diff --git a/templates/apiary-hms-readonly.json b/templates/apiary-hms-readonly.json
index 9e5b321..1fc27cf 100644
--- a/templates/apiary-hms-readonly.json
+++ b/templates/apiary-hms-readonly.json
@@ -75,9 +75,9 @@
         }
     },
     "dockerLabels": {
-        "com.datadoghq.ad.instances": [{ "prometheus_url": "http://%%host%%:8080/actuator/prometheus", "namespace": "${hms_metrics_namespace}", "metrics": ["${hms_metrics}"],"type_overrides":{"${hms_metrics_type_overrides}": "gauge"} }],
-        "com.datadoghq.ad.check_names": ["prometheus"],
-        "com.datadoghq.ad.init_configs": [{}]
+        "com.datadoghq.ad.instances": '[{ "prometheus_url": "http://%%host%%:8080/actuator/prometheus", "namespace": "${hms_metrics_namespace}", "metrics": ["${hms_metrics}"],"type_overrides":{"${hms_metrics_type_overrides}": "gauge"} }]',
+        "com.datadoghq.ad.check_names": '["prometheus"]',
+        "com.datadoghq.ad.init_configs": '[{}]'
     },
     "portMappings": [
       {
diff --git a/templates/apiary-hms-readwrite.json b/templates/apiary-hms-readwrite.json
index 8198fad..b215367 100644
--- a/templates/apiary-hms-readwrite.json
+++ b/templates/apiary-hms-readwrite.json
@@ -75,9 +75,9 @@
         }
     },
     "dockerLabels": {
-        "com.datadoghq.ad.instances": [{ "prometheus_url": "http://%%host%%:8080/actuator/prometheus", "namespace": "${hms_metrics_namespace}", "metrics": ["${hms_metrics}"],"type_overrides":{"${hms_metrics_type_overrides}": "gauge"} }],
-        "com.datadoghq.ad.check_names": ["prometheus"],
-        "com.datadoghq.ad.init_configs": [{}]
+        "com.datadoghq.ad.instances": '[{ "prometheus_url": "http://%%host%%:8080/actuator/prometheus", "namespace": "${hms_metrics_namespace}", "metrics": ["${hms_metrics}"],"type_overrides":{"${hms_metrics_type_overrides}": "gauge"} }]',
+        "com.datadoghq.ad.check_names": '["prometheus"]',
+        "com.datadoghq.ad.init_configs": '[{}]'
   },
     "portMappings": [
       {