diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_ct_helpers/tools/terraform/autoscaling-group/main.tf b/deps/rabbitmq_ct_helpers/tools/terraform/autoscaling-group/main.tf
index 0f14be4bac9e..f59d647bee83 100644
--- a/deps/rabbitmq_ct_helpers/tools/terraform/autoscaling-group/main.tf
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_ct_helpers/tools/terraform/autoscaling-group/main.tf
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ resource "aws_launch_configuration" "lc" {
   instance_type   = "${module.direct_vms.instance_type}"
   key_name        = "${module.direct_vms.ssh_key_name}"
 
-  security_groups = flatten(module.direct_vms.security_groups)
+  security_groups = module.direct_vms.security_groups
 
   user_data       = "${module.direct_vms.instance_user_data}"
 
diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_ct_helpers/tools/terraform/direct-vms/main.tf b/deps/rabbitmq_ct_helpers/tools/terraform/direct-vms/main.tf
index 873851ba8a4d..f8cd1142b8b3 100644
--- a/deps/rabbitmq_ct_helpers/tools/terraform/direct-vms/main.tf
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_ct_helpers/tools/terraform/direct-vms/main.tf
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ resource "aws_instance" "vm" {
 
   subnet_id       = "${aws_subnet.vpc.id}"
 
-  vpc_security_group_ids = flatten(local.security_groups)
+  vpc_security_group_ids = local.security_groups
 
   user_data = "${data.template_file.user_data.rendered}"
 
diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_ct_helpers/tools/terraform/direct-vms/outputs.tf b/deps/rabbitmq_ct_helpers/tools/terraform/direct-vms/outputs.tf
index 6c9e251e85a7..8d49add0939d 100644
--- a/deps/rabbitmq_ct_helpers/tools/terraform/direct-vms/outputs.tf
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_ct_helpers/tools/terraform/direct-vms/outputs.tf
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ output "ssh_key_name" {
 }
 
 output "security_groups" {
-  value = ["${local.security_groups}"]
+  value = local.security_groups
 }
 
 output "instance_user_data" {