diff --git a/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdcreatesetter.go b/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdcreatesetter.go
index b107adea6..04ed314f3 100644
--- a/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdcreatesetter.go
+++ b/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdcreatesetter.go
@@ -128,9 +128,9 @@ func (r *CreateSetterRunner) preRunE(c *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		r.CreateSetter.Type = r.Set.SetPartialField.Type
 
 		if r.CreateSetter.Type == "array" {
-			// this is just a place holder value, we derive the actual value at
-			// later point from the field path
-			r.CreateSetter.FieldValue = "listValues"
+			if !c.Flag("field").Changed {
+				return errors.Errorf("field flag must be set for array type setters")
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	return nil
diff --git a/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdcreatesetter_test.go b/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdcreatesetter_test.go
index 461a26db5..8547fb56b 100644
--- a/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdcreatesetter_test.go
+++ b/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdcreatesetter_test.go
@@ -129,8 +129,101 @@ spec:
 		},
 
 		{
-			name:   "add replicas with schema list values",
-			args:   []string{"list", "a", "--description", "hello world", "--set-by", "me", "--type", "array", "--field", "spec.list"},
+			name:   "list values with schema",
+			args:   []string{"list", "--description", "hello world", "--set-by", "me", "--type", "array", "--field", "spec.list"},
+			schema: `{"maxItems": 3, "type": "array", "items": {"type": "string"}}`,
+			input: `
+apiVersion: example.com/v1beta1
+kind: Example1
+spec:
+  list:
+  - "a"
+  - "b"
+  - "c"
+---
+apiVersion: example.com/v1beta1
+kind: Example2
+spec:
+  list:
+  - "a"
+  - "b"
+  - "c"
+ `,
+			inputOpenAPI: `
+apiVersion: v1alpha1
+kind: Example
+`,
+			expectedOpenAPI: `
+apiVersion: v1alpha1
+kind: Example
+openAPI:
+  definitions:
+    io.k8s.cli.setters.list:
+      items:
+        type: string
+      maxItems: 3
+      type: array
+      description: hello world
+      x-k8s-cli:
+        setter:
+          name: list
+          value: ""
+          listValues:
+          - a
+          - b
+          - c
+          setBy: me
+ `,
+			expectedResources: `
+apiVersion: example.com/v1beta1
+kind: Example1
+spec:
+  list: # {"$openapi":"list"}
+  - "a"
+  - "b"
+  - "c"
+---
+apiVersion: example.com/v1beta1
+kind: Example2
+spec:
+  list: # {"$openapi":"list"}
+  - "a"
+  - "b"
+  - "c"
+ `,
+		},
+
+		{
+			name:   "error list path with different values",
+			args:   []string{"list", "--description", "hello world", "--set-by", "me", "--type", "array", "--field", "spec.list"},
+			schema: `{"maxItems": 3, "type": "array", "items": {"type": "string"}}`,
+			input: `
+apiVersion: example.com/v1beta1
+kind: Example
+spec:
+  list:
+  - "a"
+  - "b"
+  - "c"
+---
+apiVersion: example.com/v1beta1
+kind: Example
+spec:
+  list:
+  - "c"
+  - "d"
+ `,
+			inputOpenAPI: `
+apiVersion: v1alpha1
+kind: Example
+`,
+			err: `setters can only be created for fields with same values, encountered different ` +
+				`array values for specified field path: [c d], [a b c]`,
+		},
+
+		{
+			name:   "list values error if field not set",
+			args:   []string{"list", "a", "--description", "hello world", "--set-by", "me", "--type", "array"},
 			schema: `{"maxItems": 3, "type": "array", "items": {"type": "string"}}`,
 			input: `
 apiVersion: example.com/v1beta1
@@ -174,6 +267,7 @@ spec:
   - "b"
   - "c"
  `,
+			err: `field flag must be set for array type setters`,
 		},
 		{
 			name: "add replicas with value set by flag",
diff --git a/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdlistsetters_test.go b/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdlistsetters_test.go
index c870f73ec..4a1fc20d6 100644
--- a/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdlistsetters_test.go
+++ b/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdlistsetters_test.go
@@ -272,7 +272,6 @@ openAPI:
       x-k8s-cli:
         setter:
           name: list
-          value: List Values
           listValues:
           - a
           - b
diff --git a/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdset_test.go b/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdset_test.go
index eda1bd982..1191cd392 100644
--- a/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdset_test.go
+++ b/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdset_test.go
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ spec:
   replicas: 4 # {"$ref":"#/definitions/io.k8s.cli.setters.replicas"}
  `,
 		},
+
 		{
 			name: "set image with value",
 			args: []string{"tag", "1.8.1"},
diff --git a/kyaml/setters2/add.go b/kyaml/setters2/add.go
index b7a7bf5a5..678fcaa89 100644
--- a/kyaml/setters2/add.go
+++ b/kyaml/setters2/add.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package setters2
 
 import (
+	"reflect"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/go-openapi/spec"
@@ -33,6 +34,9 @@ type Add struct {
 
 	// ListValues are the value of a list setter.
 	ListValues []string
+
+	// Type is the type of the setter value
+	Type string
 }
 
 // Filter implements yaml.Filter
@@ -70,6 +74,12 @@ func (a *Add) visitMapping(object *yaml.RNode, p string, _ *openapi.ResourceSche
 		for _, sc := range node.Value.Content() {
 			values = append(values, sc.Value)
 		}
+
+		// check if there are different values for field path
+		if len(a.ListValues) > 0 && !reflect.DeepEqual(values, a.ListValues) {
+			return errors.Errorf("setters can only be created for fields with same values, "+
+				"encountered different array values for specified field path: %s, %s", values, a.ListValues)
+		}
 		a.ListValues = values
 
 		// pathToKey refers to the path address of the key node ex: metadata.annotations
@@ -86,6 +96,9 @@ func (a *Add) visitMapping(object *yaml.RNode, p string, _ *openapi.ResourceSche
 // visitScalar will set the field metadata on each scalar field whose name + value match
 func (a *Add) visitScalar(object *yaml.RNode, p string, _ *openapi.ResourceSchema) error {
 	// check if the field matches
+	if a.Type == "array" {
+		return nil
+	}
 	if a.FieldName != "" && !strings.HasSuffix(p, a.FieldName) {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -123,7 +136,7 @@ type SetterDefinition struct {
 	Name string `yaml:"name"`
 
 	// Value is the value of the setter.
-	Value string `yaml:"value,omitempty"`
+	Value string `yaml:"value"`
 
 	// ListValues are the value of a list setter.
 	ListValues []string `yaml:"listValues,omitempty"`
diff --git a/kyaml/setters2/settersutil/settercreator.go b/kyaml/setters2/settersutil/settercreator.go
index 200275a52..e2468922b 100644
--- a/kyaml/setters2/settersutil/settercreator.go
+++ b/kyaml/setters2/settersutil/settercreator.go
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ func (c SetterCreator) Create(openAPIPath, resourcesPath string) error {
 		FieldName:  c.FieldName,
 		FieldValue: c.FieldValue,
 		Ref:        fieldmeta.DefinitionsPrefix + fieldmeta.SetterDefinitionPrefix + c.Name,
+		Type:       c.Type,
 	}
 	err = kio.Pipeline{
 		Inputs:  []kio.Reader{inout},