diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/create_configmap.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/create_configmap.go
index 0bc167f441b..b4074246f85 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/create_configmap.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/create_configmap.go
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func NewCmdCreateConfigMap(f *cmdutil.Factory, cmdOut io.Writer) *cobra.Command
 	cmdutil.AddPrinterFlags(cmd)
 	cmdutil.AddGeneratorFlags(cmd, cmdutil.ConfigMapV1GeneratorName)
 	cmd.Flags().StringSlice("from-file", []string{}, "Key files can be specified using their file path, in which case a default name will be given to them, or optionally with a name and file path, in which case the given name will be used.  Specifying a directory will iterate each named file in the directory that is a valid configmap key.")
-	cmd.Flags().StringSlice("from-literal", []string{}, "Specify a key and literal value to insert in configmap (i.e. mykey=somevalue)")
+	cmd.Flags().StringArray("from-literal", []string{}, "Specify a key and literal value to insert in configmap (i.e. mykey=somevalue)")
 	return cmd
 }
 
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ func CreateConfigMap(f *cmdutil.Factory, cmdOut io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Command, a
 		generator = &kubectl.ConfigMapGeneratorV1{
 			Name:           name,
 			FileSources:    cmdutil.GetFlagStringSlice(cmd, "from-file"),
-			LiteralSources: cmdutil.GetFlagStringSlice(cmd, "from-literal"),
+			LiteralSources: cmdutil.GetFlagStringArray(cmd, "from-literal"),
 		}
 	default:
 		return cmdutil.UsageError(cmd, fmt.Sprintf("Generator: %s not supported.", generatorName))
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/helpers.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/helpers.go
index ec50d80be94..e11ebbe215b 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/helpers.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/helpers.go
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ func GetFlagString(cmd *cobra.Command, flag string) string {
 	return s
 }
 
-// GetFlagStringList can be used to accept multiple argument with flag repetition (e.g. -f arg1 -f arg2 ...)
+// GetFlagStringSlice can be used to accept multiple argument with flag repetition (e.g. -f arg1,arg2 -f arg3 ...)
 func GetFlagStringSlice(cmd *cobra.Command, flag string) []string {
 	s, err := cmd.Flags().GetStringSlice(flag)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -305,6 +305,15 @@ func GetFlagStringSlice(cmd *cobra.Command, flag string) []string {
 	return s
 }
 
+// GetFlagStringArray can be used to accept multiple argument with flag repetition (e.g. -f arg1 -f arg2 ...)
+func GetFlagStringArray(cmd *cobra.Command, flag string) []string {
+	s, err := cmd.Flags().GetStringArray(flag)
+	if err != nil {
+		glog.Fatalf("err accessing flag %s for command %s: %v", flag, cmd.Name(), err)
+	}
+	return s
+}
+
 // GetWideFlag is used to determine if "-o wide" is used
 func GetWideFlag(cmd *cobra.Command) bool {
 	f := cmd.Flags().Lookup("output")