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 279efc86a2b..1992588b28d 100644
--- a/src/sonic-yang-models/tests/files/sample_config_db.json
+++ b/src/sonic-yang-models/tests/files/sample_config_db.json
@@ -1338,10 +1338,14 @@
         },
         "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 10956d2bbf3..f8da06ba810 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
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
     },
     "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 ea83bc90d04..fc0477f021f 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
@@ -80,11 +80,15 @@
                 "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 515db6e783c..c6a31d5276c 100644
--- a/src/sonic-yang-models/yang-models/sonic-gnmi.yang
+++ b/src/sonic-yang-models/yang-models/sonic-gnmi.yang
@@ -92,9 +92,9 @@ 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";
                 }