diff --git a/yaml.go b/yaml.go
index a5580706..49784c00 100644
--- a/yaml.go
+++ b/yaml.go
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ func newYaml(args []string) interface{} {
 
 	parsedData := make(yaml.MapSlice, 0)
 
-	return updateParsedData(parsedData, writeCommands)
+	return updateParsedData(parsedData, writeCommands, "")
 }
 
 func writeProperty(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
@@ -177,18 +177,26 @@ func writeProperty(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	}
 }
 
-func updateParsedData(parsedData yaml.MapSlice, writeCommands yaml.MapSlice) yaml.MapSlice {
+func updateParsedData(parsedData yaml.MapSlice, writeCommands yaml.MapSlice, prependCommand string) interface{} {
+	var prefix = ""
+	if prependCommand != "" {
+		prefix = prependCommand + "."
+	}
 	for _, entry := range writeCommands {
-		path := entry.Key
+		path := prefix + entry.Key.(string)
 		value := entry.Value
-		var paths = parsePath(path.(string))
+		var paths = parsePath(path)
 		parsedData = writeMap(parsedData, paths, value)
 	}
+	if prependCommand != "" {
+		return readMap(parsedData, prependCommand, make([]string, 0))
+	}
 	return parsedData
 }
 
 func updateYaml(args []string) interface{} {
 	var writeCommands yaml.MapSlice
+	var prependCommand = ""
 	if writeScript != "" {
 		readDataOrDie(writeScript, &writeCommands, false)
 	} else if len(args) < 3 {
@@ -199,9 +207,16 @@ func updateYaml(args []string) interface{} {
 	}
 
 	var parsedData yaml.MapSlice
-	readDataOrDie(args[0], &parsedData, inputJSON)
+	err := readData(args[0], &parsedData, inputJSON)
+	if err != nil {
+		var generalData interface{}
+		readDataOrDie(args[0], &generalData, inputJSON)
+		item := yaml.MapItem{Key: "thing", Value: generalData}
+		parsedData = yaml.MapSlice{item}
+		prependCommand = "thing"
+	}
 
-	return updateParsedData(parsedData, writeCommands)
+	return updateParsedData(parsedData, writeCommands, prependCommand)
 }
 
 func parseValue(argument string) interface{} {
diff --git a/yaml_test.go b/yaml_test.go
index 367d9e3a..a4a8e32d 100644
--- a/yaml_test.go
+++ b/yaml_test.go
@@ -63,6 +63,14 @@ func TestUpdateYaml(t *testing.T) {
 		formattedResult)
 }
 
+func TestUpdateYamlArray(t *testing.T) {
+	result := updateYaml([]string{"sample_array.yaml", "[0]", "3"})
+	formattedResult := fmt.Sprintf("%v", result)
+	assertResult(t,
+		"[3 2 3]",
+		formattedResult)
+}
+
 func TestUpdateYaml_WithScript(t *testing.T) {
 	writeScript = "instruction_sample.yaml"
 	updateYaml([]string{"sample.yaml"})