diff --git a/client/core/rs/src/entities/build.rs b/client/core/rs/src/entities/build.rs
index 60850279d..01b58ec5c 100644
--- a/client/core/rs/src/entities/build.rs
+++ b/client/core/rs/src/entities/build.rs
@@ -122,12 +122,24 @@ pub struct BuildConfig {
   pub dockerfile_path: String,
 
   /// Docker build arguments
-  #[serde(default)]
+  #[serde(
+    default,
+    deserialize_with = "super::env_vars_deserializer"
+  )]
+  #[partial_attr(serde(
+    deserialize_with = "super::option_env_vars_deserializer"
+  ))]
   #[builder(default)]
   pub build_args: Vec<EnvironmentVar>,
 
   /// Docker labels
-  #[serde(default)]
+  #[serde(
+    default,
+    deserialize_with = "super::env_vars_deserializer"
+  )]
+  #[partial_attr(serde(
+    deserialize_with = "super::option_env_vars_deserializer"
+  ))]
   #[builder(default)]
   pub labels: Vec<EnvironmentVar>,
 
diff --git a/client/core/rs/src/entities/deployment.rs b/client/core/rs/src/entities/deployment.rs
index f1119748a..11ed9bb21 100644
--- a/client/core/rs/src/entities/deployment.rs
+++ b/client/core/rs/src/entities/deployment.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 
+use anyhow::Context;
 use bson::{doc, Document};
 use derive_builder::Builder;
 use derive_default_builder::DefaultBuilder;
 use derive_variants::EnumVariants;
 use partial_derive2::Partial;
-use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use serde::{
+  de::{value::SeqAccessDeserializer, Visitor},
+  Deserialize, Deserializer, Serialize,
+};
 use strum::{Display, EnumString};
 use typeshare::typeshare;
 
@@ -86,7 +90,13 @@ pub struct DeploymentConfig {
 
   /// Labels attached to various termination signal options.
   /// Used to specify different shutdown functionality depending on the termination signal.
-  #[serde(default = "default_term_signal_labels")]
+  #[serde(
+    default = "default_term_signal_labels",
+    deserialize_with = "term_labels_deserializer"
+  )]
+  #[partial_attr(serde(
+    deserialize_with = "option_term_labels_deserializer"
+  ))]
   #[builder(default = "default_term_signal_labels()")]
   #[partial_default(default_term_signal_labels())]
   pub term_signal_labels: Vec<TerminationSignalLabel>,
@@ -105,23 +115,41 @@ pub struct DeploymentConfig {
   /// The container port mapping.
   /// Irrelevant if container network is `host`.
   /// Maps ports on host to ports on container.
-  #[serde(default)]
+  #[serde(default, deserialize_with = "conversions_deserializer")]
+  #[partial_attr(serde(
+    deserialize_with = "option_conversions_deserializer"
+  ))]
   #[builder(default)]
   pub ports: Vec<Conversion>,
 
   /// The container volume mapping.
   /// Maps files / folders on host to files / folders in container.
-  #[serde(default)]
+  #[serde(default, deserialize_with = "conversions_deserializer")]
+  #[partial_attr(serde(
+    deserialize_with = "option_conversions_deserializer"
+  ))]
   #[builder(default)]
   pub volumes: Vec<Conversion>,
 
   /// The environment variables passed to the container.
-  #[serde(default)]
+  #[serde(
+    default,
+    deserialize_with = "super::env_vars_deserializer"
+  )]
+  #[partial_attr(serde(
+    deserialize_with = "super::option_env_vars_deserializer"
+  ))]
   #[builder(default)]
   pub environment: Vec<EnvironmentVar>,
 
   /// The docker labels given to the container.
-  #[serde(default)]
+  #[serde(
+    default,
+    deserialize_with = "super::env_vars_deserializer"
+  )]
+  #[partial_attr(serde(
+    deserialize_with = "super::option_env_vars_deserializer"
+  ))]
   #[builder(default)]
   pub labels: Vec<EnvironmentVar>,
 
@@ -244,7 +272,7 @@ impl Default for DeploymentImage {
 
 #[typeshare]
 #[derive(
-  Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Clone, Default, PartialEq,
+  Debug, Clone, Default, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize,
 )]
 pub struct Conversion {
   /// reference on the server.
@@ -253,6 +281,144 @@ pub struct Conversion {
   pub container: String,
 }
 
