diff --git a/lib/config/util.js b/lib/config/util.js
index 18d6bb1cf..10c7a05df 100644
--- a/lib/config/util.js
+++ b/lib/config/util.js
@@ -48,6 +48,18 @@ function parseBoolean(value) {
     }
 }
 
+function parsePrimitive(str) {
+    let value;
+
+    try {
+        value = JSON.parse(str);
+    } catch (error) {
+        // do nothing
+    }
+
+    return value;
+}
+
 function positiveIntegerOption(defaultValue) {
     return option({
         parseEnv: Number,
@@ -70,7 +82,10 @@ function positiveIntegerOption(defaultValue) {
 }
 
 function anyObject() {
-    return map(option({}));
+    return map(option({
+        parseEnv: parsePrimitive,
+        parseCli: parsePrimitive
+    }));
 }
 
 exports.is = is;
diff --git a/test/unit/config-options/config-options.test.js b/test/unit/config-options/config-options.test.js
index 8579fa357..ec9fb68bf 100644
--- a/test/unit/config-options/config-options.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/config-options/config-options.test.js
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@ var Config = require('lib/config'),
 describe('config', function() {
     var VALID_OPTIONS = {
         system: {
-            projectRoot: '/some/path'
+            projectRoot: '/some/path',
+            plugins: {
+                plugin: {}
+            }
         },
         rootUrl: 'http://example.com/root',
         gridUrl: 'http://example.com/root',
@@ -225,6 +228,38 @@ describe('config', function() {
         });
     }
 
+    function testObjectOption(name) {
+        it('should parse any of primitive type from environment', () => {
+            ['string', 1.0, 1, false, null, [], {a: 1}].forEach((expected) => {
+                const value = JSON.stringify(expected);
+                assertParsesEnv({property: name, value, expected});
+            });
+        });
+
+        it('should not throws if value from environment is not valid', () => {
+            ['{a:1}', '{', ']', '\'string\'', '\n'].forEach((value) => {
+                assert.doesNotThrow(() => {
+                    assertParsesEnv({property: name, value});
+                });
+            });
+        });
+
+        it('should parse any of primitive type from cli', () => {
+            ['string', 1.0, 1, false, null, [], {a: 1}].forEach((expected) => {
+                const value = JSON.stringify(expected);
+                assertParsesCli({property: name, value, expected});
+            });
+        });
+
+        it('should not throws if value from cli is not valid', () => {
+            ['{a:1}', '{', ']', '\'string\'', '\n'].forEach((value) => {
+                assert.doesNotThrow(() => {
+                    assertParsesCli({property: name, value});
+                });
+            });
+        });
+    }
+
     beforeEach(function() {
         this.sinon = sinon.sandbox.create();
     });
@@ -439,6 +474,10 @@ describe('config', function() {
                 });
             });
         });
+
+        describe.only('plugins', () => {
+            testObjectOption('system.plugins.plugin');
+        });
     });
 
     describe('browser options', function() {