diff --git a/charts/partials/templates/_proxy.tpl b/charts/partials/templates/_proxy.tpl
index 098d34a12..c28f9f03d 100644
--- a/charts/partials/templates/_proxy.tpl
+++ b/charts/partials/templates/_proxy.tpl
@@ -160,9 +160,8 @@ be used in other contexts.
 - name: LINKERD2_PROXY_SHUTDOWN_GRACE_PERIOD
   value: {{.Values.proxy.shutdownGracePeriod | quote}}
 {{ end -}}
-{{ range $k, $v := (.Values.proxy.experimentalEnv) -}}
-- name: {{ $k }}
-  value: {{ $v | quote }}
+{{ if .Values.proxy.experimentalEnv -}}
+{{ toYaml .Values.proxy.experimentalEnv }}
 {{ end -}}
 image: {{.Values.proxy.image.name}}:{{.Values.proxy.image.version | default .Values.linkerdVersion}}
 imagePullPolicy: {{.Values.proxy.image.pullPolicy | default .Values.imagePullPolicy}}
diff --git a/pkg/charts/linkerd2/values.go b/pkg/charts/linkerd2/values.go
index eb17e9352..1ee309c55 100644
--- a/pkg/charts/linkerd2/values.go
+++ b/pkg/charts/linkerd2/values.go
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ type (
 		StartupProbe                         *StartupProbe    `json:"startupProbe"`
 		Control                              *ProxyControl    `json:"control"`
 
-		ExperimentalEnv map[string]string `json:"experimentalEnv"`
+		ExperimentalEnv []corev1.EnvVar `json:"experimentalEnv"`
 	}
 
 	ProxyControl struct {