diff --git a/kapitan/cli.py b/kapitan/cli.py
index 64a9ffaaa..088531de1 100644
--- a/kapitan/cli.py
+++ b/kapitan/cli.py
@@ -548,6 +548,16 @@ def build_parser():
         help='set refs path, default is "./refs"',
         default=from_dot_kapitan("refs", "refs-path", "./refs"),
     )
+    refs_parser.add_argument(
+        "--yaml-multiline-string-style",
+        "-L",
+        type=str,
+        choices=["literal", "folded", "double-quotes"],
+        metavar="STYLE",
+        action="store",
+        default=from_dot_kapitan("refs", "yaml-multiline-string-style", "double-quotes"),
+        help="set multiline string style to STYLE, default is 'double-quotes'",
+    )
 
     lint_parser = subparser.add_parser(
         "lint", aliases=["l"], help="linter for inventory and refs", parents=[logger_parser]
diff --git a/kapitan/utils.py b/kapitan/utils.py
index 377fa2b9b..1d9940ba2 100644
--- a/kapitan/utils.py
+++ b/kapitan/utils.py
@@ -223,15 +223,20 @@ def multiline_str_presenter(dumper, data):
     Ref: https://github.com/yaml/pyyaml/issues/240#issuecomment-1018712495
     """
     # get parsed args from cached.py
-    compile_args = cached.args.get("compile", None)
+    compile_args = cached.args.get("compile")
     style = None
     if compile_args:
         style = compile_args.yaml_multiline_string_style
 
     # check for inventory args too
-    inventory_args = cached.args.get("inventory", None)
+    inventory_args = cached.args.get("inventory")
     if inventory_args:
         style = inventory_args.multiline_string_style
+        
+    # check for refs args too
+    refs_args = cached.args.get("refs")
+    if refs_args:
+        style = refs_args.yaml_multiline_string_style
 
     if style == "literal":
         style = "|"