diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index debe154..e0df8cd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ mongodb_conf_syslog: no                           # Log to system's syslog facil
 mongodb_conf_replSet:                             # Enable replication <setname>[/<optionalseedhostlist>]
 mongodb_conf_replIndexPrefetch: all               # specify index prefetching behavior (if secondary) [none|_id_only|all]
 
-mongodb_shell: []                                 # Define mongo shell commands to run
+mongodb_shell: {}                                 # Define mongo shell commands to run
                                                   # Syntax: mongodb_shell:
                                                   #          dbname:
                                                   #           - db.setProfilingLevel(1, 50)
diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index ac5ce9e..c8e9090 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ mongodb_conf_syslog: no                           # Log to system's syslog facil
 mongodb_conf_replSet:                             # Enable replication <setname>[/<optionalseedhostlist>]
 mongodb_conf_replIndexPrefetch: all               # specify index prefetching behavior (if secondary) [none|_id_only|all]
 
-mongodb_shell: []                                 # Define mongo shell commands to run
+mongodb_shell: {}                                 # Define mongo shell commands to run
                                                   # Syntax: mongodb_shell:
                                                   #          dbname:
                                                   #           - db.setProfilingLevel(1, 50)