diff --git a/egress-router/src/main/java/com/networknt/router/RouterConfig.java b/egress-router/src/main/java/com/networknt/router/RouterConfig.java
index 77a97f563d..05354a8060 100644
--- a/egress-router/src/main/java/com/networknt/router/RouterConfig.java
+++ b/egress-router/src/main/java/com/networknt/router/RouterConfig.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 import com.networknt.config.Config;
 import com.networknt.config.ConfigException;
+import com.networknt.config.JsonMapper;
 import com.networknt.handler.config.MethodRewriteRule;
 import com.networknt.handler.config.QueryHeaderRewriteRule;
 import com.networknt.handler.config.UrlRewriteRule;
@@ -186,10 +187,22 @@ public List<String> getHostWhitelist() {
 
     public void setHostWhitelist() {
         this.hostWhitelist = new ArrayList<>();
-        if (mappedConfig.get("hostWhitelist") !=null && mappedConfig.get("hostWhitelist") instanceof String) {
-            hostWhitelist.add((String)mappedConfig.get("hostWhitelist"));
-        } else {
-            hostWhitelist = (List)mappedConfig.get("hostWhitelist");
+        if (mappedConfig.get("hostWhitelist") != null) {
+            if (mappedConfig.get("hostWhitelist") instanceof String) {
+                // multiple host as an JSON list.
+                String s = (String)mappedConfig.get("hostWhitelist");
+                s = s.trim();
+                if(logger.isTraceEnabled()) logger.trace("s = " + s);
+                if(s.startsWith("[")) {
+                    // json list
+                    hostWhitelist = (List)JsonMapper.fromJson(s, List.class);
+                } else {
+                    // single host as a string
+                    hostWhitelist.add((String) mappedConfig.get("hostWhitelist"));
+                }
+            } else {
+                hostWhitelist = (List)mappedConfig.get("hostWhitelist");
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -203,11 +216,25 @@ public List<UrlRewriteRule> getUrlRewriteRules() {
 
     public void setUrlRewriteRules() {
         this.urlRewriteRules = new ArrayList<>();
-        if (mappedConfig.get("urlRewriteRules") !=null && mappedConfig.get("urlRewriteRules") instanceof String) {
-            urlRewriteRules.add(UrlRewriteRule.convertToUrlRewriteRule((String)mappedConfig.get("urlRewriteRules")));
-        } else {
-            List<String> rules = (List)mappedConfig.get("urlRewriteRules");
-            if(rules != null) {
+        if (mappedConfig.get("urlRewriteRules") != null) {
+            if (mappedConfig.get("urlRewriteRules") instanceof String) {
+                String s = (String)mappedConfig.get("urlRewriteRules");
+                s = s.trim();
+                if(logger.isTraceEnabled()) logger.trace("s = " + s);
+                // There are two formats for the urlRewriteRules. One is a string separated by a space
+                // and the other is a list of strings separated by a space in JSON list format.
+                if(s.startsWith("[")) {
+                    // multiple rules
+                    List<String> rules = (List<String>)JsonMapper.fromJson(s, List.class);
+                    for (String rule : rules) {
+                        urlRewriteRules.add(UrlRewriteRule.convertToUrlRewriteRule(rule));
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    // single rule
+                    urlRewriteRules.add(UrlRewriteRule.convertToUrlRewriteRule(s));
+                }
+            } else if (mappedConfig.get("urlRewriteRules") instanceof List) {
+                List<String> rules = (List)mappedConfig.get("urlRewriteRules");
                 for (String s : rules) {
                     urlRewriteRules.add(UrlRewriteRule.convertToUrlRewriteRule(s));
                 }
@@ -225,11 +252,23 @@ public List<MethodRewriteRule> getMethodRewriteRules() {
 
