diff --git a/changelog/24224.txt b/changelog/24224.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..040b42d94da8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/24224.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:bug
+ui: Fix JSON editor in KV V2 unable to handle pasted values
+```
diff --git a/ui/lib/kv/addon/components/kv-data-fields.hbs b/ui/lib/kv/addon/components/kv-data-fields.hbs
index 76c5c2dfd3a0..b384d3e4c2e3 100644
--- a/ui/lib/kv/addon/components/kv-data-fields.hbs
+++ b/ui/lib/kv/addon/components/kv-data-fields.hbs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 {{#if @showJson}}
   <JsonEditor
     @title="{{if @isEdit 'Version' 'Secret'}} data"
-    @value={{or (stringify @secret.secretData) this.emptyJson}}
+    @value={{this.codeMirrorString}}
     @valueUpdated={{this.handleJson}}
   />
   {{#if (or @modelValidations.secretData.errors this.lintingErrors)}}
diff --git a/ui/lib/kv/addon/components/kv-data-fields.js b/ui/lib/kv/addon/components/kv-data-fields.js
index bb1f759810d1..663df063e4c9 100644
--- a/ui/lib/kv/addon/components/kv-data-fields.js
+++ b/ui/lib/kv/addon/components/kv-data-fields.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 import Component from '@glimmer/component';
 import { action } from '@ember/object';
 import { tracked } from '@glimmer/tracking';
-import KVObject from 'vault/lib/kv-object';
+import { stringify } from 'core/helpers/stringify';
 
 /**
  * @module KvDataFields is used for rendering the fields associated with kv secret data, it hides/shows a json editor and renders validation errors for the json editor
@@ -28,10 +28,13 @@ import KVObject from 'vault/lib/kv-object';
 
 export default class KvDataFields extends Component {
   @tracked lintingErrors;
+  @tracked codeMirrorString;
 
-  get emptyJson() {
-    // if secretData is null, this specially formats a blank object and renders a nice initial state for the json editor
-    return KVObject.create({ content: [{ name: '', value: '' }] }).toJSONString(true);
+  constructor() {
+    super(...arguments);
+    this.codeMirrorString = this.args.secret?.secretData
+      ? stringify([this.args.secret.secretData], {})
+      : '{ "": "" }';
   }
 
   @action
@@ -41,5 +44,6 @@ export default class KvDataFields extends Component {
     if (!this.lintingErrors) {
       this.args.secret.secretData = JSON.parse(value);
     }
+    this.codeMirrorString = value;
   }
 }
diff --git a/ui/lib/kv/addon/components/page/secret/edit.hbs b/ui/lib/kv/addon/components/page/secret/edit.hbs
index 34a0365d1608..8a5be5646996 100644
--- a/ui/lib/kv/addon/components/page/secret/edit.hbs
+++ b/ui/lib/kv/addon/components/page/secret/edit.hbs
@@ -5,7 +5,12 @@
 
 <KvPageHeader @breadcrumbs={{@breadcrumbs}} @pageTitle="Create New Version">
   <:toolbarFilters>
-    <Toggle @name="json" @checked={{this.showJsonView}} @onChange={{fn (mut this.showJsonView)}}>
+    <Toggle
+      @name="json"
+      @checked={{or this.showJsonView this.secretDataIsAdvanced}}
+      @onChange={{fn (mut this.showJsonView)}}
+      @disabled={{this.secretDataIsAdvanced}}
+    >
       <span class="has-text-grey">JSON</span>
     </Toggle>
   </:toolbarFilters>
@@ -38,7 +43,7 @@
     <MessageError @model={{@secret}} @errorMessage={{this.errorMessage}} />
 
     <KvDataFields
-      @showJson={{this.showJsonView}}
+      @showJson={{or this.showJsonView this.secretDataIsAdvanced}}
       @secret={{@secret}}
       @modelValidations={{this.modelValidations}}
       @isEdit={{true}}
diff --git a/ui/lib/kv/addon/components/page/secret/edit.js b/ui/lib/kv/addon/components/page/secret/edit.js
index 2c1f110a399f..26e8b39295f0 100644
--- a/ui/lib/kv/addon/components/page/secret/edit.js
+++ b/ui/lib/kv/addon/components/page/secret/edit.js
@@ -38,10 +38,15 @@ export default class KvSecretEdit extends Component {
   @tracked modelValidations;
   @tracked invalidFormAlert;
   originalSecret;
+  secretDataIsAdvanced;
 
   constructor() {
     super(...arguments);
     this.originalSecret = JSON.stringify(this.args.secret.secretData || {});
+    if (this.originalSecret.lastIndexOf('{') > 0) {
+      // Dumb way to check if there's a nested object in the secret
+      this.secretDataIsAdvanced = true;
+    }
   }
 
   get showOldVersionAlert() {
diff --git a/ui/tests/acceptance/secrets/backend/kv/kv-v2-workflow-edge-cases-test.js b/ui/tests/acceptance/secrets/backend/kv/kv-v2-workflow-edge-cases-test.js
index c92914102ba9..87aad84cc2c0 100644
--- a/ui/tests/acceptance/secrets/backend/kv/kv-v2-workflow-edge-cases-test.js
+++ b/ui/tests/acceptance/secrets/backend/kv/kv-v2-workflow-edge-cases-test.js
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import {
 } from 'vault/tests/helpers/policy-generator/kv';
 import { clearRecords, writeSecret, writeVersionedSecret } from 'vault/tests/helpers/kv/kv-run-commands';
 import { FORM, PAGE } from 'vault/tests/helpers/kv/kv-selectors';
+import codemirror from 'vault/tests/helpers/codemirror';
 
 /**
  * This test set is for testing edge cases, such as specific bug fixes or reported user workflows
@@ -269,6 +270,20 @@ module('Acceptance | kv-v2 workflow | edge cases', function (hooks) {
     await click(PAGE.breadcrumbAtIdx(2));
     assert.dom(PAGE.list.item()).exists({ count: 2 }, 'two secrets are listed');
   });
+
+  test('complex values default to JSON display', async function (assert) {
+    await visit(`/vault/secrets/${this.backend}/kv/create`);
+    await fillIn(FORM.inputByAttr('path'), 'complex');
+
+    await click(FORM.toggleJson);
+    assert.strictEqual(codemirror().getValue(), '{ "": "" }');
+    codemirror().setValue('{ "foo3": { "name": "bar3" } }');
+    await click(FORM.saveBtn);
+    // Future: test that json is automatic on details too
+    await click(PAGE.detail.createNewVersion);
+    assert.dom(FORM.toggleJson).isDisabled();
+    assert.dom(FORM.toggleJson).isChecked();
+  });
 });
 
 // NAMESPACE TESTS
diff --git a/ui/tests/integration/components/kv/kv-data-fields-test.js b/ui/tests/integration/components/kv/kv-data-fields-test.js
index 954e4d0e1fa7..44ed1c9a2b1c 100644
--- a/ui/tests/integration/components/kv/kv-data-fields-test.js
+++ b/ui/tests/integration/components/kv/kv-data-fields-test.js
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ module('Integration | Component | kv-v2 | KvDataFields', function (hooks) {
 
     assert.strictEqual(
       codemirror().getValue(' '),
-      `{   \"\": \"\" }`, // eslint-disable-line no-useless-escape
+      `{ \"\": \"\" }`, // eslint-disable-line no-useless-escape
       'json editor initializes with empty object'
     );
     await fillIn(`${FORM.jsonEditor} textarea`, 'blah');