diff --git a/pkg/util/config/util.go b/pkg/util/config/util.go
index 5d9173efe..97fe3cfd4 100644
--- a/pkg/util/config/util.go
+++ b/pkg/util/config/util.go
@@ -141,7 +141,10 @@ func processField(value string, field reflect.Value) error {
 		}
 		field.Set(sl)
 	case reflect.Map:
-		pairs := strings.Split(value, ",")
+		pairs, err := getMapPairsFromString(value)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("could not split value %q into map items: %v", value, err)
+		}
 		mp := reflect.MakeMap(typ)
 		for _, pair := range pairs {
 			kvpair := strings.Split(pair, ":")
@@ -166,6 +169,56 @@ func processField(value string, field reflect.Value) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+
+type parserState int
+const (
+	Plain parserState  = iota
+	DoubleQuoted
+	SingleQuoted
+)
+
+// Split the pair candidates by commas not located inside open quotes
+// Escape characters are not supported for simplicity, as we don't
+// expect to find them inside the map values for our use cases
+func getMapPairsFromString(value string) (pairs []string , err error) {
+	pairs = make([]string, 0)
+	state := Plain
+	var start, quote int
+
+	if value == "" {
+		return
+	}
+	for i, ch := range(strings.Split(value, "")) {
+		if ch == `"` {
+			if state == Plain {
+				state = DoubleQuoted
+				quote = i
+			} else if state == DoubleQuoted {
+				state = Plain
+				quote = 0
+			}
+		}
+		if ch == "'" {
+			if state == Plain {
+				state = SingleQuoted
+				quote = i
+			} else if state == SingleQuoted {
+				state = Plain
+				quote = 0
+			}
+		}
+		if ch == "," && state == Plain {
+			pairs = append(pairs, value[start:i])
+			start = i
+		}
+	}
+	if state != Plain {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("unclosed quote starting at position %d", quote)
+	}
+	pairs = append(pairs, value[start:])
+	return
+}
+
 func (f *stringTemplate) Decode(value string) error {
 	*f = stringTemplate(value)