     public void setMethodRewriteRules() {
         this.methodRewriteRules = new ArrayList<>();
-        if (mappedConfig.get("methodRewriteRules") !=null && mappedConfig.get("methodRewriteRules") instanceof String) {
-            methodRewriteRules.add(convertToMethodRewriteRule((String)mappedConfig.get("methodRewriteRules")));
-        } else {
-            List<String> rules = (List)mappedConfig.get("methodRewriteRules");
-            if(rules != null) {
+        if(mappedConfig.get("methodRewriteRules") != null) {
+            if (mappedConfig.get("methodRewriteRules") instanceof String) {
+                String s = (String)mappedConfig.get("methodRewriteRules");
+                s = s.trim();
+                if(logger.isTraceEnabled()) logger.trace("s = " + s);
+                if(s.startsWith("[")) {
+                    // multiple rules
+                    List<String> rules = (List<String>)JsonMapper.fromJson(s, List.class);
+                    for (String rule : rules) {
+                        methodRewriteRules.add(convertToMethodRewriteRule(rule));
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    // single rule
+                    methodRewriteRules.add(convertToMethodRewriteRule(s));
+                }
+            } else if (mappedConfig.get("methodRewriteRules") instanceof List) {
+                List<String> rules = (List)mappedConfig.get("methodRewriteRules");
                 for (String s : rules) {
                     methodRewriteRules.add(convertToMethodRewriteRule(s));
                 }
@@ -282,26 +321,47 @@ public void setQueryParamRewriteRules(Map<String, List<QueryHeaderRewriteRule>>
 
     public void setQueryParamRewriteRules() {
         queryParamRewriteRules = new HashMap<>();
-        if (mappedConfig.get("queryParamRewriteRules") != null && mappedConfig.get("queryParamRewriteRules") instanceof Map) {
-            Map<String, Object> map = (Map<String, Object>)mappedConfig.get("queryParamRewriteRules");
-            for (Map.Entry<String, Object> r: map.entrySet()) {
-                String key =  r.getKey();
-                Object object = r.getValue();
-                if(object instanceof List) {
-                    List<QueryHeaderRewriteRule> rules = new ArrayList<>();
-                    List<Map<String, String>> values = (List<Map<String, String>>)object;
-                    for(Map<String, String> value: values) {
-                        QueryHeaderRewriteRule rule = new QueryHeaderRewriteRule();
-                        rule.setOldK(value.get("oldK"));
-                        rule.setNewK(value.get("newK"));
-                        rule.setOldV(value.get("oldV"));
-                        rule.setNewV(value.get("newV"));
-                        rules.add(rule);
-                    }
-                    queryParamRewriteRules.put(key, rules);
+        if(mappedConfig.get("queryParamRewriteRules") != null) {
+            if(mappedConfig.get("queryParamRewriteRules") instanceof String) {
+                String s = (String)mappedConfig.get("queryParamRewriteRules");
+                s = s.trim();
+                if(logger.isTraceEnabled()) logger.trace("s = " + s);
+                if(s.startsWith("{")) {
+                    // json map
+                    Map<String, Object> map = JsonMapper.fromJson(s, Map.class);
+                    queryParamRewriteRules = populateQueryParameterRules(map);
+                } else {
+                    logger.error("queryParamRewriteRules is the wrong type. Only JSON map or YAML map is supported.");
+                }
+            } else if(mappedConfig.get("queryParamRewriteRules") instanceof Map) {
+                Map<String, Object> map = (Map<String, Object>)mappedConfig.get("queryParamRewriteRules");
+                queryParamRewriteRules = populateQueryParameterRules(map);
+            } else {
+                logger.error("queryParamRewriteRules is the wrong type. Only JSON map or YAML map is supported.");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private Map<String, List<QueryHeaderRewriteRule>> populateQueryParameterRules(Map<String, Object> map) {
+        queryParamRewriteRules = new HashMap<>();
+        for (Map.Entry<String, Object> r: map.entrySet()) {
+            String key =  r.getKey();
+            Object object = r.getValue();
+            if(object instanceof List) {
+                List<QueryHeaderRewriteRule> rules = new ArrayList<>();
+                List<Map<String, String>> values = (List<Map<String, String>>)object;
+                for(Map<String, String> value: values) {
+                    QueryHeaderRewriteRule rule = new QueryHeaderRewriteRule();
+                    rule.setOldK(value.get("oldK"));
+                    rule.setNewK(value.get("newK"));
+                    rule.setOldV(value.get("oldV"));
+                    rule.setNewV(value.get("newV"));
+                    rules.add(rule);
                 }
+                queryParamRewriteRules.put(key, rules);
             }
         }
+        return queryParamRewriteRules;
     }
 
