diff --git a/.env.development b/.env.development
index 160cec0f..0ef4d64d 100644
--- a/.env.development
+++ b/.env.development
@@ -23,4 +23,4 @@ AUTHN_MINIMAL_HEADER=true
 LOGIN_ISSUE_SUPPORT_LINK=''
 TOS_AND_HONOR_CODE='http://localhost:18000/honor'
 PRIVACY_POLICY='http://localhost:18000/privacy'
-REGISTRATION_OPTIONAL_FIELDS='gender goals level_of_education year_of_birth'
+REGISTRATION_OPTIONAL_FIELDS='gender,goals,level_of_education,year_of_birth'
diff --git a/src/register/RegistrationPage.jsx b/src/register/RegistrationPage.jsx
index 0791ee64..911c1a50 100644
--- a/src/register/RegistrationPage.jsx
+++ b/src/register/RegistrationPage.jsx
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ class RegistrationPage extends React.Component {
 
   getOptionalFields() {
     const values = {};
-    const optionalFields = getConfig().REGISTRATION_OPTIONAL_FIELDS.split(' ');
+    const optionalFields = getConfig().REGISTRATION_OPTIONAL_FIELDS.split(',');
     optionalFields.forEach((key) => {
       values[camelCase(key)] = this.state[camelCase(key)];
     });
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ class RegistrationPage extends React.Component {
     }
     // Since optional fields are not validated we can add it to payload after required fields
     // have been validated. This will save us unwanted calls to validateInput()
-    const optionalFields = getConfig().REGISTRATION_OPTIONAL_FIELDS.split(' ');
+    const optionalFields = getConfig().REGISTRATION_OPTIONAL_FIELDS.split(',');
     optionalFields.forEach((key) => {
       const stateKey = camelCase(key);
       if (this.state[stateKey]) {
diff --git a/src/register/tests/RegistrationPage.test.jsx b/src/register/tests/RegistrationPage.test.jsx
index 13b92f31..7284848f 100644
--- a/src/register/tests/RegistrationPage.test.jsx
+++ b/src/register/tests/RegistrationPage.test.jsx
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ const mockStore = configureStore();
 describe('RegistrationPageTests', () => {
   mergeConfig({
     PRIVACY_POLICY: 'http://privacy-policy.com',
-    REGISTRATION_OPTIONAL_FIELDS: 'gender goals level_of_education year_of_birth',
+    REGISTRATION_OPTIONAL_FIELDS: 'gender,goals,level_of_education,year_of_birth',
     TOS_AND_HONOR_CODE: 'http://tos-and-honot-code.com',
   });
 
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ describe('RegistrationPageTests', () => {
     expect(registrationPage.find('input#optional').length).toEqual(0);
 
     mergeConfig({
-      REGISTRATION_OPTIONAL_FIELDS: 'gender goals level_of_education year_of_birth',
+      REGISTRATION_OPTIONAL_FIELDS: 'gender,goals,level_of_education,year_of_birth',
     });
 
     registrationPage = mount(reduxWrapper(<IntlRegistrationPage {...props} />));