diff --git a/config/interpolate_funcs.go b/config/interpolate_funcs.go
index f73df85e6c..a3cdf828ba 100644
--- a/config/interpolate_funcs.go
+++ b/config/interpolate_funcs.go
@@ -91,15 +91,34 @@ func interpolationFuncList() ast.Function {
 		ArgTypes:     []ast.Type{},
 		ReturnType:   ast.TypeList,
 		Variadic:     true,
-		VariadicType: ast.TypeString,
+		VariadicType: ast.TypeAny,
 		Callback: func(args []interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
-			var outputList []string
+			var outputList []ast.Variable
 
-			for _, val := range args {
-				outputList = append(outputList, val.(string))
+			for i, val := range args {
+				switch v := val.(type) {
+				case string:
+					outputList = append(outputList, ast.Variable{Type: ast.TypeString, Value: v})
+				case []ast.Variable:
+					outputList = append(outputList, ast.Variable{Type: ast.TypeList, Value: v})
+				case map[string]ast.Variable:
+					outputList = append(outputList, ast.Variable{Type: ast.TypeMap, Value: v})
+				default:
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("unexpected type %T for argument %d in list", v, i)
+				}
 			}
 
-			return stringSliceToVariableValue(outputList), nil
+			// we don't support heterogeneous types, so make sure all types match the first
+			if len(outputList) > 0 {
+				firstType := outputList[0].Type
+				for i, v := range outputList[1:] {
+					if v.Type != firstType {
+						return nil, fmt.Errorf("unexpected type %s for argument %d in list", v.Type, i+1)
+					}
+				}
+			}
+
+			return outputList, nil
 		},
 	}
 }
diff --git a/config/interpolate_funcs_test.go b/config/interpolate_funcs_test.go
index 7ee10372f2..5b9800c14c 100644
--- a/config/interpolate_funcs_test.go
+++ b/config/interpolate_funcs_test.go
@@ -38,7 +38,28 @@ func TestInterpolateFuncList(t *testing.T) {
 
 			// not a string input gives error
 			{
-				`${list("hello", "${var.list}")}`,
+				`${list("hello", 42)}`,
+				nil,
+				true,
+			},
+
+			// list of lists
+			{
+				`${list("${var.list}", "${var.list2}")}`,
+				[]interface{}{[]interface{}{"Hello", "World"}, []interface{}{"bar", "baz"}},
+				false,
+			},
+
+			// list of maps
+			{
+				`${list("${var.map}", "${var.map2}")}`,
+				[]interface{}{map[string]interface{}{"key": "bar"}, map[string]interface{}{"key2": "baz"}},
+				false,
+			},
+
+			// error on a heterogeneous list
+			{
+				`${list("first", "${var.list}")}`,
 				nil,
 				true,
 			},
@@ -57,6 +78,38 @@ func TestInterpolateFuncList(t *testing.T) {
 					},
 				},
 			},
+			"var.list2": {
+				Type: ast.TypeList,
+				Value: []ast.Variable{
+					{
+						Type:  ast.TypeString,
+						Value: "bar",
+					},
+					{
+						Type:  ast.TypeString,
+						Value: "baz",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+
+			"var.map": {
+				Type: ast.TypeMap,
+				Value: map[string]ast.Variable{
+					"key": {
+						Type:  ast.TypeString,
+						Value: "bar",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			"var.map2": {
+				Type: ast.TypeMap,
+				Value: map[string]ast.Variable{
+					"key2": {
+						Type:  ast.TypeString,
+						Value: "baz",
+					},
+				},
+			},
 		},
 	})
 }
diff --git a/website/source/docs/configuration/interpolation.html.md b/website/source/docs/configuration/interpolation.html.md
index b2f66efd2b..338550377f 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/configuration/interpolation.html.md
+++ b/website/source/docs/configuration/interpolation.html.md
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ The supported built-in functions are:
       This function provides a way of representing list literals in interpolation.
       * `${list("a", "b", "c")}` returns a list of `"a", "b", "c"`.
       * `${list()}` returns an empty list.
- 
+
   * `lookup(map, key [, default])` - Performs a dynamic lookup into a mapping
       variable. The `map` parameter should be another variable, such
       as `var.amis`. If `key` does not exist in `map`, the interpolation will