     public Map<String, List<QueryHeaderRewriteRule>> getHeaderRewriteRules() {
@@ -314,28 +374,49 @@ public void setHeaderRewriteRules(Map<String, List<QueryHeaderRewriteRule>> head
 
     public void setHeaderRewriteRules() {
         headerRewriteRules = new HashMap<>();
-        if (mappedConfig.get("headerRewriteRules") != null && mappedConfig.get("headerRewriteRules") instanceof Map) {
-            Map<String, Object> map = (Map<String, Object>)mappedConfig.get("headerRewriteRules");
-            for (Map.Entry<String, Object> r: map.entrySet()) {
-                String key =  r.getKey();
-                Object object = r.getValue();
-                if(object instanceof List) {
-                    List<QueryHeaderRewriteRule> rules = new ArrayList<>();
-                    List<Map<String, String>> values = (List<Map<String, String>>)object;
-                    for(Map<String, String> value: values) {
-                        QueryHeaderRewriteRule rule = new QueryHeaderRewriteRule();
-                        rule.setOldK(value.get("oldK"));
-                        rule.setNewK(value.get("newK"));
-                        rule.setOldV(value.get("oldV"));
-                        rule.setNewV(value.get("newV"));
-                        rules.add(rule);
-                    }
-                    headerRewriteRules.put(key, rules);
+        if(mappedConfig.get("headerRewriteRules") != null) {
+            if(mappedConfig.get("headerRewriteRules") instanceof String) {
+                String s = (String)mappedConfig.get("headerRewriteRules");
+                s = s.trim();
+                if(logger.isTraceEnabled()) logger.trace("s = " + s);
+                if(s.startsWith("{")) {
+                    // json map
+                    Map<String, Object> map = JsonMapper.fromJson(s, Map.class);
+                    headerRewriteRules = populateHeaderRewriteRules(map);
+                } else {
+                    logger.error("headerRewriteRules is the wrong type. Only JSON map or YAML map is supported.");
                 }
+            } else if(mappedConfig.get("headerRewriteRules") instanceof Map) {
+                Map<String, Object> map = (Map<String, Object>)mappedConfig.get("headerRewriteRules");
+                headerRewriteRules = populateHeaderRewriteRules(map);
+            } else {
+                logger.error("headerRewriteRules is the wrong type. Only JSON map or YAML map is supported.");
             }
         }
     }
 
+    private Map<String, List<QueryHeaderRewriteRule>> populateHeaderRewriteRules(Map<String, Object> map) {
+        headerRewriteRules = new HashMap<>();
+        for (Map.Entry<String, Object> r: map.entrySet()) {
+            String key =  r.getKey();
+            Object object = r.getValue();
+            if(object instanceof List) {
+                List<QueryHeaderRewriteRule> rules = new ArrayList<>();
+                List<Map<String, String>> values = (List<Map<String, String>>)object;
+                for(Map<String, String> value: values) {
+                    QueryHeaderRewriteRule rule = new QueryHeaderRewriteRule();
+                    rule.setOldK(value.get("oldK"));
+                    rule.setNewK(value.get("newK"));
+                    rule.setOldV(value.get("oldV"));
+                    rule.setNewV(value.get("newV"));
+                    rules.add(rule);
+                }
+                headerRewriteRules.put(key, rules);
+            }
+        }
+        return headerRewriteRules;
+    }
+
     public void setPathPrefixMaxRequestTime() {
         pathPrefixMaxRequestTime = new HashMap<>();
         if (mappedConfig.get(PATH_PREFIX_MAX_REQUEST_TIME) != null) {
diff --git a/egress-router/src/test/resources/config/values.yml b/egress-router/src/test/resources/config/values.yml
index b2c206bea3..c7e630e4de 100644
--- a/egress-router/src/test/resources/config/values.yml
+++ b/egress-router/src/test/resources/config/values.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
+# router.hostWhitelist: "[\"192.168.0.*\",\"10.1.2.*\"]"
 router.hostWhitelist:
   - 192.168.0.*
   - 10.1.2.*
 
