diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_common_test_helpers.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_common_test_helpers.erl
index f440dfc5a..f53c2702d 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_common_test_helpers.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_common_test_helpers.erl
@@ -408,7 +408,9 @@ catch_call(F) ->
         C:E:S ->
             {crashed, {C, E, S}}
     end.
-force_set_config_file_paths(emqx_conf, Paths) ->
+force_set_config_file_paths(emqx_conf, [Path] = Paths) ->
+    Bin = iolist_to_binary(io_lib:format("node.config_files = [~p]", [Path])),
+    ok = file:write_file(Path, Bin, [append]),
     application:set_env(emqx, config_files, Paths);
 force_set_config_file_paths(emqx, Paths) ->
     application:set_env(emqx, config_files, Paths);
diff --git a/apps/emqx_conf/src/emqx_conf_schema.erl b/apps/emqx_conf/src/emqx_conf_schema.erl
index 90af47aca..7a20a88dc 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_conf/src/emqx_conf_schema.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_conf/src/emqx_conf_schema.erl
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ fields("node") ->
             )},
         {"config_files",
             sc(
-                list(string()),
+                hoconsc:array(string()),
                 #{
                     mapping => "emqx.config_files",
                     default => undefined,