diff --git a/cmd/commands_test.go b/cmd/commands_test.go
index f74d677e..872e4a22 100644
--- a/cmd/commands_test.go
+++ b/cmd/commands_test.go
@@ -1262,7 +1262,7 @@ c:
   toast: leave
   test: 1
   tell: 1
-  taco: cool
+  tasty.taco: cool
 `
 	filename := test.WriteTempYamlFile(content)
 	defer test.RemoveTempYamlFile(filename)
@@ -1277,7 +1277,7 @@ c:
 b: [3, 4]
 c:
   toast: leave
-  taco: cool
+  tasty.taco: cool
 `
 	test.AssertResult(t, expectedOutput, result.Output)
 }
@@ -1443,7 +1443,7 @@ c:
   test: 1
   toast: leave
   tell: 1
-  taco: cool
+  tasty.taco: cool
 `
 	test.AssertResult(t, expectedOutput, result.Output)
 }
@@ -1644,7 +1644,7 @@ c:
   test: 1
   toast: leave
   tell: 1
-  taco: cool
+  tasty.taco: cool
 `
 	test.AssertResult(t, expectedOutput, gotOutput)
 	test.AssertResult(t, os.FileMode(int(0666)), info.Mode())
diff --git a/examples/data2.yaml b/examples/data2.yaml
index 07088cc1..9efa4fc6 100644
--- a/examples/data2.yaml
+++ b/examples/data2.yaml
@@ -4,4 +4,4 @@ c:
   toast: leave
   test: 1
   tell: 1
-  taco: cool
+  tasty.taco: cool
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/lib.go b/pkg/yqlib/lib.go
index 196e3ddf..f4f3889c 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/lib.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/lib.go
@@ -51,7 +51,15 @@ func mergePathStackToString(pathStack []interface{}, appendArrays bool) string {
 			}
 
 		default:
-			sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("%v", path))
+			s := fmt.Sprintf("%v", path)
+			hasDot := strings.Contains(s, ".")
+			if hasDot {
+				sb.WriteString("[")
+			}
+			sb.WriteString(s)
+			if hasDot {
+				sb.WriteString("]")
+			}
 		}
 
 		if index < len(pathStack)-1 {