diff --git a/awx/ui/client/src/configuration/auth-form/configuration-auth.controller.js b/awx/ui/client/src/configuration/auth-form/configuration-auth.controller.js
index d8ca6d97f9..5acfaec62e 100644
--- a/awx/ui/client/src/configuration/auth-form/configuration-auth.controller.js
+++ b/awx/ui/client/src/configuration/auth-form/configuration-auth.controller.js
@@ -313,6 +313,15 @@ export default [
             populateTacacsProtocol(false);
         });
 
+        $scope.$on('codeMirror_populated', function() {
+            let tab = $stateParams.currentTab;
+            if (tab === 'auth') {
+                startCodeMirrors();
+                codeInputInitialized = true;
+            }
+        });
+
+
         angular.extend(authVm, {
             activeForm: activeForm,
             activeAuthForm: activeAuthForm,
diff --git a/awx/ui/client/src/configuration/configuration.controller.js b/awx/ui/client/src/configuration/configuration.controller.js
index 66f08942a9..335e1286cb 100644
--- a/awx/ui/client/src/configuration/configuration.controller.js
+++ b/awx/ui/client/src/configuration/configuration.controller.js
@@ -87,8 +87,9 @@ export default [
                                 // behind the comma.
                                 if(key === "AD_HOC_COMMANDS"){
                                     $scope[key] = data[key].toString();
-                                }
-                                else {
+                                } else if (key === "AUTH_LDAP_USER_SEARCH" || key === "AUTH_LDAP_GROUP_SEARCH") {
+                                    $scope[key] = JSON.stringify(data[key]);
+                                } else {
                                     $scope[key] = ConfigurationUtils.arrayToList(data[key], key);
                                 }
 
@@ -324,11 +325,12 @@ export default [
                     else if($scope[key + '_field'].reset === "CUSTOM_LOGO"){
                         $scope.$broadcast(key+'_reverted');
                     }
-                    else if($scope[key + '_field'].type === "textarea" && _.isArray($scope.configDataResolve[key].default)){
-                        $scope[key] = ConfigurationUtils.arrayToList($scope[key], key);
-                    }
                     else if($scope[key + '_field'].hasOwnProperty('codeMirror')){
-                        $scope[key] = '{}';
+                        if (key === "AUTH_LDAP_USER_SEARCH" || key === "AUTH_LDAP_GROUP_SEARCH") {
+                            $scope[key] = '[]';
+                        } else {
+                            $scope[key] = '{}';
+                        }
                         $scope.$broadcast('codeMirror_populated', key);
                     }
                     loginUpdate();
diff --git a/awx/ui/client/src/configuration/configurationUtils.service.js b/awx/ui/client/src/configuration/configurationUtils.service.js
index 7620d6917d..e9d448aff5 100644
--- a/awx/ui/client/src/configuration/configurationUtils.service.js
+++ b/awx/ui/client/src/configuration/configurationUtils.service.js
@@ -9,16 +9,30 @@ export default ['$q',
 
         return {
             listToArray: function(input) {
-                if (input.indexOf('\n') !== -1) {
+                var payload;
+
+                if (input.indexOf('[') !== -1) {
+                    try {
+                        payload = JSON.parse(input);
+
+                        if (!Array.isArray(payload)) {
+                            payload = [];
+                        }
+                    } catch(err) {
+                        payload = [];
+                    }
+                } else if (input.indexOf('\n') !== -1) {
                     //Parse multiline input
-                    return input.replace(/^\s+|\s+$/g, "").split('\n');
+                    payload = input.replace(/^\s+|\s+$/g, "").split('\n');
                 } else {
-                    if (input === '') {
-                        return [];
+                    if (input === '' || input === '{}') {
+                        payload = [];
                     } else {
-                        return input.replace(/^\s+|\s+$/g, "").split(/\s*,\s*/);
+                        payload = input.replace(/^\s+|\s+$/g, "")
+                            .split(/\s*,\s*/);
                     }
                 }
+                return payload;
             },
 
             arrayToList: function(input) {
diff --git a/awx/ui/client/src/shared/parse/parse-type-change.factory.js b/awx/ui/client/src/shared/parse/parse-type-change.factory.js
index 678c91abe9..1556acad78 100644
--- a/awx/ui/client/src/shared/parse/parse-type-change.factory.js
+++ b/awx/ui/client/src/shared/parse/parse-type-change.factory.js
@@ -51,11 +51,16 @@ export default
                     // converting yaml to json
                     try {
                         removeField(fld);
+
                         json_obj = jsyaml.load(scope[fld]);
+
                         if ($.isEmptyObject(json_obj)) {
-                            scope[fld] = "{}";
-                        }
-                        else {
+                            if (Array.isArray(json_obj)) {
+                                scope[fld] = "[]";
+                            } else {
+                                scope[fld] = "{}";
+                            }
+                        } else {
                             scope[fld] = JSON.stringify(json_obj, null, " ");
                         }
                         createField(onReady, onChange, fld);