diff --git a/lib/inspec/input_registry.rb b/lib/inspec/input_registry.rb
index f6fad5d85..1b2ea9667 100644
--- a/lib/inspec/input_registry.rb
+++ b/lib/inspec/input_registry.rb
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ module Inspec
     def find_or_register_input(input_name, profile_name, options = {})
       input_name = input_name.to_s
       profile_name = profile_name.to_s
+      options[:event].value = Thor::CoreExt::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new(options[:event].value) if options[:event]&.value.is_a?(Hash)
 
       if profile_alias?(profile_name) && !profile_aliases[profile_name].nil?
         alias_name = profile_name
diff --git a/test/fixtures/profiles/inputs/hashmap/controls/hashmap_input.rb b/test/fixtures/profiles/inputs/hashmap/controls/hashmap_input.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f26c3d25f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/profiles/inputs/hashmap/controls/hashmap_input.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# copyright: 2021, Chef Software, Inc.
+title "Verifying loading of hashmap inputs using metadata and external file"
+
+control "hashmap-metadata" do
+  title "Verifying loading of hashmap inputs using metadata file"
+
+  describe input("metadata_hash") do
+    its(["metadata_hash_key_str"]) { should eq "metadata_hash_value_str" }
+    its([:metadata_hash_key_sym]) { should eq "metadata_hash_value_sym" }
+  end
+end
+
+control "hashmap-external-file" do
+  title "Verifying loading of hashmap inputs using external file"
+
+  describe input("external_input_hash") do
+    its(["external_input_hash_key_str"]) { should eq "external_input_hash_value_str" }
+    its([:external_input_hash_key_sym]) { should eq "external_input_hash_value_sym" }
+  end
+end
+
+control "hashmap-profile-DSL" do
+  title "Verifying loading of hashmap inputs using profile DSL"
+
+  describe input("dsl_hash_string", value: { "dsl_hash_string_key": "dsl_hash_string_value" } ) do
+    its(["dsl_hash_string_key"]) { should eq "dsl_hash_string_value" }
+  end
+
+  describe input("dsl_hash_symbol", value: { dsl_hash_symbol_key: :dsl_hash_symbol_value } ) do
+    its([:dsl_hash_symbol_key]) { should eq :dsl_hash_symbol_value }
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/profiles/inputs/hashmap/files/inputs.yml b/test/fixtures/profiles/inputs/hashmap/files/inputs.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..779447013
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/profiles/inputs/hashmap/files/inputs.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+external_input_hash: 
+  external_input_hash_key_str: external_input_hash_value_str
+  external_input_hash_key_sym: external_input_hash_value_sym
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/profiles/inputs/hashmap/inspec.yml b/test/fixtures/profiles/inputs/hashmap/inspec.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..07bce703c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/profiles/inputs/hashmap/inspec.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+name: hashmap
+title: InSpec Profile to verify hashmap inputs
+maintainer: Chef Software, Inc.
+copyright: Chef Software, Inc.
+license: Apache-2.0
+summary: A profile that checks loading of hashmap inputs
+version: 0.1.0
+supports:
+  platform: os
+inputs:
+- name: metadata_hash
+  value:
+    metadata_hash_key_str: metadata_hash_value_str
+    metadata_hash_key_sym: metadata_hash_value_sym
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/profiles/inputs/via-runner/controls/via-runner.rb b/test/fixtures/profiles/inputs/via-runner/controls/via-runner.rb
index 49f3b7f56..5935155a9 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/profiles/inputs/via-runner/controls/via-runner.rb
+++ b/test/fixtures/profiles/inputs/via-runner/controls/via-runner.rb
@@ -2,4 +2,12 @@ control "test_control_01" do
   describe input("test_input_01", value: "value_from_dsl") do
     it { should cmp "value_from_api" }
   end
+
+  describe input("test_input_hash_string", value: { "string_key": "string_value_dsl" }) do
+    its(["string_key"]) { should eq "string_value" }
+  end
+
+  describe input("test_input_hash_symbol", value: { symbol_key: :symbol_value_dsl }) do
+    its([:symbol_key]) { should eq :symbol_value }
+  end
 end
diff --git a/test/functional/inputs_test.rb b/test/functional/inputs_test.rb
index c14c722a6..499651081 100644
--- a/test/functional/inputs_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/inputs_test.rb
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ require "tempfile"
 describe "inputs" do
   include FunctionalHelper
   let(:inputs_profiles_path) { File.join(profile_path, "inputs") }
+  let(:external_attributes_file_path) { "#{inputs_profiles_path}/hashmap/files/inputs.yml" }
 
   parallelize_me!
 
@@ -123,7 +124,6 @@ describe "inputs" do
 
     describe "when using the current :inputs key" do
       let(:runner_options) { common_options.merge({ inputs: { test_input_01: "value_from_api" } }) }
-
       it "finds the values and does not issue any warnings" do
         output = run_result.stdout
         refute_includes output, "DEPRECATION"
@@ -132,6 +132,18 @@ describe "inputs" do
       end
     end
 
+    describe "when using the current :inputs key with both string and symbol key in hashes" do
+      let(:runner_options) { common_options.merge({ inputs: { test_input_01: "value_from_api", test_input_hash_string: { "string_key": "string_value" }, test_input_hash_symbol: { symbol_key: :symbol_value } } }) }
+
+      it "finds the values and runs successfully" do
+        output = run_result.stdout
+        structured_output = JSON.parse(output)
+        assert_equal "passed", structured_output["profiles"][0]["controls"][0]["results"][0]["status"]
+        assert_equal "passed", structured_output["profiles"][0]["controls"][0]["results"][1]["status"]
+        assert_equal "passed", structured_output["profiles"][0]["controls"][0]["results"][2]["status"]
+      end
+    end
+
     describe "when using the legacy :attributes key" do
       let(:runner_options) { common_options.merge({ attributes: { test_input_01: "value_from_api" } }) }
       it "finds the values but issues a DEPRECATION warning" do
@@ -442,4 +454,12 @@ describe "inputs" do
       _(inputs[2]["options"]["value"]).wont_include "***" # Explicit sensitive = false
     end
   end
+
+  describe "when a profile is executed with inputs through external file, metadata file and profile DSL" do
+    it "should access the values successfully from all input ways" do
+      result = run_inspec_process("exec #{inputs_profiles_path}/hashmap --input-file #{external_attributes_file_path}", json: true)
+      _(result.stderr).must_be_empty
+      assert_json_controls_passing(result)
+    end
+  end
 end