diff --git a/libpod/container_top_linux.go b/libpod/container_top_linux.go
index 0f3e92a542..41002eb527 100644
--- a/libpod/container_top_linux.go
+++ b/libpod/container_top_linux.go
@@ -214,10 +214,11 @@ func (c *Container) Top(descriptors []string) ([]string, error) {
 		return nil, psgoErr
 	}
 
-	// Note that the descriptors to ps(1) must be shlexed (see #12452).
-	psDescriptors := []string{}
-	for _, d := range descriptors {
-		shSplit, err := shlex.Split(d)
+	psDescriptors := descriptors
+	if len(descriptors) == 1 {
+		// Note that the descriptors to ps(1) must be shlexed (see #12452).
+		psDescriptors = make([]string, 0, len(descriptors))
+		shSplit, err := shlex.Split(descriptors[0])
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("parsing ps args: %w", err)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/api/handlers/compat/containers_top.go b/pkg/api/handlers/compat/containers_top.go
index b6edd51b41..8298c46c79 100644
--- a/pkg/api/handlers/compat/containers_top.go
+++ b/pkg/api/handlers/compat/containers_top.go
@@ -18,14 +18,14 @@ func TopContainer(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	runtime := r.Context().Value(api.RuntimeKey).(*libpod.Runtime)
 	decoder := utils.GetDecoder(r)
 
-	psArgs := "-ef"
-	if utils.IsLibpodRequest(r) {
-		psArgs = ""
+	var psArgs []string
+	if !utils.IsLibpodRequest(r) {
+		psArgs = []string{"-ef"}
 	}
 	query := struct {
-		Delay  int    `schema:"delay"`
-		PsArgs string `schema:"ps_args"`
-		Stream bool   `schema:"stream"`
+		Delay  int      `schema:"delay"`
+		PsArgs []string `schema:"ps_args"`
+		Stream bool     `schema:"stream"`
 	}{
 		Delay:  5,
 		PsArgs: psArgs,
@@ -52,13 +52,22 @@ func TopContainer(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	encoder := json.NewEncoder(w)
 
+	args := query.PsArgs
+	if len(args) == 1 &&
+		utils.IsLibpodRequest(r) {
+		if _, err := utils.SupportedVersion(r, "< 4.8.0"); err == nil {
+			// Ugly workaround for older clients which used to send arguments comma separated.
+			args = strings.Split(args[0], ",")
+		}
+	}
+
 loop: // break out of for/select infinite` loop
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-r.Context().Done():
 			break loop
 		default:
-			output, err := c.Top(strings.Split(query.PsArgs, ","))
+			output, err := c.Top(args)
 			if err != nil {
 				if !statusWritten {
 					utils.InternalServerError(w, err)
diff --git a/pkg/api/server/register_containers.go b/pkg/api/server/register_containers.go
index 4cc33682e7..88f9b6cb76 100644
--- a/pkg/api/server/register_containers.go
+++ b/pkg/api/server/register_containers.go
@@ -1181,8 +1181,9 @@ func (s *APIServer) registerContainersHandlers(r *mux.Router) error {
 	//    default: 5
 	//  - in: query
 	//    name: ps_args
-	//    type: string
-	//    default:
+	//    type: array
+	//    items:
+	//       type: string
 	//    description: |
 	//      arguments to pass to ps such as aux.
 	// produces:
diff --git a/pkg/bindings/containers/containers.go b/pkg/bindings/containers/containers.go
index e776a60920..0ca579a6c2 100644
--- a/pkg/bindings/containers/containers.go
+++ b/pkg/bindings/containers/containers.go
@@ -290,8 +290,10 @@ func Top(ctx context.Context, nameOrID string, options *TopOptions) ([]string, e
 	}
 	params := url.Values{}
 	if options.Changed("Descriptors") {
-		psArgs := strings.Join(options.GetDescriptors(), ",")
-		params.Add("ps_args", psArgs)
+		psArgs := options.GetDescriptors()
+		for _, arg := range psArgs {
+			params.Add("ps_args", arg)
+		}
 	}
 	response, err := conn.DoRequest(ctx, nil, http.MethodGet, "/containers/%s/top", params, nil, nameOrID)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/test/e2e/top_test.go b/test/e2e/top_test.go
index f876ded44b..cf8c095a29 100644
--- a/test/e2e/top_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/top_test.go
@@ -101,6 +101,10 @@ var _ = Describe("Podman top", func() {
 		result = podmanTest.Podman([]string{"top", session.OutputToString(), "ax -o args"})
 		result.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 		Expect(result).Should(ExitCleanly())
+
+		result = podmanTest.Podman([]string{"top", session.OutputToString(), "ax", "-o", "args"})
+		result.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
+		Expect(result).Should(ExitCleanly())
 		Expect(result.OutputToStringArray()).To(Equal([]string{"COMMAND", "sleep inf"}))
 
 		// Now make sure we use ps in the container with CAP_SYS_PTRACE
diff --git a/test/system/085-top.bats b/test/system/085-top.bats
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..09b61c453e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/system/085-top.bats
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bats
+
+load helpers
+
+@test "podman top - basic tests" {
+    run_podman run -d $IMAGE top
+    cid=$output
+    is "$cid" "[0-9a-f]\{64\}$"
+
+    run_podman top $cid
+    is "${lines[0]}" "USER[ \t]*PID[ \t]*PPID[ \t]*%CPU[ \t]*ELAPSED[ \t]*TTY[ \t]*TIME[ \t]*COMMAND" "podman top"
+    is "${lines[1]}" "root[ \t]*1[ \t]*0[ \t]*0.000[ \t]*" "podman top"
+
+    run_podman top $cid -eo pid,comm
+    is "${lines[0]}" "[ \t]*PID[ \t]*COMMAND" "podman top -eo pid,comm Heading"
+    is "${lines[1]}" "[ \t]*1[ \t]*top" "podman top -eo pid,comm processes"
+
+    run_podman top $cid -eo "pid comm"
+    is "${lines[0]}" "[ \t]*PID[ \t]*COMMAND" "podman top -eo "pid comm" Heading"
+    is "${lines[1]}" "[ \t]*1[ \t]*top" "podman top -eo "pid comm" processes"
+
+    run_podman rm -f $cid
+}
+
+# vim: filetype=sh