+pub fn conversions_from_str(
+  value: &str,
+) -> anyhow::Result<Vec<Conversion>> {
+  let res = value
+    .split('\n')
+    .map(|line| line.trim())
+    .enumerate()
+    .filter(|(_, line)| !line.starts_with('#'))
+    .map(|(i, line)| {
+      let mut split = line.split('=');
+      let local = split
+        .next()
+        .with_context(|| {
+          format!("line {i} does not have 'local' key")
+        })?
+        .trim()
+        .to_string();
+      // remove trailing comments
+      let mut container_split = split
+        .next()
+        .with_context(|| {
+          format!("line {i} does not have 'container' key")
+        })?
+        .split('#');
+      let container = container_split
+        .next()
+        .with_context(|| {
+          format!("line {i} does not have 'container' key")
+        })?
+        .trim()
+        .to_string();
+      anyhow::Ok(Conversion { local, container })
+    })
+    .collect::<anyhow::Result<Vec<_>>>()?;
+  Ok(res)
+}
+
+pub fn conversions_deserializer<'de, D>(
+  deserializer: D,
+) -> Result<Vec<Conversion>, D::Error>
+where
+  D: Deserializer<'de>,
+{
+  deserializer.deserialize_any(ConversionVisitor)
+}
+
+pub fn option_conversions_deserializer<'de, D>(
+  deserializer: D,
+) -> Result<Option<Vec<Conversion>>, D::Error>
+where
+  D: Deserializer<'de>,
+{
+  deserializer.deserialize_any(OptionConversionVisitor)
+}
+
+struct ConversionVisitor;
+
+impl<'de> Visitor<'de> for ConversionVisitor {
+  type Value = Vec<Conversion>;
+
+  fn expecting(
+    &self,
+    formatter: &mut std::fmt::Formatter,
+  ) -> std::fmt::Result {
+    write!(formatter, "string or Vec<Conversion>")
+  }
+
+  fn visit_str<E>(self, v: &str) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+  where
+    E: serde::de::Error,
+  {
+    conversions_from_str(v)
+      .map_err(|e| serde::de::Error::custom(format!("{e:#}")))
+  }
+
+  fn visit_seq<A>(self, seq: A) -> Result<Self::Value, A::Error>
+  where
+    A: serde::de::SeqAccess<'de>,
+  {
+    #[derive(Deserialize)]
+    struct ConversionInner {
+      local: String,
+      container: String,
+    }
+
+    impl From<ConversionInner> for Conversion {
+      fn from(value: ConversionInner) -> Self {
+        Self {
+          local: value.local,
+          container: value.container,
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    let res = Vec::<ConversionInner>::deserialize(
+      SeqAccessDeserializer::new(seq),
+    )?
+    .into_iter()
+    .map(Into::into)
+    .collect();
+    Ok(res)
+  }
+}
+
+struct OptionConversionVisitor;
+
+impl<'de> Visitor<'de> for OptionConversionVisitor {
+  type Value = Option<Vec<Conversion>>;
+
+  fn expecting(
+    &self,
+    formatter: &mut std::fmt::Formatter,
+  ) -> std::fmt::Result {
+    write!(formatter, "null or string or Vec<Conversion>")
+  }
+
+  fn visit_str<E>(self, v: &str) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+  where
+    E: serde::de::Error,
+  {
+    ConversionVisitor.visit_str(v).map(Some)
+  }
+
+  fn visit_seq<A>(self, seq: A) -> Result<Self::Value, A::Error>
+  where
+    A: serde::de::SeqAccess<'de>,
+  {
+    ConversionVisitor.visit_seq(seq).map(Some)
+  }
+
+  fn visit_none<E>(self) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+  where
+    E: serde::de::Error,
+  {
+    Ok(None)
+  }
+}
+
 /// A summary of a docker container on a server.
 #[typeshare]
 #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Clone)]
@@ -401,6 +567,141 @@ pub struct TerminationSignalLabel {
   pub label: String,
 }
 
