diff --git a/config/config.schema.json b/config/config.schema.json
index 80c303aad..acdf2e6f1 100644
--- a/config/config.schema.json
+++ b/config/config.schema.json
@@ -675,7 +675,7 @@
               },
               "versions": {
                 "description": "The current istio version in the AKS cluster",
-                "type": "string"
+                "type": "object"
               },
               "targetVersion": {
                 "description": "The target istio version that will be updated to",
diff --git a/dev-infrastructure/configurations/svc-cluster.tmpl.bicepparam b/dev-infrastructure/configurations/svc-cluster.tmpl.bicepparam
index 747535c8a..20f37500b 100644
--- a/dev-infrastructure/configurations/svc-cluster.tmpl.bicepparam
+++ b/dev-infrastructure/configurations/svc-cluster.tmpl.bicepparam
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 using '../templates/svc-cluster.bicep'
 
 param kubernetesVersion = '{{ .kubernetesVersion }}'
-param istioVersion = ['{{ .svc.istio.versions }}']
+param istioVersion = {{ .svc.istio.versions }}
 param vnetAddressPrefix = '{{ .vnetAddressPrefix }}'
 param subnetPrefix = '{{ .subnetPrefix }}'
 param podSubnetPrefix = '{{ .podSubnetPrefix }}'