diff --git a/pkg/reconciler/ingress/config/istio.go b/pkg/reconciler/ingress/config/istio.go
index 70702801d8..d43d9db883 100644
--- a/pkg/reconciler/ingress/config/istio.go
+++ b/pkg/reconciler/ingress/config/istio.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
 
+	"gopkg.in/yaml.v2"
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/validation"
 	"knative.dev/pkg/network"
@@ -38,6 +39,12 @@ const (
 	// localGatewayKeyPrefix is the prefix of all keys to configure Istio gateways for public & private Ingresses.
 	localGatewayKeyPrefix = "local-gateway."
 
+	// gatewayKey is the configmap key to configure Istio gateways for public Ingresses.
+	gatewayKey = "external-gateways"
+
+	// localGatewayKey is the configmap key to configure Istio gateways for public & private Ingresses.
+	localGatewayKey = "local-gateways"
+
 	// KnativeIngressGateway is the name of the ingress gateway
 	KnativeIngressGateway = "knative-ingress-gateway"
 
@@ -71,7 +78,7 @@ func defaultLocalGateways() []Gateway {
 type Gateway struct {
 	Namespace  string
 	Name       string
-	ServiceURL string
+	ServiceURL string `yaml:"service"`
 }
 
 // QualifiedName returns gateway name in '{namespace}/{name}' format.
@@ -79,6 +86,26 @@ func (g Gateway) QualifiedName() string {
 	return g.Namespace + "/" + g.Name
 }
 
+func (g Gateway) Validate() error {
+	if g.Namespace == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("missing namespace")
+	}
+
+	if g.Name == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("missing name")
+	}
+
+	if g.ServiceURL == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("missing service")
+	}
+
+	if errs := validation.IsDNS1123Subdomain(strings.TrimSuffix(g.ServiceURL, ".")); len(errs) > 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid gateway service format: %v", errs)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Istio contains istio related configuration defined in the
 // istio config map.
 type Istio struct {
@@ -89,7 +116,112 @@ type Istio struct {
 	LocalGateways []Gateway
 }
 
