diff --git a/src/pcbs.js b/src/pcbs.js
index e49c86e..4eb9610 100644
--- a/src/pcbs.js
+++ b/src/pcbs.js
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 const m = require('makerjs')
+const yaml = require('js-yaml')
+
 const u = require('./utils')
 const a = require('./assert')
 const prep = require('./prepare')
@@ -202,22 +204,24 @@ const footprint = exports._footprint = (points, net_indexer, component_indexer,
         // combine default value with potential user override
         let value = params[param_name] !== undefined ? params[param_name] : parsed_def.value
         const type = parsed_def.type
-        a.in(type, `${name}.params.${param_name}.type`, [
-            'string', 'number', 'boolean', 'array', 'object', 'net', 'anchor'
-        ])
 
         // templating support, with conversion back to raw datatypes
         const converters = {
             string: v => v,
             number: v => a.sane(v, `${name}.params.${param_name}`, 'number')(units),
-            boolean: v => v === 'true'
+            boolean: v => v === 'true',
+            array: v => yaml.load(v),
+            object: v => yaml.load(v),
+            net: v => v,
+            anchor: v => yaml.load(v)
         }
-        if (a.type(value)() == 'string' && Object.keys(converters).includes(type)) {
+        a.in(type, `${name}.params.${param_name}.type`, Object.keys(converters))
+        if (a.type(value)() == 'string') {
             value = u.template(value, point.meta)
             value = converters[type](value)
         }
 
-        // type-specific processing
+        // type-specific postprocessing
         if (['string', 'number', 'boolean', 'array', 'object'].includes(type)) {
             parsed_params[param_name] = value
         } else if (type == 'net') {
diff --git a/src/utils.js b/src/utils.js
index de9cb5f..34a852d 100644
--- a/src/utils.js
+++ b/src/utils.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ exports.template = (str, vals={}) => {
     let res = str
     let shift = 0
     for (const match of str.matchAll(regex)) {
-        const replacement = deep(vals, match[1]) || ''
+        const replacement = (deep(vals, match[1]) || '') + ''
         res = res.substring(0, match.index + shift)
             + replacement
             + res.substring(match.index + shift + match[0].length)
diff --git a/test/pcbs/mock_footprints.yaml b/test/pcbs/mock_footprints.yaml
index b46d95f..14e9821 100644
--- a/test/pcbs/mock_footprints.yaml
+++ b/test/pcbs/mock_footprints.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 points.zones.matrix:
   mirror: 10
+  key:
+    magic_value: 5
 outlines:
   edge:
     - what: rectangle
@@ -44,3 +46,10 @@ pcbs:
         params:
           start: {x: 5, y: 5}
           end: [[6, 6], [7, 7]]
+      arrobj_templated:
+        what: arrobj_test
+        where:
+          ref: matrix
+        params:
+          start: '{x: {{magic_value}}, y: {{magic_value}}}'
+          end: '[[6, 6], [7, {{magic_value}}]]'
diff --git a/test/pcbs/mock_footprints___pcbs_main.kicad_pcb b/test/pcbs/mock_footprints___pcbs_main.kicad_pcb
index 6cde5ae..463dd01 100644
--- a/test/pcbs/mock_footprints___pcbs_main.kicad_pcb
+++ b/test/pcbs/mock_footprints___pcbs_main.kicad_pcb
@@ -221,6 +221,19 @@
                 )
 
             
+ 
+
+                (module arrobj_test (layer F.Cu) (tedit 5CF31DEF)
+
+                    (at 0 0 0)
+
+                    (fp_line (start 5 5) (end 6 6) (layer Dwgs.User) (width 0.05))
+(fp_line (start 5 5) (end 7 5) (layer Dwgs.User) (width 0.05))
+
+
+                )
+
+            
             (gr_line (start -9.5 9.5) (end 9.5 9.5) (angle 90) (layer Edge.Cuts) (width 0.15))
 (gr_line (start 9.5 9.5) (end 9.5 -9.5) (angle 90) (layer Edge.Cuts) (width 0.15))
 (gr_line (start 9.5 -9.5) (end -9.5 -9.5) (angle 90) (layer Edge.Cuts) (width 0.15))
diff --git a/test/unit/utils.js b/test/unit/utils.js
index e702791..7ac48b8 100644
--- a/test/unit/utils.js
+++ b/test/unit/utils.js
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ describe('Utils', function() {
             {longlonglong: 'long', short: 'shortshortshort'}
         ).should.equal('long_shortshortshort')
         u.template('{{a.b.c}}', {a: {b: {c: 'deep'}}}).should.equal('deep')
+        u.template('{x: {{number}}, y: {{number}}}', {number: 5}).should.equal('{x: 5, y: 5}')
     })
 
     it('eq', function() {