diff --git a/awx/main/fields.py b/awx/main/fields.py
index b8f8d9fbf3..ee5fb13f74 100644
--- a/awx/main/fields.py
+++ b/awx/main/fields.py
@@ -529,7 +529,7 @@ class CredentialTypeInputField(JSONSchemaField):
                     'items': {
                         'type': 'object',
                         'properties': {
-                            'type': {'enum': ['string', 'number']},
+                            'type': {'enum': ['string', 'boolean']},
                             'format': {'enum': ['ssh_private_key']},
                             'choices': {
                                 'type': 'array',
@@ -578,6 +578,18 @@ class CredentialTypeInputField(JSONSchemaField):
                 )
             ids[id_] = True
 
+            if 'type' not in field:
+                # If no type is specified, default to string
+                field['type'] = 'string'
+
+            for key in ('choices', 'multiline', 'format'):
+                if key in field and field['type'] != 'string':
+                    raise django_exceptions.ValidationError(
+                        _('%s not allowed for %s type (%s)' % (key, field['type'], field['id'])),
+                        code='invalid',
+                        params={'value': value},
+                    )
+
 
 
 class CredentialTypeInjectorField(JSONSchemaField):
diff --git a/awx/main/tests/functional/test_credential.py b/awx/main/tests/functional/test_credential.py
index 4c519285ec..7d76e3d377 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/functional/test_credential.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/functional/test_credential.py
@@ -60,15 +60,18 @@ def test_cloud_kind_uniqueness():
     ({'fields': {}}, False),
     ({'fields': 123}, False),
     ({'fields': [{'id': 'username', 'label': 'Username', 'foo': 'bar'}]}, False),
+    ({'fields': [{'id': 'username', 'label': 'Username'}]}, True),
     ({'fields': [{'id': 'username', 'label': 'Username', 'type': 'string'}]}, True),
     ({'fields': [{'id': 'username', 'label': 'Username', 'help_text': 1}]}, False),
     ({'fields': [{'id': 'username', 'label': 'Username', 'help_text': 'Help Text'}]}, True),  # noqa
     ({'fields': [{'id': 'username', 'label': 'Username'}, {'id': 'username', 'label': 'Username 2'}]}, False),  # noqa
-    ({'fields': [{'id': '$invalid$', 'label': 'Invalid'}]}, False),  # noqa
-    ({'fields': [{'id': 'password', 'label': 'Password', 'type': 'number'}]}, True),
+    ({'fields': [{'id': '$invalid$', 'label': 'Invalid', 'type': 'string'}]}, False),  # noqa
+    ({'fields': [{'id': 'password', 'label': 'Password', 'type': 'invalid-type'}]}, False),
     ({'fields': [{'id': 'ssh_key', 'label': 'SSH Key', 'type': 'string', 'format': 'ssh_private_key'}]}, True),  # noqa
-    ({'fields': [{'id': 'other', 'label': 'Other', 'type': 'boolean'}]}, False),
+    ({'fields': [{'id': 'flag', 'label': 'Some Flag', 'type': 'boolean'}]}, True),
+    ({'fields': [{'id': 'flag', 'label': 'Some Flag', 'type': 'boolean', 'choices': ['a', 'b']}]}, False),
     ({'fields': [{'id': 'certificate', 'label': 'Cert', 'multiline': True}]}, True),
+    ({'fields': [{'id': 'certificate', 'label': 'Cert', 'multiline': True, 'type': 'boolean'}]}, False),  # noqa
     ({'fields': [{'id': 'certificate', 'label': 'Cert', 'multiline': 'bad'}]}, False),  # noqa
     ({'fields': [{'id': 'token', 'label': 'Token', 'secret': True}]}, True),
     ({'fields': [{'id': 'token', 'label': 'Token', 'secret': 'bad'}]}, False),
diff --git a/docs/custom_credential_types.md b/docs/custom_credential_types.md
index f6d0ea099f..ef311d473a 100644
--- a/docs/custom_credential_types.md
+++ b/docs/custom_credential_types.md
@@ -118,40 +118,40 @@ ordered fields for that type:
 
     "inputs": {
         "fields": [{
-            "id": "api_token",                                  # required - a unique name used to
-                                                                # reference the field value
+            "id": "api_token",               # required - a unique name used to
+                                             # reference the field value
 
-            "label": "API Token",                               # required - a unique label for the
-                                                                # field
+            "label": "API Token",            # required - a unique label for the
+                                             # field
 
             "help_text": "User-facing short text describing the field.",
 
-            "type": ("string" | "number")                       # required,
+            "type": ("string" | "boolean")   # defaults to 'string'
 
-            "format": "ssh_private_key"                         # optional, can be used to enforce data
-                                                                # format validity for SSH private keys
-                                                                # data
+            "format": "ssh_private_key"      # optional, can be used to enforce data
+                                             # format validity for SSH private key
+                                             # data (only applicable to `type=string`)
 
-            "secret": true,                                     # if true, the field will be treated
-                                                                # as sensitive and stored encrypted
+            "secret": true,                  # if true, the field value will be encrypted
 
-            "multiline": false                                  # if true, the field should be rendered
-                                                                # as multi-line for input entry
+            "multiline": false               # if true, the field should be rendered
+                                             # as multi-line for input entry
+                                             # (only applicable to `type=string`)
         },{
             # field 2...
         },{
             # field 3...
         }]
-        "required": ["api_token"]  # optional; one or more fields can be marked as required
+        "required": ["api_token"]            # optional; one or more fields can be marked as required
     },
 
-As an alternative to static types, fields can also specify multiple choice
-strings:
+When `type=string`, fields can optionally specify multiple choice options:
 
     "inputs": {
         "fields": [{
             "id": "api_token",          # required - a unique name used to reference the field value
             "label": "API Token",       # required - a unique label for the field
+            "type": "string",
             "choices": ["A", "B", "C"]
         }]
     },