) { factory.create! }
 
+  before do
+    entry.compose!
+  end
+
   describe '.new' do
     subject { entry }
 
@@ -121,7 +125,7 @@
       it { is_expected.not_to be_valid }
 
       it 'returns errors' do
-        expect(subject.errors).to include(/changes should be an array of strings/)
+        expect(subject.errors).to include(/changes config should be an array of strings/)
       end
     end
 
@@ -131,7 +135,7 @@
       it { is_expected.not_to be_valid }
 
       it 'returns errors' do
-        expect(subject.errors).to include(/changes is too long \(maximum is 50 characters\)/)
+        expect(subject.errors).to include(/changes config has too many entries \(maximum 50\)/)
       end
     end
 
@@ -434,6 +438,8 @@
   end
 
   describe '.default' do
+    let(:config) {}
+
     it 'does not have default value' do
       expect(described_class.default).to be_nil
     end