diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-stepfunctions/lib/fields.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-stepfunctions/lib/fields.ts
index 407f93cd3d162..9064fb93d2b6e 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-stepfunctions/lib/fields.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-stepfunctions/lib/fields.ts
@@ -214,8 +214,13 @@ export class FieldUtils {
 }
 
 function validateJsonPath(path: string) {
-  if (path !== '$' && !path.startsWith('$.') && path !== '$$' && !path.startsWith('$$.')) {
-    throw new Error(`JSON path values must be exactly '$', '$$', start with '$.' or start with '$$.' Received: ${path}`);
+  if (path !== '$'
+    && !path.startsWith('$.')
+    && path !== '$$'
+    && !path.startsWith('$$.')
+    && !path.startsWith('$[')
+  ) {
+    throw new Error(`JSON path values must be exactly '$', '$$', start with '$.', start with '$$.' or start with '$[' Received: ${path}`);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-stepfunctions/test/fields.test.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-stepfunctions/test/fields.test.ts
index ef6d15fd86519..1235dc9e5d526 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-stepfunctions/test/fields.test.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-stepfunctions/test/fields.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ import '@aws-cdk/assert/jest';
 import { FieldUtils, JsonPath } from '../lib';
 
 describe('Fields', () => {
+  const jsonPathValidationErrorMsg = /exactly '\$', '\$\$', start with '\$.', start with '\$\$.' or start with '\$\['/;
+
   test('deep replace correctly handles fields in arrays', () => {
     expect(
       FieldUtils.renderObject({
@@ -70,16 +72,18 @@ describe('Fields', () => {
   test('datafield path must be correct', () => {
     expect(JsonPath.stringAt('$')).toBeDefined();
 
-    expect(() => JsonPath.stringAt('$hello')).toThrowError(/exactly '\$', '\$\$', start with '\$.' or start with '\$\$.'/);
-
-    expect(() => JsonPath.stringAt('hello')).toThrowError(/exactly '\$', '\$\$', start with '\$.' or start with '\$\$.'/);
+    expect(() => JsonPath.stringAt('$hello')).toThrowError(jsonPathValidationErrorMsg);
+    expect(() => JsonPath.stringAt('hello')).toThrowError(jsonPathValidationErrorMsg);
   }),
   test('context path must be correct', () => {
     expect(JsonPath.stringAt('$$')).toBeDefined();
 
-    expect(() => JsonPath.stringAt('$$hello')).toThrowError(/exactly '\$', '\$\$', start with '\$.' or start with '\$\$.'/);
-
-    expect(() => JsonPath.stringAt('hello')).toThrowError(/exactly '\$', '\$\$', start with '\$.' or start with '\$\$.'/);
+    expect(() => JsonPath.stringAt('$$hello')).toThrowError(jsonPathValidationErrorMsg);
+    expect(() => JsonPath.stringAt('hello')).toThrowError(jsonPathValidationErrorMsg);
+  }),
+  test('datafield path with array must be correct', () => {
+    expect(JsonPath.stringAt('$[0]')).toBeDefined();
+    expect(JsonPath.stringAt("$['abc']")).toBeDefined();
   }),
   test('test contains task token', () => {
     expect(true).toEqual(