-func parseGateways(configMap *corev1.ConfigMap, prefix string) ([]Gateway, error) {
+func (i Istio) Validate() error {
+	for _, gtw := range i.IngressGateways {
+		if err := gtw.Validate(); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("invalid gateway: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	for _, gtw := range i.LocalGateways {
+		if err := gtw.Validate(); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("invalid local gateway: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// NewIstioFromConfigMap creates an Istio config from the supplied ConfigMap
+func NewIstioFromConfigMap(configMap *corev1.ConfigMap) (*Istio, error) {
+	ret, err := parseNewFormat(configMap)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse configmap: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// If the new format is not defined, try to parse the old one
+	if len(ret.IngressGateways) == 0 && len(ret.LocalGateways) == 0 {
+		ret = parseOldFormat(configMap)
+	}
+
+	err = ret.Validate()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid configmap: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return ret, nil
+}
+
+func parseNewFormat(configMap *corev1.ConfigMap) (*Istio, error) {
+	ret := &Istio{}
+
+	gatewaysStr, hasGateway := configMap.Data[gatewayKey]
+	localGatewaysStr, hasLocalGateway := configMap.Data[localGatewayKey]
+
+	// New format is partially defined
+	if (!hasGateway && hasLocalGateway) || (hasGateway && !hasLocalGateway) {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("config is not fully defined")
+	}
+
+	// New format is not defined
+	if !hasGateway && !hasLocalGateway {
+		return ret, nil
+	}
+
+	gateways, err := parseNewFormatGateways(gatewaysStr)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ret, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse gateways")
+	}
+
+	ret.IngressGateways = gateways
+
+	localGateways, err := parseNewFormatGateways(localGatewaysStr)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ret, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse local gateways")
+	}
+
+	if len(localGateways) > 1 {
+		return ret, fmt.Errorf("only one local gateways can be defined")
+	}
+
+	ret.LocalGateways = localGateways
+
+	return ret, nil
+}
+
+func parseNewFormatGateways(data string) ([]Gateway, error) {
+	ret := make([]Gateway, 0)
+
+	if len(data) == 0 {
+		return ret, nil
+	}
+
+	err := yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(data), &ret)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ret, fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return ret, nil
+}
+
+func parseOldFormat(configMap *corev1.ConfigMap) *Istio {
+	gateways := parseOldFormatGateways(configMap, gatewayKeyPrefix)
+	if len(gateways) == 0 {
+		gateways = defaultIngressGateways()
+	}
+
+	localGateways := parseOldFormatGateways(configMap, localGatewayKeyPrefix)
+	if len(localGateways) == 0 {
+		localGateways = defaultLocalGateways()
+	}
+
+	return &Istio{
+		IngressGateways: gateways,
+		LocalGateways:   localGateways,
+	}
+}
+
+func parseOldFormatGateways(configMap *corev1.ConfigMap, prefix string) []Gateway {
 	urls := map[string]string{}
 	gatewayNames := []string{}
 	for k, v := range configMap.Data {
@@ -97,9 +229,7 @@ func parseGateways(configMap *corev1.ConfigMap, prefix string) ([]Gateway, error
 			continue
 		}
 		gatewayName, serviceURL := k[len(prefix):], v
-		if errs := validation.IsDNS1123Subdomain(strings.TrimSuffix(serviceURL, ".")); len(errs) > 0 {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid gateway format: %v", errs)
-		}
+
 		gatewayNames = append(gatewayNames, gatewayName)
 		urls[gatewayName] = serviceURL
 	}
@@ -121,28 +251,5 @@ func parseGateways(configMap *corev1.ConfigMap, prefix string) ([]Gateway, error
 			ServiceURL: urls[gatewayName],
 		}
 	}
-	return gateways, nil
-}
-
-// NewIstioFromConfigMap creates an Istio config from the supplied ConfigMap
-func NewIstioFromConfigMap(configMap *corev1.ConfigMap) (*Istio, error) {
-	gateways, err := parseGateways(configMap, gatewayKeyPrefix)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	if len(gateways) == 0 {
-		gateways = defaultIngressGateways()
-	}
-	localGateways, err := parseGateways(configMap, localGatewayKeyPrefix)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	if len(localGateways) == 0 {
-		localGateways = defaultLocalGateways()
-	}
-
-	return &Istio{
-		IngressGateways: gateways,
-		LocalGateways:   localGateways,
-	}, nil
+	return gateways
 }
diff --git a/pkg/reconciler/ingress/config/istio_test.go b/pkg/reconciler/ingress/config/istio_test.go
index a6a464613b..0dd34eb29f 100644
--- a/pkg/reconciler/ingress/config/istio_test.go
+++ b/pkg/reconciler/ingress/config/istio_test.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package config
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/google/go-cmp/cmp"
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ func TestGatewayConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
 	gatewayConfigTests := []struct {
 		name      string
 		wantErr   bool
-		wantIstio interface{}
+		wantIstio *Istio
 		config    *corev1.ConfigMap
 	}{{
 		name: "gateway configuration with no network input",
@@ -71,9 +72,8 @@ func TestGatewayConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 	}, {
-		name:      "gateway configuration with invalid url",
-		wantErr:   true,
