diff --git a/build-tools-internal/src/main/groovy/elasticsearch.fips.gradle b/build-tools-internal/src/main/groovy/elasticsearch.fips.gradle
index ee63d610ed308..ba7a1b8d559e6 100644
--- a/build-tools-internal/src/main/groovy/elasticsearch.fips.gradle
+++ b/build-tools-internal/src/main/groovy/elasticsearch.fips.gradle
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ if (BuildParams.inFipsJvm) {
           // with no x-pack. Tests having security explicitly enabled/disabled will override this setting
           setting 'xpack.security.enabled', 'false'
           setting 'xpack.security.fips_mode.enabled', 'true'
-          setting 'xpack.security.fips_mode.required_providers', [BCFIPS]
+          setting 'xpack.security.fips_mode.required_providers', '["BCFIPS"]'
           setting 'xpack.license.self_generated.type', 'trial'
           setting 'xpack.security.authc.password_hashing.algorithm', 'pbkdf2_stretch'
           keystorePassword 'keystore-password'