diff --git a/awx/conf/fields.py b/awx/conf/fields.py
index e68523271b..b9b3503bb1 100644
--- a/awx/conf/fields.py
+++ b/awx/conf/fields.py
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy as _
 # Django REST Framework
 from rest_framework.fields import *  # noqa
 
+import six
+
 logger = logging.getLogger('awx.conf.fields')
 
 # Use DRF fields to convert/validate settings:
@@ -84,3 +86,17 @@ class URLField(CharField):
             except:
                 raise  # If something fails here, just fall through and let the validators check it.
         super(URLField, self).run_validators(value)
+
+
+class KeyValueField(DictField):
+    child = CharField()
+    default_error_messages = {
+        'invalid_child': _('"{input}" is not a valid string.')
+    }
+
+    def to_internal_value(self, data):
+        ret = super(KeyValueField, self).to_internal_value(data)
+        for value in data.values():
+            if not isinstance(value, six.string_types + six.integer_types + (float,)):
+                self.fail('invalid_child', input=value)
+        return ret
diff --git a/awx/main/conf.py b/awx/main/conf.py
index 365336255c..6453ea1c3b 100644
--- a/awx/main/conf.py
+++ b/awx/main/conf.py
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ register(
 
 register(
     'AWX_TASK_ENV',
-    field_class=fields.DictField,
+    field_class=fields.KeyValueField,
     default={},
     label=_('Extra Environment Variables'),
     help_text=_('Additional environment variables set for playbook runs, inventory updates, project updates, and notification sending.'),
diff --git a/awx/main/tests/functional/api/test_settings.py b/awx/main/tests/functional/api/test_settings.py
index 0eb21711fc..5a10e2d0b4 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/functional/api/test_settings.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/functional/api/test_settings.py
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ from awx.api.versioning import reverse
 from awx.conf.models import Setting
 from awx.main.utils.handlers import BaseHTTPSHandler, LoggingConnectivityException
 
+import six
+
 TEST_GIF_LOGO = 'data:image/gif;base64,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'
 TEST_PNG_LOGO = 'data:image/png;base64,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'
 TEST_JPEG_LOGO = 'data:image/jpeg;base64,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'
@@ -75,6 +77,26 @@ def test_jobs_settings(get, put, patch, delete, admin):
     assert response.data['AWX_ANSIBLE_CALLBACK_PLUGINS'] == []
 
 
+@pytest.mark.django_db
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('value, expected', [
+    [True, 400],
+    ['invalid', 400],
+    [['also', 'invalid'], 400],
+    [{}, 200],
+    [{'X_FOO': 'VALID'}, 200],
+    [{'X_TOTAL': 100}, 200],
+    [{'X_FOO': ['ALSO', 'INVALID']}, 400],
+    [{'X_FOO': {'ALSO': 'INVALID'}}, 400],
+])
+def test_awx_task_env_validity(get, patch, admin, value, expected):
+    url = reverse('api:setting_singleton_detail', kwargs={'category_slug': 'jobs'})
+    patch(url, user=admin, data={'AWX_TASK_ENV': value}, expect=expected)
+
+    if expected == 200:
+        resp = get(url, user=admin)
+        assert resp.data['AWX_TASK_ENV'] == dict((k, six.text_type(v)) for k, v in value.items())
+
+
 @pytest.mark.django_db
 def test_ldap_settings(get, put, patch, delete, admin, enterprise_license):
     url = reverse('api:setting_singleton_detail', kwargs={'category_slug': 'ldap'})