diff --git a/api/v1beta1/grafana_types.go b/api/v1beta1/grafana_types.go
index 4927eed72..9d0155774 100644
--- a/api/v1beta1/grafana_types.go
+++ b/api/v1beta1/grafana_types.go
@@ -119,17 +119,9 @@ type GrafanaClient struct {
 	// TLS Configuration used to talk with the grafana instance.
 	// +optional
 	TLS *TLSConfig `json:"tls,omitempty"`
-	// Optional list of Header configuration objects that specify headers key and their value.
+	// Optional map of header key and value.
 	// +optional
-	Headers *[]Header `json:"headers,omitempty"`
-}
-
-// Header specifies http.Header key and value
-type Header struct {
-	// Header name
-	Key string `json:"key,omitempty"`
-	// Header value
-	Value string `json:"value,omitempty"`
+	Headers *map[string]string `json:"headers,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // GrafanaPreferences holds Grafana preferences API settings
diff --git a/api/v1beta1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go b/api/v1beta1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
index d461cc650..e1f2ff625 100644
--- a/api/v1beta1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
+++ b/api/v1beta1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
@@ -555,11 +555,13 @@ func (in *GrafanaClient) DeepCopyInto(out *GrafanaClient) {
 	}
 	if in.Headers != nil {
 		in, out := &in.Headers, &out.Headers
-		*out = new([]Header)
+		*out = new(map[string]string)
 		if **in != nil {
 			in, out := *in, *out
-			*out = make([]Header, len(*in))
-			copy(*out, *in)
+			*out = make(map[string]string, len(*in))
+			for key, val := range *in {
+				(*out)[key] = val
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -1533,21 +1535,6 @@ func (in *GrafanaStatus) DeepCopy() *GrafanaStatus {
 	return out
 }
 
-// DeepCopyInto is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, writing into out. in must be non-nil.
-func (in *Header) DeepCopyInto(out *Header) {
-	*out = *in
-}
-
-// DeepCopy is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, creating a new Header.
-func (in *Header) DeepCopy() *Header {
-	if in == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-	out := new(Header)
-	in.DeepCopyInto(out)
-	return out
-}
-
 // DeepCopyInto is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, writing into out. in must be non-nil.
 func (in *IngressNetworkingV1) DeepCopyInto(out *IngressNetworkingV1) {
 	*out = *in
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/grafana.integreatly.org_grafanas.yaml b/config/crd/bases/grafana.integreatly.org_grafanas.yaml
index bdcfa2e7d..874c87c98 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/grafana.integreatly.org_grafanas.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/grafana.integreatly.org_grafanas.yaml
@@ -59,19 +59,10 @@ spec:
                   grafana instance.
                 properties:
                   headers:
-                    description: Optional list of Header configuration objects that
-                      specify headers key and their value.
-                    items:
-                      description: Header specifies http.Header key and value
-                      properties:
-                        key:
-                          description: Header name
-                          type: string
-                        value:
-                          description: Header value
-                          type: string
-                      type: object
-                    type: array
+                    additionalProperties:
+                      type: string
+                    description: Optional map of header key and value.
+                    type: object
                   preferIngress:
                     description: If the operator should send it's request through
                       the grafana instances ingress object instead of through the
diff --git a/controllers/client/grafana_client.go b/controllers/client/grafana_client.go
index 563e9a7b6..0ef47e556 100644
--- a/controllers/client/grafana_client.go
+++ b/controllers/client/grafana_client.go
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ func NewGeneratedGrafanaClient(ctx context.Context, c client.Client, grafana *v1
 
 	transport := NewInstrumentedRoundTripper(grafana.Name, metrics.GrafanaApiRequests, grafana.IsExternal(), tlsConfig)
 	if grafana.Spec.Client.Headers != nil {
-		transport.(*instrumentedRoundTripper).addHeaders(extractClientHeaders(grafana))
+		transport.(*instrumentedRoundTripper).addHeaders(*grafana.Spec.Client.Headers)
 	}
 
 	client := &http.Client{
@@ -169,16 +169,3 @@ func NewGeneratedGrafanaClient(ctx context.Context, c client.Client, grafana *v1
 
 	return cl, nil
 }
-
-func extractClientHeaders(grafana *v1beta1.Grafana) map[string]string {
-	if grafana.Spec.Client.Headers == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	headers := make(map[string]string, len(*grafana.Spec.Client.Headers))
-	for _, h := range *grafana.Spec.Client.Headers {
-		headers[h.Key] = h.Value
-	}
-
-	return headers
-}
diff --git a/controllers/client/http_client.go b/controllers/client/http_client.go
index 20f61b929..c5a8b7aa7 100644
--- a/controllers/client/http_client.go
+++ b/controllers/client/http_client.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ func NewHTTPClient(ctx context.Context, c client.Client, grafana *v1beta1.Grafan
 