+# router.urlRewriteRules: "[\"/listings/(.*)$ /listing.html?listing=$1\",\"/ph/uat/de-asia-ekyc-service/v1 /uat-de-asia-ekyc-service/v1\",\"(/tutorial/.*)/wordpress/(\\\\w+)\\\\.?.*$ $1/cms/$2.php\"]"
 router.urlRewriteRules:
   # test your regex rule at https://www.freeformatter.com/java-regex-tester.html#ad-output
   # /listings/123 to /listing.html?listing=123
@@ -11,6 +13,7 @@ router.urlRewriteRules:
   # /tutorial/linux/wordpress/file1 to /tutorial/linux/cms/file1.php
   - (/tutorial/.*)/wordpress/(\w+)\.?.*$ $1/cms/$2.php
 
+# router.methodRewriteRules: "[\"/v2/address POST PUT\",\"/v1/address POST PATCH\",\"/v1/address GET DELETE\",\"/v1/pets/{petId} GET DELETE\"]"
 router.methodRewriteRules:
   # rewrite POST to PUT for path /v2/address
   - /v2/address POST PUT
@@ -21,6 +24,7 @@ router.methodRewriteRules:
   # rewrite GET to DELETE for path /v1/pets/{petId} with path parameters
   - /v1/pets/{petId} GET DELETE
 
+# router.queryParamRewriteRules: "{\"/v1/address\":[{\"oldK\":\"business-query\",\"newK\":\"request-query\",\"oldV\":\"value1\",\"newV\":\"value2\"},{\"oldK\":\"module\",\"newK\":\"mod\"},{\"oldK\":\"app-id\",\"oldV\":\"esb\",\"newV\":\"emb\"}],\"/v2/address\":[{\"oldK\":\"key1\",\"oldV\":\"old\",\"newV\":\"new\"}],\"/v3/address\":[{\"oldK\":\"path\",\"newK\":\"route\"}],\"/v1/pets/{petId}\":[{\"oldK\":\"path\",\"newK\":\"route\"}]}"
 router.queryParamRewriteRules:
   # rewrite query parameter key business-query to request-query and value value1 to value2 for /v1/address
   /v1/address:
@@ -51,6 +55,7 @@ router.queryParamRewriteRules:
     - oldK: path
       newK: route
 
+# router.headerRewriteRules: "{\"/v1/address\":[{\"oldK\":\"business-query\",\"newK\":\"request-query\",\"oldV\":\"value1\",\"newV\":\"value2\"},{\"oldK\":\"module\",\"newK\":\"mod\"},{\"oldK\":\"app-id\",\"oldV\":\"esb\",\"newV\":\"emb\"}],\"/v2/address\":[{\"oldK\":\"key1\",\"oldV\":\"old\",\"newV\":\"new\"}],\"/v3/address\":[{\"oldK\":\"path\",\"newK\":\"route\"}],\"/v1/pets/{petId}\":[{\"oldK\":\"path\",\"newK\":\"route\"}]}"
 router.headerRewriteRules:
   # rewrite header key business-query to request-query and value value1 to value2 for /v1/address
   /v1/address:
@@ -86,7 +91,8 @@ router.headerRewriteRules:
 #  /v1/address: 5000
 #  /v2/address: 10000
 #  /v3/address: 30000
-router.pathPrefixMaxRequestTime: {"/v1/address":5000,"/v2/address":10000,"/v3/address":30000,"/v1/pets/{petId}": 5000}
+router.pathPrefixMaxRequestTime: "{\"/v1/address\":5000,\"/v2/address\":10000,\"/v3/address\":30000,\"/v1/pets/{petId}\": 5000}"
+# router.pathPrefixMaxRequestTime: {"/v1/address":5000,"/v2/address":10000,"/v3/address":30000,"/v1/pets/{petId}": 5000}
 
 # client.yml
 # test configuration for the TokenHandler with multiple OAuth 2.0 providers.