-		wantIstio: (*Istio)(nil),
+		name:    "gateway configuration with invalid url",
+		wantErr: true,
 		config: &corev1.ConfigMap{
 			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
 				Namespace: system.Namespace(),
@@ -84,8 +84,7 @@ func TestGatewayConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 	}, {
-		name:    "gateway configuration with valid url",
-		wantErr: false,
+		name: "gateway configuration with valid url",
 		wantIstio: &Istio{
 			IngressGateways: []Gateway{{
 				Namespace:  "knative-testing",
@@ -104,8 +103,7 @@ func TestGatewayConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 	}, {
-		name:    "gateway configuration with valid url having a dot at the end",
-		wantErr: false,
+		name: "gateway configuration with valid url having a dot at the end",
 		wantIstio: &Istio{
 			IngressGateways: []Gateway{{
 				Namespace:  "knative-testing",
@@ -124,8 +122,7 @@ func TestGatewayConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 	}, {
-		name:    "gateway configuration in custom namespace with valid url",
-		wantErr: false,
+		name: "gateway configuration in custom namespace with valid url",
 		wantIstio: &Istio{
 			IngressGateways: []Gateway{{
 				Namespace:  "custom-namespace",
@@ -144,9 +141,8 @@ func TestGatewayConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 	}, {
-		name:      "gateway configuration in custom namespace with invalid url",
-		wantErr:   true,
-		wantIstio: (*Istio)(nil),
+		name:    "gateway configuration in custom namespace with invalid url",
+		wantErr: true,
 		config: &corev1.ConfigMap{
 			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
 				Namespace: system.Namespace(),
@@ -157,8 +153,7 @@ func TestGatewayConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 	}, {
-		name:    "local gateway configuration with valid url",
-		wantErr: false,
+		name: "local gateway configuration with valid url",
 		wantIstio: &Istio{
 			IngressGateways: defaultIngressGateways(),
 			LocalGateways: []Gateway{{
@@ -177,9 +172,8 @@ func TestGatewayConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 	}, {
-		name:      "local gateway configuration with invalid url",
-		wantErr:   true,
-		wantIstio: (*Istio)(nil),
+		name:    "local gateway configuration with invalid url",
+		wantErr: true,
 		config: &corev1.ConfigMap{
 			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
 				Namespace: system.Namespace(),
@@ -190,8 +184,7 @@ func TestGatewayConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 	}, {
-		name:    "local gateway configuration in custom namespace with valid url",
-		wantErr: false,
+		name: "local gateway configuration in custom namespace with valid url",
 		wantIstio: &Istio{
 			IngressGateways: defaultIngressGateways(),
 			LocalGateways: []Gateway{{
@@ -210,9 +203,8 @@ func TestGatewayConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 	}, {
-		name:      "local gateway configuration in custom namespace with invalid url",
-		wantErr:   true,
-		wantIstio: (*Istio)(nil),
+		name:    "local gateway configuration in custom namespace with invalid url",
+		wantErr: true,
 		config: &corev1.ConfigMap{
 			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
 				Namespace: system.Namespace(),
@@ -222,6 +214,174 @@ func TestGatewayConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
 				"local-gateway.custom-namespace.invalid": "_invalid",
 			},
 		},
+	}, {
+		name: "new format alone",
+		wantIstio: &Istio{
+			IngressGateways: []Gateway{{
+				Namespace:  "namespace1",
+				Name:       "gateway1",
+				ServiceURL: "istio-ingressbackroad.istio-system.svc.cluster.local",
+			}},
+			LocalGateways: []Gateway{{
+				Namespace:  "namespace2",
+				Name:       "gateway2",
+				ServiceURL: "istio-local-gateway.istio-system.svc.cluster.local",
+			}},
+		},
+		config: &corev1.ConfigMap{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Namespace: system.Namespace(),
+				Name:      IstioConfigName,
+			},
+			Data: map[string]string{
+				"external-gateways": generateNewConfig(Gateway{Namespace: "namespace1", Name: "gateway1", ServiceURL: "istio-ingressbackroad.istio-system.svc.cluster.local"}),
+				"local-gateways":    generateNewConfig(Gateway{Namespace: "namespace2", Name: "gateway2", ServiceURL: "istio-local-gateway.istio-system.svc.cluster.local"}),
+			},
+		},
+	}, {
+		name: "new & old format",
+		wantIstio: &Istio{
+			IngressGateways: []Gateway{{
+				Namespace:  "namespace1",
+				Name:       "gateway1",
+				ServiceURL: "istio-ingressbackroad.istio-system.svc.cluster.local",
+			}},
+			LocalGateways: []Gateway{{
+				Namespace:  "namespace2",
+				Name:       "gateway2",
+				ServiceURL: "istio-local-gateway.istio-system.svc.cluster.local",
+			}},
+		},
+		config: &corev1.ConfigMap{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Namespace: system.Namespace(),
+				Name:      IstioConfigName,
+			},
+			Data: map[string]string{
+				"external-gateways": generateNewConfig(Gateway{Namespace: "namespace1", Name: "gateway1", ServiceURL: "istio-ingressbackroad.istio-system.svc.cluster.local"}),
+				"local-gateways":    generateNewConfig(Gateway{Namespace: "namespace2", Name: "gateway2", ServiceURL: "istio-local-gateway.istio-system.svc.cluster.local"}),
+				"local-gateway.custom-namespace.custom-local-gateway": "istio-ingressbackroad.istio-system.svc.cluster.local",
