diff --git a/agent/agent_endpoint.go b/agent/agent_endpoint.go
index fde7ca5e2b..ea81ba0b1d 100644
--- a/agent/agent_endpoint.go
+++ b/agent/agent_endpoint.go
@@ -1021,7 +1021,7 @@ func (s *HTTPServer) AgentConnectProxyConfig(resp http.ResponseWriter, req *http
 			// done deeper though as it will be needed for actually managing proxy
 			// lifecycle.
 			command := proxy.Proxy.Command
-			if command == "" {
+			if len(command) == 0 {
 				if execMode == "daemon" {
 					command = s.agent.config.ConnectProxyDefaultDaemonCommand
 				}
@@ -1030,8 +1030,8 @@ func (s *HTTPServer) AgentConnectProxyConfig(resp http.ResponseWriter, req *http
 				}
 			}
 			// No global defaults set either...
-			if command == "" {
-				command = "consul connect proxy"
+			if len(command) == 0 {
+				command = []string{"consul", "connect", "proxy"}
 			}
 
 			// Set defaults for anything that is still not specified but required.
diff --git a/agent/agent_endpoint_test.go b/agent/agent_endpoint_test.go
index e6a47cbaa9..98f95e69e2 100644
--- a/agent/agent_endpoint_test.go
+++ b/agent/agent_endpoint_test.go
@@ -2354,7 +2354,7 @@ func TestAgentConnectProxyConfig_Blocking(t *testing.T) {
 		TargetServiceName: "test",
 		ContentHash:       "365a50cbb9a748b6",
 		ExecMode:          "daemon",
-		Command:           nil,
+		Command:           []string{"consul", "connect", "proxy"},
 		Config: map[string]interface{}{
 			"upstreams": []interface{}{
 				map[string]interface{}{
@@ -2372,7 +2372,7 @@ func TestAgentConnectProxyConfig_Blocking(t *testing.T) {
 	ur, err := copystructure.Copy(expectedResponse)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	updatedResponse := ur.(*api.ConnectProxyConfig)
-	updatedResponse.ContentHash = "b5bb0e4a0a58ca25"
+	updatedResponse.ContentHash = "538d0366b7b1dc3e"
 	upstreams := updatedResponse.Config["upstreams"].([]interface{})
 	upstreams = append(upstreams,
 		map[string]interface{}{
@@ -2538,7 +2538,7 @@ func TestAgentConnectProxyConfig_ConfigHandling(t *testing.T) {
 		globalConfig string
 		proxy        structs.ServiceDefinitionConnectProxy
 		wantMode     api.ProxyExecMode
-		wantCommand  string
+		wantCommand  []string
 		wantConfig   map[string]interface{}
 	}{
 		{
@@ -2555,7 +2555,7 @@ func TestAgentConnectProxyConfig_ConfigHandling(t *testing.T) {
 			`,
 			proxy:       structs.ServiceDefinitionConnectProxy{},
 			wantMode:    api.ProxyExecModeDaemon,
-			wantCommand: "consul connect proxy",
+			wantCommand: []string{"consul", "connect", "proxy"},
 			wantConfig: map[string]interface{}{
 				"bind_address":          "0.0.0.0",
 				"bind_port":             10000,            // "randomly" chosen from our range of 1
@@ -2572,13 +2572,13 @@ func TestAgentConnectProxyConfig_ConfigHandling(t *testing.T) {
 					bind_min_port = 10000
 					bind_max_port = 10000
 					exec_mode = "script"
-					script_command = "script.sh"
+					script_command = ["script.sh"]
 				}
 			}
 			`,
 			proxy:       structs.ServiceDefinitionConnectProxy{},
 			wantMode:    api.ProxyExecModeScript,
-			wantCommand: "script.sh",
+			wantCommand: []string{"script.sh"},
 			wantConfig: map[string]interface{}{
 				"bind_address":          "0.0.0.0",
 				"bind_port":             10000,            // "randomly" chosen from our range of 1
@@ -2595,13 +2595,13 @@ func TestAgentConnectProxyConfig_ConfigHandling(t *testing.T) {
 					bind_min_port = 10000
 					bind_max_port = 10000
 					exec_mode = "daemon"
-					daemon_command = "daemon.sh"
+					daemon_command = ["daemon.sh"]
 				}
 			}
 			`,
 			proxy:       structs.ServiceDefinitionConnectProxy{},
 			wantMode:    api.ProxyExecModeDaemon,
-			wantCommand: "daemon.sh",
+			wantCommand: []string{"daemon.sh"},
 			wantConfig: map[string]interface{}{
 				"bind_address":          "0.0.0.0",
 				"bind_port":             10000,            // "randomly" chosen from our range of 1
@@ -2629,7 +2629,7 @@ func TestAgentConnectProxyConfig_ConfigHandling(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 			wantMode:    api.ProxyExecModeDaemon,
-			wantCommand: "consul connect proxy",
+			wantCommand: []string{"consul", "connect", "proxy"},
 			wantConfig: map[string]interface{}{
 				"bind_address":          "0.0.0.0",
 				"bind_port":             10000,            // "randomly" chosen from our range of 1
@@ -2648,8 +2648,8 @@ func TestAgentConnectProxyConfig_ConfigHandling(t *testing.T) {
 					bind_min_port = 10000
 					bind_max_port = 10000
 					exec_mode = "daemon"
-					daemon_command = "daemon.sh"
-					script_command = "script.sh"
+					daemon_command = ["daemon.sh"]
+					script_command = ["script.sh"]
 					config = {
 						connect_timeout_ms = 1000
 					}
@@ -2658,7 +2658,7 @@ func TestAgentConnectProxyConfig_ConfigHandling(t *testing.T) {
 			`,
 			proxy: structs.ServiceDefinitionConnectProxy{
 				ExecMode: "script",
-				Command:  "foo.sh",
+				Command:  []string{"foo.sh"},
 				Config: map[string]interface{}{
 					"connect_timeout_ms":    2000,
 					"bind_address":          "127.0.0.1",
@@ -2667,7 +2667,7 @@ func TestAgentConnectProxyConfig_ConfigHandling(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 			wantMode:    api.ProxyExecModeScript,
-			wantCommand: "foo.sh",
+			wantCommand: []string{"foo.sh"},
 			wantConfig: map[string]interface{}{
 				"bind_address":          "127.0.0.1",
 				"bind_port":             float64(1024),
diff --git a/agent/local/state_test.go b/agent/local/state_test.go
index 800c017d64..3f416fbb3d 100644
--- a/agent/local/state_test.go
+++ b/agent/local/state_test.go
@@ -1725,8 +1725,9 @@ func TestStateProxyManagement(t *testing.T) {
 	{
 		// Re-registering same proxy again should not pick a random port but re-use
 		// the assigned one.
-		svcDup, err := state.AddProxy(&p1, "fake-token")
+		pstateDup, err := state.AddProxy(&p1, "fake-token")
 		require.NoError(err)
+		svcDup := pstateDup.Proxy.ProxyService
 
 		assert.Equal("web-proxy", svcDup.ID)
 		assert.Equal("web-proxy", svcDup.Service)