diff --git a/pkg/chartutil/dependencies.go b/pkg/chartutil/dependencies.go
index d2e7d6dc9..136a67495 100644
--- a/pkg/chartutil/dependencies.go
+++ b/pkg/chartutil/dependencies.go
@@ -198,19 +198,23 @@ Loop:
 }
 
 // pathToMap creates a nested map given a YAML path in dot notation.
-func pathToMap(path string, data map[string]interface{}) map[string]interface{} {
+func pathToMap(path string, data interface{}) map[string]interface{} {
 	if path == "." {
-		return data
+		if istable(data) {
+			return data.(map[string]interface{})
+		}
+		return nil
 	}
 	return set(parsePath(path), data)
 }
 
-func set(path []string, data map[string]interface{}) map[string]interface{} {
+func set(path []string, data interface{}) map[string]interface{} {
 	if len(path) == 0 {
 		return nil
 	}
-	cur := data
-	for i := len(path) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
+	cur := make(map[string]interface{})
+	cur[path[len(path)-1]] = data
+	for i := len(path) - 2; i >= 0; i-- {
 		cur = map[string]interface{}{path[i]: cur}
 	}
 	return cur
@@ -231,37 +235,24 @@ func processImportValues(c *chart.Chart) error {
 	for _, r := range c.Metadata.Dependencies {
 		var outiv []interface{}
 		for _, riv := range r.ImportValues {
-			switch iv := riv.(type) {
-			case map[string]interface{}:
-				child := iv["child"].(string)
-				parent := iv["parent"].(string)
+			params := make(map[string]string)
 
-				outiv = append(outiv, map[string]string{
-					"child":  child,
-					"parent": parent,
-				})
+			if iv, ok := riv.(map[string]interface{}); ok {
+				params["child"] = iv["child"].(string)
+				params["parent"] = iv["parent"].(string)
+			} else if iv, ok := riv.(string); ok {
+				params["child"] = "exports." + iv
+				params["parent"] = "."
+			}
 
-				// get child table
-				vv, err := cvals.Table(r.Name + "." + child)
-				if err != nil {
-					log.Printf("Warning: ImportValues missing table from chart %s: %v", r.Name, err)
-					continue
-				}
-				// create value map from child to be merged into parent
-				b = CoalesceTables(cvals, pathToMap(parent, vv.AsMap()))
-			case string:
-				child := "exports." + iv
-				outiv = append(outiv, map[string]string{
-					"child":  child,
-					"parent": ".",
-				})
-				vm, err := cvals.Table(r.Name + "." + child)
-				if err != nil {
-					log.Printf("Warning: ImportValues missing table: %v", err)
-					continue
-				}
-				b = CoalesceTables(b, vm.AsMap())
+			outiv = append(outiv, params)
+			vm, err := cvals.PathValue(r.Name + "." + params["child"])
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Printf("Warning: Importing value from chart %s failed: %v", r.Name, err)
+				continue
 			}
+
+			b = CoalesceTables(cvals, pathToMap(params["parent"], vm))
 		}
 		// set our formatted import values
 		r.ImportValues = outiv
diff --git a/pkg/chartutil/dependencies_test.go b/pkg/chartutil/dependencies_test.go
index bcb1d40e5..7446929e0 100644
--- a/pkg/chartutil/dependencies_test.go
+++ b/pkg/chartutil/dependencies_test.go
@@ -206,6 +206,11 @@ func TestProcessDependencyImportValues(t *testing.T) {
 	e["overridden-chartA-B.SCBextra1"] = "13"
 	e["overridden-chartA-B.SC1extra6"] = "77"
 
+	e["imported-chart1-SC1bool"] = "true"
+	e["imported-chart1-SC1float"] = "3.14"
+	e["imported-chart1-SC1int"] = "100"
+	e["imported-chart1-SC1string"] = "dollywood"
+
 	// `exports` style
 	e["SCBexported1B"] = "1965"
 	e["SC1extra7"] = "true"
diff --git a/pkg/chartutil/testdata/subpop/Chart.yaml b/pkg/chartutil/testdata/subpop/Chart.yaml
index 27118672a..448d3d93b 100644
--- a/pkg/chartutil/testdata/subpop/Chart.yaml
+++ b/pkg/chartutil/testdata/subpop/Chart.yaml
@@ -25,6 +25,14 @@ dependencies:
         parent: .
       - SCBexported2
       - SC1exported1
+      - child: SC1data.SC1bool
+        parent: imported-chart1-SC1bool
+      - child: SC1data.SC1float
+        parent: imported-chart1-SC1float
+      - child: SC1data.SC1int
+        parent: imported-chart1-SC1int
+      - child: SC1data.SC1string
+        parent: imported-chart1-SC1string
 
   - name: subchart2
     repository: http://localhost:10191
diff --git a/pkg/chartutil/values.go b/pkg/chartutil/values.go
index e1cdf4642..b23136c6f 100644
--- a/pkg/chartutil/values.go
+++ b/pkg/chartutil/values.go
@@ -187,8 +187,7 @@ func (v Values) PathValue(path string) (interface{}, error) {
 
 func (v Values) pathValue(path []string) (interface{}, error) {
 	if len(path) == 1 {
-		// if exists must be root key not table
-		if _, ok := v[path[0]]; ok && !istable(v[path[0]]) {
+		if _, ok := v[path[0]]; ok {
 			return v[path[0]], nil
 		}
 		return nil, ErrNoValue{path[0]}
@@ -200,8 +199,8 @@ func (v Values) pathValue(path []string) (interface{}, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, ErrNoValue{key}
 	}
-	// check table for key and ensure value is not a table
-	if k, ok := t[key]; ok && !istable(k) {
+	// check table for key
+	if k, ok := t[key]; ok {
 		return k, nil
 	}
 	return nil, ErrNoValue{key}