 	transport := NewInstrumentedRoundTripper(grafana.Name, metrics.GrafanaApiRequests, grafana.IsExternal(), tlsConfig)
 	if grafana.Spec.Client.Headers != nil {
-		transport.(*instrumentedRoundTripper).addHeaders(extractClientHeaders(grafana))
+		transport.(*instrumentedRoundTripper).addHeaders(*grafana.Spec.Client.Headers)
 	}
 
 	return &http.Client{
diff --git a/deploy/helm/grafana-operator/crds/grafana.integreatly.org_grafanas.yaml b/deploy/helm/grafana-operator/crds/grafana.integreatly.org_grafanas.yaml
index bdcfa2e7d..874c87c98 100644
--- a/deploy/helm/grafana-operator/crds/grafana.integreatly.org_grafanas.yaml
+++ b/deploy/helm/grafana-operator/crds/grafana.integreatly.org_grafanas.yaml
@@ -59,19 +59,10 @@ spec:
                   grafana instance.
                 properties:
                   headers:
-                    description: Optional list of Header configuration objects that
-                      specify headers key and their value.
-                    items:
-                      description: Header specifies http.Header key and value
-                      properties:
-                        key:
-                          description: Header name
-                          type: string
-                        value:
-                          description: Header value
-                          type: string
-                      type: object
-                    type: array
+                    additionalProperties:
+                      type: string
+                    description: Optional map of header key and value.
+                    type: object
                   preferIngress:
                     description: If the operator should send it's request through
                       the grafana instances ingress object instead of through the
diff --git a/deploy/kustomize/base/crds.yaml b/deploy/kustomize/base/crds.yaml
index 1bfe9e018..083886bdb 100644
--- a/deploy/kustomize/base/crds.yaml
+++ b/deploy/kustomize/base/crds.yaml
@@ -1883,19 +1883,10 @@ spec:
                   grafana instance.
                 properties:
                   headers:
-                    description: Optional list of Header configuration objects that
-                      specify headers key and their value.
-                    items:
-                      description: Header specifies http.Header key and value
-                      properties:
-                        key:
-                          description: Header name
-                          type: string
-                        value:
-                          description: Header value
-                          type: string
-                      type: object
-                    type: array
+                    additionalProperties:
+                      type: string
+                    description: Optional map of header key and value.
+                    type: object
                   preferIngress:
                     description: If the operator should send it's request through
                       the grafana instances ingress object instead of through the
diff --git a/docs/docs/api.md b/docs/docs/api.md
index 3fc815d09..03bc3ca44 100644
--- a/docs/docs/api.md
+++ b/docs/docs/api.md
@@ -3785,10 +3785,10 @@ Client defines how the grafana-operator talks to the grafana instance.
         </tr>
     </thead>
     <tbody><tr>
-        <td><b><a href="#grafanaspecclientheadersindex">headers</a></b></td>
-        <td>[]object</td>
+        <td><b>headers</b></td>
+        <td>map[string]string</td>
         <td>
-          Optional list of Header configuration objects that specify headers key and their value.<br/>
+          Optional map of header key and value.<br/>
         </td>
         <td>false</td>
       </tr><tr>
@@ -3818,40 +3818,6 @@ Client defines how the grafana-operator talks to the grafana instance.
 </table>
 
 
-### Grafana.spec.client.headers[index]
-<sup><sup>[↩ Parent](#grafanaspecclient)</sup></sup>
-
-
-
-Header specifies http.Header key and value
-
-<table>
-    <thead>
-        <tr>
-            <th>Name</th>
-            <th>Type</th>
-            <th>Description</th>
-            <th>Required</th>
-        </tr>
-    </thead>
-    <tbody><tr>
-        <td><b>key</b></td>
-        <td>string</td>
-        <td>
-          Header name<br/>
-        </td>
-        <td>false</td>
-      </tr><tr>
-        <td><b>value</b></td>
-        <td>string</td>
-        <td>
-          Header value<br/>
-        </td>
-        <td>false</td>
-      </tr></tbody>
-</table>
-
-
 ### Grafana.spec.client.tls
 <sup><sup>[↩ Parent](#grafanaspecclient)</sup></sup>