diff --git a/util/argo/audit_logger.go b/util/argo/audit_logger.go
index 104b0dcd6143e..1645e8d7d65d8 100644
--- a/util/argo/audit_logger.go
+++ b/util/argo/audit_logger.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package argo
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"time"
 
@@ -46,7 +45,7 @@ const (
 	EventReasonOperationCompleted = "OperationCompleted"
 )
 
-func (l *AuditLogger) logEvent(objMeta ObjectRef, gvk schema.GroupVersionKind, info EventInfo, message string, logFields map[string]interface{}) {
+func (l *AuditLogger) logEvent(objMeta ObjectRef, gvk schema.GroupVersionKind, info EventInfo, message string, logFields map[string]string) {
 	logCtx := log.WithFields(log.Fields{
 		"type":   info.Type,
 		"reason": info.Reason,
@@ -54,19 +53,6 @@ func (l *AuditLogger) logEvent(objMeta ObjectRef, gvk schema.GroupVersionKind, i
 	for field, val := range logFields {
 		logCtx = logCtx.WithField(field, val)
 	}
-	logFieldStrings := make(map[string]string)
-	for field, val := range logFields {
-		if valStr, ok := val.(string); ok {
-			logFieldStrings[field] = valStr
-			continue
-		}
-		vJsonStr, err := json.Marshal(val)
-		if err != nil {
-			logCtx.Errorf("Unable to marshal audit event field %v: %v", field, err)
-			continue
-		}
-		logFieldStrings[field] = string(vJsonStr)
-	}
 
 	switch gvk.Kind {
 	case application.ApplicationKind:
@@ -80,7 +66,7 @@ func (l *AuditLogger) logEvent(objMeta ObjectRef, gvk schema.GroupVersionKind, i
 	event := v1.Event{
 		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
 			Name:        fmt.Sprintf("%v.%x", objMeta.Name, t.UnixNano()),
-			Annotations: logFieldStrings,
+			Annotations: logFields,
 		},
 		Source: v1.EventSource{
 			Component: l.component,
@@ -115,14 +101,13 @@ func (l *AuditLogger) LogAppEvent(app *v1alpha1.Application, info EventInfo, mes
 		ResourceVersion: app.ObjectMeta.ResourceVersion,
 		UID:             app.ObjectMeta.UID,
 	}
-	fields := map[string]interface{}{
+	fields := map[string]string{
 		"dest-server":    app.Spec.Destination.Server,
 		"dest-namespace": app.Spec.Destination.Namespace,
 	}
 	if user != "" {
 		fields["user"] = user
 	}
-	fields["spec"] = app.Spec
 	l.logEvent(objectMeta, v1alpha1.ApplicationSchemaGroupVersionKind, info, message, fields)
 }
 
@@ -133,7 +118,7 @@ func (l *AuditLogger) LogAppSetEvent(app *v1alpha1.ApplicationSet, info EventInf
 		ResourceVersion: app.ObjectMeta.ResourceVersion,
 		UID:             app.ObjectMeta.UID,
 	}
-	fields := make(map[string]interface{})
+	fields := map[string]string{}
 	if user != "" {
 		fields["user"] = user
 	}
@@ -147,7 +132,7 @@ func (l *AuditLogger) LogResourceEvent(res *v1alpha1.ResourceNode, info EventInf
 		ResourceVersion: res.ResourceRef.Version,
 		UID:             types.UID(res.ResourceRef.UID),
 	}
-	fields := make(map[string]interface{})
+	fields := map[string]string{}
 	if user != "" {
 		fields["user"] = user
 	}