diff --git a/config/types/configuration.go b/config/types/configuration.go
index 7fe30032..f90c5aaf 100644
--- a/config/types/configuration.go
+++ b/config/types/configuration.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package types
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -17,6 +19,55 @@ import (
 // Configuration is the top-level container for all values for all services. See an example at: https://github.com/Azure/ARO-HCP/blob/main/config/config.yaml
 type Configuration map[string]any
 
+// UnmarshalJSON decodes with UseNumber so JSON integers arrive as int64
+// instead of float64, preventing scientific notation for large numbers.
+func (c *Configuration) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
+	var raw map[string]any
+	dec := json.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(data))
+	dec.UseNumber()
+	if err := dec.Decode(&raw); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	*c = normalizeNumbers(raw)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func normalizeNumbers(m map[string]any) map[string]any {
+	for k, v := range m {
+		switch val := v.(type) {
+		case json.Number:
+			if i, err := val.Int64(); err == nil {
+				m[k] = i
+			} else if f, err := val.Float64(); err == nil {
+				m[k] = f
+			}
+		case map[string]any:
+			m[k] = normalizeNumbers(val)
+		case []any:
+			m[k] = normalizeNumbersSlice(val)
+		}
+	}
+	return m
+}
+
+func normalizeNumbersSlice(s []any) []any {
+	for i, v := range s {
+		switch val := v.(type) {
+		case json.Number:
+			if n, err := val.Int64(); err == nil {
+				s[i] = n
+			} else if f, err := val.Float64(); err == nil {
+				s[i] = f
+			}
+		case map[string]any:
+			s[i] = normalizeNumbers(val)
+		case []any:
+			s[i] = normalizeNumbersSlice(val)
+		}
+	}
+	return s
+}
+
 type MissingKeyError struct {
 	Path string
 	Key  string
diff --git a/config/types/configuration_test.go b/config/types/configuration_test.go
index d914635d..b2f83347 100644
--- a/config/types/configuration_test.go
+++ b/config/types/configuration_test.go
@@ -1,10 +1,136 @@
 package types
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"reflect"
 	"testing"
+
+	"sigs.k8s.io/yaml"
 )
 
+func TestConfigurationUnmarshalPreservesIntegerTypes(t *testing.T) {
+	type wrapper struct {
+		Defaults Configuration `json:"defaults"`
+	}
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name       string
+		yaml       string
+		path       string
+		wantVal    any
+		wantSprint string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:       "small integer",
+			yaml:       "defaults:\n  val: 1024",
+			path:       "val",
+			wantVal:    int64(1024),
+			wantSprint: "1024",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "large integer no scientific notation",
+			yaml:       "defaults:\n  val: 2000000",
+			path:       "val",
+			wantVal:    int64(2000000),
+			wantSprint: "2000000",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "zero",
+			yaml:       "defaults:\n  val: 0",
+			path:       "val",
+			wantVal:    int64(0),
+			wantSprint: "0",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "negative integer",
+			yaml:       "defaults:\n  val: -42",
+			path:       "val",
+			wantVal:    int64(-42),
+			wantSprint: "-42",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "float with decimal",
+			yaml:       "defaults:\n  val: 3.14",
+			path:       "val",
+			wantVal:    float64(3.14),
+			wantSprint: "3.14",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "large float still uses scientific notation",
+			yaml:       "defaults:\n  val: 2000000.5",
+			path:       "val",
+			wantVal:    float64(2000000.5),
+			wantSprint: "2.0000005e+06",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "string",
+			yaml:       "defaults:\n  val: hello",
+			path:       "val",
+			wantVal:    "hello",
+			wantSprint: "hello",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "boolean",
+			yaml:       "defaults:\n  val: true",
+			path:       "val",
+			wantVal:    true,
+			wantSprint: "true",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "nested integer",
+			yaml:       "defaults:\n  outer:\n    inner: 4000000",
+			path:       "outer.inner",
+			wantVal:    int64(4000000),
+			wantSprint: "4000000",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "deeply nested integer",
+			yaml:       "defaults:\n  a:\n    b:\n      c: 9999999",
+			path:       "a.b.c",
+			wantVal:    int64(9999999),
+			wantSprint: "9999999",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "array with integers",
+			yaml:       "defaults:\n  val:\n    - 1\n    - 2000000\n    - 3",
+			path:       "val",
+			wantVal:    []any{int64(1), int64(2000000), int64(3)},
+			wantSprint: "[1 2000000 3]",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "array with nested objects",
+			yaml:       "defaults:\n  val:\n    - num: 2000000",
+			path:       "val",
+			wantVal:    []any{map[string]any{"num": int64(2000000)}},
+			wantSprint: "[map[num:2000000]]",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			var w wrapper
+			if err := yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(tt.yaml), &w); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("yaml.Unmarshal: %v", err)
+			}
+
+			val, err := w.Defaults.GetByPath(tt.path)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("GetByPath(%q): %v", tt.path, err)
+			}
+
+			if !reflect.DeepEqual(val, tt.wantVal) {
+				t.Errorf("value: got %v (%T), want %v (%T)", val, val, tt.wantVal, tt.wantVal)
+			}
+
+			rendered := fmt.Sprint(val)
+			if rendered != tt.wantSprint {
+				t.Errorf("Sprint: got %q, want %q", rendered, tt.wantSprint)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestResolveSchemaPath(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name           string