diff --git a/addresses.go b/addresses.go
index 22c5306..512e2dc 100644
--- a/addresses.go
+++ b/addresses.go
@@ -1,10 +1,29 @@
 package config
 
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+)
+
+// Strings is a helper type that can decode a single string into a string slice.
+type Strings []string
+
+func (o *Strings) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
+	if data[0] == '[' {
+		return json.Unmarshal(data, (*[]string)(o))
+	}
+	var value string
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &value); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	*o = []string{value}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Addresses stores the (string) multiaddr addresses for the node.
 type Addresses struct {
 	Swarm      []string // addresses for the swarm to listen on
 	Announce   []string // swarm addresses to announce to the network
 	NoAnnounce []string // swarm addresses not to announce to the network
-	API        string   // address for the local API (RPC)
-	Gateway    string   // address to listen on for IPFS HTTP object gateway
+	API        Strings  // address for the local API (RPC)
+	Gateway    Strings  // address to listen on for IPFS HTTP object gateway
 }
diff --git a/init.go b/init.go
index c4ea9e4..f45bf56 100644
--- a/init.go
+++ b/init.go
@@ -105,8 +105,8 @@ func addressesConfig() Addresses {
 		},
 		Announce:   []string{},
 		NoAnnounce: []string{},
-		API:        "/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/5001",
-		Gateway:    "/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/8080",
+		API:        Strings{"/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/5001"},
+		Gateway:    Strings{"/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/8080"},
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/profile.go b/profile.go
index d3f1b42..d23cadc 100644
--- a/profile.go
+++ b/profile.go
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ profile, enables discovery in local networks.`,
 is useful when using the daemon in test environments.`,
 
 		Transform: func(c *Config) error {
-			c.Addresses.API = "/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/0"
-			c.Addresses.Gateway = "/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/0"
+			c.Addresses.API = Strings{"/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/0"}
+			c.Addresses.Gateway = Strings{"/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/0"}
 			c.Addresses.Swarm = []string{
 				"/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/0",
 			}