diff --git a/src/sonic-yang-models/tests/files/sample_config_db.json b/src/sonic-yang-models/tests/files/sample_config_db.json
index 496d02c18f0..8546774eef6 100644
--- a/src/sonic-yang-models/tests/files/sample_config_db.json
+++ b/src/sonic-yang-models/tests/files/sample_config_db.json
@@ -1414,10 +1414,14 @@
         },
         "GNMI_CLIENT_CERT": {
             "testcert1": {
-                "role": "RW"
+                "role": [
+                        "RW"
+                ]
             },
             "testcert2": {
-                "role": "RO"
+                "role": [
+                        "RO"
+                ]
             }
         },
         "TUNNEL": {
diff --git a/src/sonic-yang-models/tests/yang_model_tests/tests/gnmi.json b/src/sonic-yang-models/tests/yang_model_tests/tests/gnmi.json
index 56f855eac9a..9e33f1f78b6 100644
--- a/src/sonic-yang-models/tests/yang_model_tests/tests/gnmi.json
+++ b/src/sonic-yang-models/tests/yang_model_tests/tests/gnmi.json
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
     },
     "GNMI_CLIENT_CERT_LIST_TABLE_WITH_MISSING_ROLE": {
         "desc": "CLIENT_CERT_LIST_TABLE_WITH_MISSING_ROLE failure.",
-        "eStrKey": "Mandatory"
+        "eStrKey": "MinElements"
     },
     "GNMI_CLIENT_CERT_LIST_TABLE_WITH_VALID_CONFIG": {
         "desc": "TABLE WITH VALID CONFIG."
diff --git a/src/sonic-yang-models/tests/yang_model_tests/tests_config/gnmi.json b/src/sonic-yang-models/tests/yang_model_tests/tests_config/gnmi.json
index 0c8327a8991..5f8e0765437 100644
--- a/src/sonic-yang-models/tests/yang_model_tests/tests_config/gnmi.json
+++ b/src/sonic-yang-models/tests/yang_model_tests/tests_config/gnmi.json
@@ -108,11 +108,15 @@
                 "GNMI_CLIENT_CERT_LIST": [
                 {
                     "cert_cname": "testcert1",
-                    "role": "RW"
+                    "role": [
+                        "RW"
+                    ]
                 },
                 {
                     "cert_cname": "testcert2",
-                    "role": "RO"
+                    "role": [
+                        "RO"
+                    ]
                 }
                 ]
             }
diff --git a/src/sonic-yang-models/yang-models/sonic-gnmi.yang b/src/sonic-yang-models/yang-models/sonic-gnmi.yang
index 389bac7a125..b5fb214a29c 100644
--- a/src/sonic-yang-models/yang-models/sonic-gnmi.yang
+++ b/src/sonic-yang-models/yang-models/sonic-gnmi.yang
@@ -107,9 +107,9 @@ module sonic-gnmi {
                         "client cert common name";
                 }
 
-                leaf role {
+                leaf-list role {
                     type string;
-                    mandatory true;
+                    min-elements 1;
                     description
                         "role of client cert common name";
                 }