diff --git a/src/hocon_schema.erl b/src/hocon_schema.erl
index 582a5d2..a7351b2 100644
--- a/src/hocon_schema.erl
+++ b/src/hocon_schema.erl
@@ -568,14 +568,14 @@ resolve_field_value(Schema, FieldValue, Opts) ->
         undefined ->
             resolve_default_override(Schema, FieldValue, Opts);
         EnvValue ->
-            boxit(Opts, EnvValue, FieldValue)
+            maybe_mkrich(Opts, EnvValue, ?EMPTY_BOX)
     end.
 
 resolve_default_override(Schema, FieldValue, Opts) ->
     case unbox(Opts, FieldValue) of
         ?FROM_ENV_VAR(EnvName, EnvValue) ->
             log_env_override(Schema, Opts, EnvName, path(Opts), EnvValue),
-            boxit(Opts, EnvValue, FieldValue);
+            maybe_mkrich(Opts, EnvValue, ?EMPTY_BOX);
         _ ->
             maybe_use_default(field_schema(Schema, default), FieldValue, Opts)
     end.
@@ -599,15 +599,32 @@ collect_envs() ->
 collect_envs(Ns) ->
     [begin
          [Name, Value] = string:split(KV, "="),
-         {Name, Value}
+         {Name, read_hocon_val(Value)}
      end || KV <- os:getenv(), string:prefix(KV, Ns) =/= nomatch].
 
+read_hocon_val("") -> "";
+read_hocon_val(Value) ->
+    case hocon:binary(Value, #{}) of
+        {ok, HoconVal} -> HoconVal;
+        {error, _} -> read_informal_hocon_val(Value)
+    end.
+
+read_informal_hocon_val(Value) ->
+    BoxedVal = "fake_key=" ++ Value,
+    case hocon:binary(BoxedVal, #{}) of
+        {ok, HoconVal} ->
+            maps:get(<<"fake_key">>, HoconVal);
+        {error, Reason} ->
+            error({invalid_hocon_string, Value, Reason})
+    end.
+
 apply_env(_Ns, [], _RootName, Conf, _Opts) -> Conf;
 apply_env(Ns, [{VarName, V} | More], RootName, Conf, Opts) ->
     K = string:prefix(VarName, Ns),
     Path0 = string:split(string:lowercase(K), "__", all),
     Path1 = lists:filter(fun(N) -> N =/= [] end, Path0),
-    NewConf = case Path1 =/= [] andalso bin(RootName) =:= bin(hd(Path1)) of
+    NewConf = case RootName =:= ?VIRTUAL_ROOT orelse
+                   (Path1 =/= [] andalso bin(RootName) =:= bin(hd(Path1))) of
                   true ->
                       Path = string:join(Path1, "."),
                       %% it lacks schema info here, so we need to tag the value '$FROM_ENV_VAR'
@@ -703,7 +720,7 @@ get_override_env(Schema, Opts) ->
                     undefined;
                 V ->
                     log_env_override(Schema, Opts, Var, path(Opts), V),
-                    V
+                    read_hocon_val(V)
             end
     end.
 
diff --git a/test/hocon_cli_tests.erl b/test/hocon_cli_tests.erl
index 2a3e4c1..8e697ad 100644
--- a/test/hocon_cli_tests.erl
+++ b/test/hocon_cli_tests.erl
@@ -105,8 +105,8 @@ generate_with_env_logging_test() ->
                              [{"ZZZ_FOO__MIN", "42"}, {"ZZZ_FOO__MAX", "43"},
                               {"HOCON_ENV_OVERRIDE_PREFIX", "ZZZ_"}]),
                    {ok, Stdout} = cuttlefish_test_group_leader:get_output(),
-                   ?assertEqual([<<"ZZZ_FOO__MAX = \"43\" -> foo.max">>,
-                                 <<"ZZZ_FOO__MIN = \"42\" -> foo.min">>],
+                   ?assertEqual([<<"ZZZ_FOO__MAX = 43 -> foo.max">>,
+                                 <<"ZZZ_FOO__MIN = 42 -> foo.min">>],
                                 lists:sort(binary:split(iolist_to_binary(Stdout),
                                                         <<"\n">>, [global, trim])))
                end).
diff --git a/test/hocon_schema_tests.erl b/test/hocon_schema_tests.erl
index 614dd61..5d56bf6 100644
--- a/test/hocon_schema_tests.erl
+++ b/test/hocon_schema_tests.erl
@@ -221,6 +221,18 @@ env_test_() ->
                     F("", [{"EMQX_FOO__GREET", "hello"}]))
     ].
 
+env_array_val_test() ->
+    Sc = #{structs => [?VIRTUAL_ROOT],
+           fields => [{"val", hoconsc:array(string())}]
+          },
+    Conf = "val = [a,b]",
+    {ok, PlainMap} = hocon:binary(Conf, #{}),
+    ?assertEqual(#{<<"val">> => ["c", "d"]},
+        with_envs(fun hocon_schema:check_plain/2, [Sc, PlainMap],
+            [ {"HOCON_ENV_OVERRIDE_PREFIX", "EMQX_"}
+            , {"EMQX_VAL", "[c, d]"}
+            ])).
+
 translate_test_() ->
     F = fun (Str) -> {ok, M} = hocon:binary(Str, #{format => richmap}),
                      {Mapped, Conf} = hocon_schema:map(demo_schema, M),