diff --git a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/ObjectPath.java b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/ObjectPath.java
index 85ade469023..36755083176 100644
--- a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/ObjectPath.java
+++ b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/ObjectPath.java
@@ -31,16 +31,19 @@ import java.util.Map;
  */
 public class ObjectPath {
 
-    private final Map<String, Object> object;
+    private final Object object;
 
     public static ObjectPath createFromXContent(String input) throws IOException {
         try (XContentParser parser = XContentFactory.xContent(input).createParser(input)) {
+            if (parser.nextToken() == XContentParser.Token.START_ARRAY) {
+                return new ObjectPath(parser.listOrderedMap());
+            }
             return new ObjectPath(parser.mapOrdered());
         }
     }
 
-    public ObjectPath(Map<String, Object> map) throws IOException {
-        this.object = map;
+    public ObjectPath(Object object) throws IOException {
+        this.object = object;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/test/framework/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/test/ObjectPathTests.java b/test/framework/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/test/ObjectPathTests.java
index f5616a957db..26dc5f928a1 100644
--- a/test/framework/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/test/ObjectPathTests.java
+++ b/test/framework/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/test/ObjectPathTests.java
@@ -198,4 +198,28 @@ public class ObjectPathTests extends ESTestCase {
         assertThat(object, notNullValue());
         assertThat(object.toString(), equalTo("value1"));
     }
+
+    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+    public void testEvaluateArrayAsRoot() throws Exception {
+        String input = "---\n" +
+                "- alias: \"test_alias1\"\n" +
+                "  index: \"test1\"\n" +
+                "- alias: \"test_alias2\"\n" +
+                "  index: \"test2\"";
+
+        ObjectPath objectPath = ObjectPath.createFromXContent(input);
+        Object object = objectPath.evaluate("");
+        assertThat(object, notNullValue());
+        assertThat(object, instanceOf(List.class));
+        assertThat(((List<Object>)object).size(), equalTo(2));
+        object = objectPath.evaluate("0");
+        assertThat(object, notNullValue());
+        assertThat(object, instanceOf(Map.class));
+        assertThat(((Map<String, Object>)object).get("alias"), equalTo("test_alias1"));
+        object = objectPath.evaluate("1.index");
+        assertThat(object, notNullValue());
+        assertThat(object, instanceOf(String.class));
+        assertThat(object, equalTo("test2"));
+    }
+
 }