diff --git a/common.tf b/common.tf
index 34c398c..3b058cc 100644
--- a/common.tf
+++ b/common.tf
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ locals {
 
   ro_ingress_cidr = var.ingress_cidr
   rw_ingress_cidr = length(var.rw_ingress_cidr) == 0 ? var.ingress_cidr : var.rw_ingress_cidr
-  hms_metrics                = join("\",\"", var.datadog_metrics_hms_readwrite_readonly)
-  hms_metrics_type_overrides = join("\": \"gauge\",\"", var.datadog_metrics_hms_readwrite_readonly)
+  hms_metrics                = join("\\\",\\\"", var.datadog_metrics_hms_readwrite_readonly)
+  hms_metrics_type_overrides = join("\\\": \\\"gauge\\\",\\\"", var.datadog_metrics_hms_readwrite_readonly)
 }
 
 data "aws_iam_account_alias" "current" {}
diff --git a/templates/apiary-hms-readonly.json b/templates/apiary-hms-readonly.json
index 1fc27cf..ea7a36b 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 b215367..64220d2 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": [
       {