diff --git a/src/cli/cli.c b/src/cli/cli.c
index 51fbafc02..edf5472ab 100644
--- a/src/cli/cli.c
+++ b/src/cli/cli.c
@@ -13700,6 +13700,39 @@ static void cli_add_typed(yyjson_mut_doc *out, yyjson_mut_val *obj, const char *
             arr = yyjson_mut_arr(out);
             yyjson_mut_obj_add(obj, yyjson_mut_strcpy(out, key), arr);
         }
+        /* Accept the JSON-array spelling shown by MCP schemas in addition to
+         * repeated flags. This keeps `--semantic-query '["a","b"]'` from
+         * becoming one opaque keyword while preserving the established
+         * `--semantic-query a --semantic-query b` form. Both spellings may be
+         * mixed and repeated; items accumulate in argument order. Only a
+         * well-formed array of strings is expanded (an empty `[]` adds no
+         * items); anything else keeps the previous literal-string behaviour. */
+        yyjson_doc *array_doc =
+            have_value && value && value[0] == '[' ? yyjson_read(value, strlen(value), 0) : NULL;
+        yyjson_val *array_root = array_doc ? yyjson_doc_get_root(array_doc) : NULL;
+        bool string_array = array_root && yyjson_is_arr(array_root);
+        if (string_array) {
+            size_t idx;
+            size_t count;
+            yyjson_val *item;
+            yyjson_arr_foreach(array_root, idx, count, item) {
+                if (!yyjson_is_str(item)) {
+                    string_array = false;
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        if (string_array) {
+            size_t idx;
+            size_t count;
+            yyjson_val *item;
+            yyjson_arr_foreach(array_root, idx, count, item) {
+                yyjson_mut_arr_add_strcpy(out, arr, yyjson_get_str(item));
+            }
+            yyjson_doc_free(array_doc);
+            return;
+        }
+        yyjson_doc_free(array_doc);
         yyjson_mut_arr_add_strcpy(out, arr, have_value ? value : "");
         return;
     }
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.c b/tests/test_cli.c
index 06ebb3841..cf65e364e 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.c
+++ b/tests/test_cli.c
@@ -15235,6 +15235,80 @@ TEST(cli_build_args_json_repeated_array_issue680) {
     PASS();
 }
 
+/* An array-typed flag also accepts the JSON-array spelling shown by the MCP
+ * schemas, expanding it into individual items instead of one opaque keyword. */
+TEST(cli_build_args_json_array_literal) {
+    char *err = NULL;
+    char *argv[] = {"--semantic-query", "[\"create\",\"billing\",\"account\"]"};
+    char *json = cbm_cli_build_args_json("search_graph", 2, argv, &err);
+    ASSERT_NOT_NULL(json);
+    ASSERT(strstr(json, "\"semantic_query\":[\"create\",\"billing\",\"account\"]") != NULL);
+    free(json);
+    PASS();
+}
+
+/* An explicit empty JSON array contributes no items; it must not turn into
+ * the literal keyword "[]". */
+TEST(cli_build_args_json_array_literal_empty) {
+    char *err = NULL;
+    char *argv[] = {"--semantic-query", "[]"};
+    char *json = cbm_cli_build_args_json("search_graph", 2, argv, &err);
+    ASSERT_NOT_NULL(json);
+    ASSERT(strstr(json, "\"semantic_query\":[]") != NULL);
+    ASSERT(strstr(json, "\"[]\"") == NULL);
+    free(json);
+    PASS();
+}
+
+/* Malformed JSON keeps the pre-existing behaviour: the value stays one
+ * literal string and no error is raised. */
+TEST(cli_build_args_json_array_literal_malformed) {
+    char *err = NULL;
+    char *argv[] = {"--semantic-query", "[\"create\","};
+    char *json = cbm_cli_build_args_json("search_graph", 2, argv, &err);
+    ASSERT_NOT_NULL(json);
+    ASSERT_NULL(err);
+    ASSERT(strstr(json, "\"semantic_query\":[\"[\\\"create\\\",\"]") != NULL);
+    free(json);
+    PASS();
+}
+
+/* Only arrays of strings are expanded; other well-formed JSON arrays keep
+ * the literal-string behaviour. */
+TEST(cli_build_args_json_array_literal_non_string_items) {
+    char *err = NULL;
+    char *argv[] = {"--semantic-query", "[1,2]"};
+    char *json = cbm_cli_build_args_json("search_graph", 2, argv, &err);
+    ASSERT_NOT_NULL(json);
+    ASSERT(strstr(json, "\"semantic_query\":[\"[1,2]\"]") != NULL);
+    free(json);
+    PASS();
+}
+
+/* Repeated flags and array literals may be mixed; items accumulate in
+ * argument order. */
+TEST(cli_build_args_json_array_literal_mixed_with_repeated) {
+    char *err = NULL;
+    char *argv[] = {"--semantic-query", "send",  "--semantic-query", "[\"publish\",\"emit\"]",
+                    "--semantic-query", "notify"};
+    char *json = cbm_cli_build_args_json("search_graph", 6, argv, &err);
+    ASSERT_NOT_NULL(json);
+    ASSERT(strstr(json, "\"semantic_query\":[\"send\",\"publish\",\"emit\",\"notify\"]") != NULL);
+    free(json);
+    PASS();
+}
+
+/* A repeated array literal accumulates into one array. */
+TEST(cli_build_args_json_array_literal_repeated) {
+    char *err = NULL;
+    char *argv[] = {"--semantic-query", "[\"send\"]", "--semantic-query", "[\"publish\"]"};
+    char *json = cbm_cli_build_args_json("search_graph", 4, argv, &err);
+    ASSERT_NOT_NULL(json);
+    ASSERT(strstr(json, "\"semantic_query\":[\"send\",\"publish\"]") != NULL);
+    free(json);
+    PASS();
+}
+
 /* kebab-case flag names map to snake_case JSON keys. */
 TEST(cli_build_args_json_kebab_to_snake_issue680) {
     char *err = NULL;
@@ -16349,6 +16423,12 @@ SUITE(cli) {
     RUN_TEST(cli_build_args_json_bare_boolean_issue680);
     RUN_TEST(cli_build_args_json_unknown_flag_rejected);
     RUN_TEST(cli_build_args_json_repeated_array_issue680);
+    RUN_TEST(cli_build_args_json_array_literal);
+    RUN_TEST(cli_build_args_json_array_literal_empty);
+    RUN_TEST(cli_build_args_json_array_literal_malformed);
+    RUN_TEST(cli_build_args_json_array_literal_non_string_items);
+    RUN_TEST(cli_build_args_json_array_literal_mixed_with_repeated);
+    RUN_TEST(cli_build_args_json_array_literal_repeated);
     RUN_TEST(cli_build_args_json_kebab_to_snake_issue680);
     RUN_TEST(cli_build_args_json_key_equals_value_issue680);
     RUN_TEST(cli_build_args_json_bad_positional_errors_issue680);