+pub fn term_signal_labels_from_str(
+  value: &str,
+) -> anyhow::Result<Vec<TerminationSignalLabel>> {
+  let res = value
+    .split('\n')
+    .map(|line| line.trim())
+    .enumerate()
+    .filter(|(_, line)| !line.starts_with('#'))
+    .map(|(i, line)| {
+      let mut split = line.split('=');
+      let signal = split
+        .next()
+        .with_context(|| format!("line {i} does not have signal"))?
+        .trim()
+        .parse::<TerminationSignal>()
+        .with_context(|| {
+          format!("line {i} does not have valid signal")
+        })?;
+      // remove trailing comments
+      let mut label_split = split
+        .next()
+        .with_context(|| format!("line {i} does not have label"))?
+        .split('#');
+      let label = label_split
+        .next()
+        .with_context(|| format!("line {i} does not have label"))?
+        .trim()
+        .to_string();
+      anyhow::Ok(TerminationSignalLabel { signal, label })
+    })
+    .collect::<anyhow::Result<Vec<_>>>()?;
+  Ok(res)
+}
+
+pub fn term_labels_deserializer<'de, D>(
+  deserializer: D,
+) -> Result<Vec<TerminationSignalLabel>, D::Error>
+where
+  D: Deserializer<'de>,
+{
+  deserializer.deserialize_any(TermSignalLabelVisitor)
+}
+
+pub fn option_term_labels_deserializer<'de, D>(
+  deserializer: D,
+) -> Result<Option<Vec<TerminationSignalLabel>>, D::Error>
+where
+  D: Deserializer<'de>,
+{
+  deserializer.deserialize_any(OptionTermSignalLabelVisitor)
+}
+
+struct TermSignalLabelVisitor;
+
+impl<'de> Visitor<'de> for TermSignalLabelVisitor {
+  type Value = Vec<TerminationSignalLabel>;
+
+  fn expecting(
+    &self,
+    formatter: &mut std::fmt::Formatter,
+  ) -> std::fmt::Result {
+    write!(formatter, "string or Vec<TerminationSignalLabel>")
+  }
+
+  fn visit_str<E>(self, v: &str) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+  where
+    E: serde::de::Error,
+  {
+    term_signal_labels_from_str(v)
+      .map_err(|e| serde::de::Error::custom(format!("{e:#}")))
+  }
+
+  fn visit_seq<A>(self, seq: A) -> Result<Self::Value, A::Error>
+  where
+    A: serde::de::SeqAccess<'de>,
+  {
+    #[derive(Deserialize)]
+    struct TermSignalLabelInner {
+      signal: TerminationSignal,
+      label: String,
+    }
+
+    impl From<TermSignalLabelInner> for TerminationSignalLabel {
+      fn from(value: TermSignalLabelInner) -> Self {
+        Self {
+          signal: value.signal,
+          label: value.label,
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    let res = Vec::<TermSignalLabelInner>::deserialize(
+      SeqAccessDeserializer::new(seq),
+    )?
+    .into_iter()
+    .map(Into::into)
+    .collect();
+    Ok(res)
+  }
+}
+
+struct OptionTermSignalLabelVisitor;
+
+impl<'de> Visitor<'de> for OptionTermSignalLabelVisitor {
+  type Value = Option<Vec<TerminationSignalLabel>>;
+
+  fn expecting(
+    &self,
+    formatter: &mut std::fmt::Formatter,
+  ) -> std::fmt::Result {
+    write!(formatter, "null or string or Vec<TerminationSignalLabel>")
+  }
+
+  fn visit_str<E>(self, v: &str) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+  where
+    E: serde::de::Error,
+  {
+    TermSignalLabelVisitor.visit_str(v).map(Some)
+  }
+
+  fn visit_seq<A>(self, seq: A) -> Result<Self::Value, A::Error>
+  where
+    A: serde::de::SeqAccess<'de>,
+  {
+    TermSignalLabelVisitor.visit_seq(seq).map(Some)
+  }
+
+  fn visit_none<E>(self) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+  where
+    E: serde::de::Error,
+  {
+    Ok(None)
+  }
+}
+
 #[typeshare]
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, Default, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct DeploymentActionState {
diff --git a/client/core/rs/src/entities/mod.rs b/client/core/rs/src/entities/mod.rs
index 192265b22..b15fbcd3c 100644
--- a/client/core/rs/src/entities/mod.rs
+++ b/client/core/rs/src/entities/mod.rs
@@ -6,8 +6,11 @@ use build::CloudRegistryConfig;
 use clap::Parser;
 use derive_empty_traits::EmptyTraits;
 use serde::{
-  de::{value::MapAccessDeserializer, Visitor},
-  Deserialize, Serialize,
+  de::{
+    value::{MapAccessDeserializer, SeqAccessDeserializer},
+    Visitor,
+  },
+  Deserialize, Deserializer, Serialize,
 };
 use serror::Serror;
 use strum::{AsRefStr, Display, EnumString};
@@ -324,13 +327,145 @@ impl Version {
 
