diff --git a/pkg/template/downward_api_values.go b/pkg/template/downward_api_values.go
index 1fb5b085f0..8b2aeb61c3 100644
--- a/pkg/template/downward_api_values.go
+++ b/pkg/template/downward_api_values.go
@@ -75,9 +75,9 @@ func (a DownwardAPIValues) AsYAMLs() ([][]byte, error) {
 				if err != nil {
 					return nil, err
 				}
-				keyValueContent, err = yaml.Marshal(map[string]string{item.Name: strings.Join(v, ",")})
+				keyValueContent, err = yaml.Marshal(map[string]interface{}{item.Name: v})
 			} else {
-				keyValueContent, err = yaml.Marshal(map[string]string{item.Name: strings.Join(item.KubernetesAPIs.GroupVersions, ",")})
+				keyValueContent, err = yaml.Marshal(map[string]interface{}{item.Name: item.KubernetesAPIs.GroupVersions})
 			}
 		default:
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("Invalid downward API item given")
diff --git a/test/e2e/kappcontroller/template_test.go b/test/e2e/kappcontroller/template_test.go
index d0aa2aa4af..f1386f0c18 100644
--- a/test/e2e/kappcontroller/template_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/kappcontroller/template_test.go
@@ -198,7 +198,9 @@ allAnnotations:
   anotherExpectedAnnotation: anotherExpectedAnnotationValue
 kubernetesVersion: "1.0.0"
 kcVersion: "2.0.0"
-k8sAPIs: "test/test,test2/test2"
+k8sAPIs:
+- test/test
+- test2/test2
 `, name, env.Namespace, uid)
 
 		actual := cm.Data["values"]
@@ -271,8 +273,8 @@ spec:
             kappControllerVersion:
               version: 2.0.0
           - name: k8sAPIs
-            kubernetesAPIs: 
-              kubernetesGroupVersions:
+            kubernetesAPIs:
+              groupVersions:
               - "test/test"
               - "test2/test2"
   deploy:
@@ -319,7 +321,9 @@ namespace: "%s"
 uid: "%s"
 kubernetesVersion: "1.0.0"
 kcVersion: "2.0.0"
-k8sAPIs: "test/test,test2/test2"
+k8sAPIs:
+- test/test
+- test2/test2
 `, name, env.Namespace, uid)
 		configMapData, err := yaml.Marshal(cm.Data)
 		require.NoError(t, err)