+				"gateway.custom-namespace.custom-gateway":             "istio-ingressfreeway.istio-system.svc.cluster.local",
+			},
+		},
+	}, {
+		name:    "new format - double local gateway",
+		wantErr: true,
+		config: &corev1.ConfigMap{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Namespace: system.Namespace(),
+				Name:      IstioConfigName,
+			},
+			Data: map[string]string{
+				"local-gateways": generateNewConfig(
+					Gateway{Namespace: "namespace1", Name: "gateway1", ServiceURL: "istio-local-gateway1.istio-system.svc.cluster.local"},
+					Gateway{Namespace: "namespace2", Name: "gateway2", ServiceURL: "istio-local-gateway2.istio-system.svc.cluster.local"},
+				),
+				"external-gateways": generateNewConfig(Gateway{Namespace: "namespace1", Name: "gateway1", ServiceURL: "istio-ingressbackroad.istio-system.svc.cluster.local"}),
+			},
+		},
+	}, {
+		name:    "new format - invalid URL",
+		wantErr: true,
+		config: &corev1.ConfigMap{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Namespace: system.Namespace(),
+				Name:      IstioConfigName,
+			},
+			Data: map[string]string{
+				"external-gateways": generateNewConfig(Gateway{Namespace: "namespace1", Name: "gateway1", ServiceURL: "istio-ingressbackroad.istio-system.svc.cluster.local"}),
+				"local-gateways":    generateNewConfig(Gateway{Namespace: "namespace2", Name: "gateway2", ServiceURL: "_invalid"}),
+			},
+		},
+	}, {
+		name:    "new format - missing service",
+		wantErr: true,
+		config: &corev1.ConfigMap{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Namespace: system.Namespace(),
+				Name:      IstioConfigName,
+			},
+			Data: map[string]string{
+				"external-gateways": generateNewConfig(Gateway{Namespace: "namespace1", Name: "gateway1", ServiceURL: ""}),
+				"local-gateways":    generateNewConfig(Gateway{Namespace: "namespace2", Name: "gateway2", ServiceURL: "istio-local-gateway.istio-system.svc.cluster.local"}),
+			},
+		},
+	}, {
+		name:    "new format - missing name",
+		wantErr: true,
+		config: &corev1.ConfigMap{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Namespace: system.Namespace(),
+				Name:      IstioConfigName,
+			},
+			Data: map[string]string{
+				"external-gateways": generateNewConfig(Gateway{Namespace: "namespace1", Name: "", ServiceURL: "istio-ingressbackroad.istio-system.svc.cluster.local"}),
+				"local-gateways":    generateNewConfig(Gateway{Namespace: "namespace2", Name: "gateway2", ServiceURL: "istio-local-gateway.istio-system.svc.cluster.local"}),
+			},
+		},
+	}, {
+		name:    "new format - missing namespace",
+		wantErr: true,
+		config: &corev1.ConfigMap{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Namespace: system.Namespace(),
+				Name:      IstioConfigName,
+			},
+			Data: map[string]string{
+				"external-gateways": generateNewConfig(Gateway{Namespace: "namespace1", Name: "gateway1", ServiceURL: "istio-ingressbackroad.istio-system.svc.cluster.local"}),
+				"local-gateways":    generateNewConfig(Gateway{Namespace: "", Name: "gateway2", ServiceURL: "istio-local-gateway.istio-system.svc.cluster.local"}),
+			},
+		},
+	}, {
+		name:    "new format - invalid local yaml",
+		wantErr: true,
+		config: &corev1.ConfigMap{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Namespace: system.Namespace(),
+				Name:      IstioConfigName,
+			},
+			Data: map[string]string{
+				"external-gateways": generateNewConfig(Gateway{Namespace: "namespace1", Name: "gateway1", ServiceURL: "istio-ingressbackroad.istio-system.svc.cluster.local"}),
+				"local-gateways":    "notYAML",
+			},
+		},
+	}, {
+		name:    "new format - invalid external yaml",
+		wantErr: true,
+		config: &corev1.ConfigMap{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Namespace: system.Namespace(),
+				Name:      IstioConfigName,
+			},
+			Data: map[string]string{
+				"external-gateways": "notYAML",
+				"local-gateways":    generateNewConfig(Gateway{Namespace: "namespace2", Name: "gateway2", ServiceURL: "istio-local-gateway.istio-system.svc.cluster.local"}),
+			},
+		},
+	}, {
+		name:    "new format - missing external gateway configuration",
+		wantErr: true,
+		config: &corev1.ConfigMap{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Namespace: system.Namespace(),
+				Name:      IstioConfigName,
+			},
+			Data: map[string]string{
+				"local-gateways": generateNewConfig(Gateway{Namespace: "namespace2", Name: "gateway2", ServiceURL: "istio-local-gateway.istio-system.svc.cluster.local"}),
+			},
+		},
+	}, {
+		name:    "new format - missing local gateway configuration",
+		wantErr: true,
+		config: &corev1.ConfigMap{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Namespace: system.Namespace(),
+				Name:      IstioConfigName,
+			},
+			Data: map[string]string{
+				"external-gateways": generateNewConfig(Gateway{Namespace: "namespace2", Name: "gateway2", ServiceURL: "istio-gateway.istio-system.svc.cluster.local"}),
+			},
+		},
 	}}
 
 	for _, tt := range gatewayConfigTests {
@@ -237,3 +397,17 @@ func TestGatewayConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func generateNewConfig(gtws ...Gateway) string {
+	ret := ""
+
+	for _, gtw := range gtws {
+		if ret != "" {
+			ret = fmt.Sprintf("%s\n", ret)
+		}
+
+		ret = fmt.Sprintf("%s- namespace: %s\n  name: %s\n  service: %s", ret, gtw.Namespace, gtw.Name, gtw.ServiceURL)
+	}
+
+	return ret
+}