 #[typeshare]
 #[derive(
-  Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Clone, Default, PartialEq,
+  Debug, Clone, Default, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize,
 )]
 pub struct EnvironmentVar {
   pub variable: String,
   pub value: String,
 }
 
+pub fn environment_vars_from_str(
+  value: &str,
+) -> anyhow::Result<Vec<EnvironmentVar>> {
+  let res = value
+    .split('\n')
+    .map(|line| line.trim())
+    .enumerate()
+    .filter(|(_, line)| !line.starts_with('#'))
+    .map(|(i, line)| {
+      let mut split = line.split('=');
+      let variable = split
+        .next()
+        .with_context(|| format!("line {i} does not have variable"))?
+        .trim()
+        .to_string();
+      // remove trailing comments
+      let mut value_split = split
+        .next()
+        .with_context(|| format!("line {i} does not have value"))?
+        .split('#');
+      let value = value_split
+        .next()
+        .with_context(|| format!("line {i} does not have value"))?
+        .trim()
+        .to_string();
+      anyhow::Ok(EnvironmentVar { variable, value })
+    })
+    .collect::<anyhow::Result<Vec<_>>>()?;
+  Ok(res)
+}
+
+pub fn env_vars_deserializer<'de, D>(
+  deserializer: D,
+) -> Result<Vec<EnvironmentVar>, D::Error>
+where
+  D: Deserializer<'de>,
+{
+  deserializer.deserialize_any(EnvironmentVarVisitor)
+}
+
+pub fn option_env_vars_deserializer<'de, D>(
+  deserializer: D,
+) -> Result<Option<Vec<EnvironmentVar>>, D::Error>
+where
+  D: Deserializer<'de>,
+{
+  deserializer.deserialize_any(OptionEnvVarVisitor)
+}
+
+struct EnvironmentVarVisitor;
+
+impl<'de> Visitor<'de> for EnvironmentVarVisitor {
+  type Value = Vec<EnvironmentVar>;
+
+  fn expecting(
+    &self,
+    formatter: &mut std::fmt::Formatter,
+  ) -> std::fmt::Result {
+    write!(formatter, "string or Vec<EnvironmentVar>")
+  }
+
+  fn visit_str<E>(self, v: &str) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+  where
+    E: serde::de::Error,
+  {
+    environment_vars_from_str(v)
+      .map_err(|e| serde::de::Error::custom(format!("{e:#}")))
+  }
+
+  fn visit_seq<A>(self, seq: A) -> Result<Self::Value, A::Error>
+  where
+    A: serde::de::SeqAccess<'de>,
+  {
+    #[derive(Deserialize)]
+    struct EnvironmentVarInner {
+      variable: String,
+      value: String,
+    }
+
+    impl From<EnvironmentVarInner> for EnvironmentVar {
+      fn from(value: EnvironmentVarInner) -> Self {
+        Self {
+          variable: value.variable,
+          value: value.value,
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    let res = Vec::<EnvironmentVarInner>::deserialize(
+      SeqAccessDeserializer::new(seq),
+    )?
+    .into_iter()
+    .map(Into::into)
+    .collect();
+    Ok(res)
+  }
+}
+
+struct OptionEnvVarVisitor;
+
+impl<'de> Visitor<'de> for OptionEnvVarVisitor {
+  type Value = Option<Vec<EnvironmentVar>>;
+
+  fn expecting(
+    &self,
+    formatter: &mut std::fmt::Formatter,
+  ) -> std::fmt::Result {
+    write!(formatter, "null or string or Vec<EnvironmentVar>")
+  }
+
+  fn visit_str<E>(self, v: &str) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+  where
+    E: serde::de::Error,
+  {
+    EnvironmentVarVisitor.visit_str(v).map(Some)
+  }
+
+  fn visit_seq<A>(self, seq: A) -> Result<Self::Value, A::Error>
+  where
+    A: serde::de::SeqAccess<'de>,
+  {
+    EnvironmentVarVisitor.visit_seq(seq).map(Some)
+  }
+
+  fn visit_none<E>(self) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+  where
+    E: serde::de::Error,
+  {
+    Ok(None)
+  }
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct LatestCommit {
   pub hash: String,