diff --git a/manifests/resource/location.pp b/manifests/resource/location.pp
index 3b410ffea..66c1e653c 100644
--- a/manifests/resource/location.pp
+++ b/manifests/resource/location.pp
@@ -296,7 +296,9 @@
     validate_string($proxy_cache_use_stale)
   }
   if ($proxy_cache_valid != false) {
-    validate_string($proxy_cache_valid)
+    if !(is_array($proxy_cache_valid) or is_string($proxy_cache_valid)) {
+      fail('$proxy_cache_valid must be a string or an array or false.')
+    }
   }
   if ($proxy_method != undef) {
     validate_string($proxy_method)
diff --git a/manifests/resource/vhost.pp b/manifests/resource/vhost.pp
index 69c71ef5a..ad37a095b 100644
--- a/manifests/resource/vhost.pp
+++ b/manifests/resource/vhost.pp
@@ -377,7 +377,9 @@
     validate_string($proxy_cache_use_stale)
   }
   if ($proxy_cache_valid != false) {
-    validate_string($proxy_cache_valid)
+    if !(is_array($proxy_cache_valid) or is_string($proxy_cache_valid)) {
+      fail('$proxy_cache_valid must be a string or an array or false.')
+    }
   }
   if ($proxy_method != undef) {
     validate_string($proxy_method)
diff --git a/spec/defines/resource_location_spec.rb b/spec/defines/resource_location_spec.rb
index bdb124325..30e102e1a 100644
--- a/spec/defines/resource_location_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/defines/resource_location_spec.rb
@@ -599,11 +599,20 @@
           :notmatch => /proxy_cache_valid\b/
         },
         {
-          :title => 'should set proxy_cache_valid',
+          :title => 'should set proxy_cache_valid when string',
           :attr  => 'proxy_cache_valid',
           :value => 'value',
           :match => /^\s+proxy_cache_valid\s+value;/,
         },
+        {
+          :title => 'should set proxy_cache_valid when array of strings',
+          :attr  => 'proxy_cache_valid',
+          :value => ['value1','value2'],
+          :match => [
+	    /^\s+proxy_cache_valid\s+value1;/,
+	    /^\s+proxy_cache_valid\s+value2;/,
+	  ]
+        },
         {
           :title    => 'should not set proxy_cache',
           :attr     => 'proxy_cache',
diff --git a/templates/vhost/locations/proxy.erb b/templates/vhost/locations/proxy.erb
index 15a3f72d3..73d42bb6b 100644
--- a/templates/vhost/locations/proxy.erb
+++ b/templates/vhost/locations/proxy.erb
@@ -16,8 +16,10 @@
 <% if @proxy_cache -%>
     proxy_cache           <%= @proxy_cache %>;
 <% end -%>
-<% if @proxy_cache_valid -%>
-    proxy_cache_valid     <%= @proxy_cache_valid %>;
+<% if @proxy_cache_valid && Array(@proxy_cache_valid).size > 0 -%>
+    <%- Array(@proxy_cache_valid).each do |line| -%>
+    proxy_cache_valid     <%= line %>;
+    <%- end -%>
 <% end -%>
 <% if @proxy_cache_use_stale -%>
     proxy_cache_use_stale   <%= @proxy_cache_use_stale %>;