diff --git a/tools/cli/types.go b/tools/cli/types.go
index be068af90..cbe033721 100644
--- a/tools/cli/types.go
+++ b/tools/cli/types.go
@@ -108,7 +108,11 @@ func (self *Option) parsed_value() any {
 		return len(self.parsed_values_from_cmdline)
 	case StringOption:
 		if self.IsList {
-			return self.parsed_values_from_cmdline
+			ans := make([]string, len(self.parsed_values_from_cmdline))
+			for i, x := range self.parsed_values_from_cmdline {
+				ans[i] = x.(string)
+			}
+			return ans
 		}
 		fallthrough
 	default:
diff --git a/tools/cli/types_test.go b/tools/cli/types_test.go
index 99d6c5d2f..717383971 100644
--- a/tools/cli/types_test.go
+++ b/tools/cli/types_test.go
@@ -13,13 +13,21 @@ import (
 
 var _ = fmt.Print
 
+type empty_options struct {
+}
+
+type base_options struct {
+	FromParent int
+}
+
 type options struct {
+	FromParent   int
 	SimpleString string
 	Choices      string
-	FromParent   int
 	SetMe        bool
 	Int          int
 	Float        float64
+	List         []string
 }
 
 func TestCLIParsing(t *testing.T) {
@@ -33,6 +41,14 @@ func TestCLIParsing(t *testing.T) {
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
+		if s, ok := expected_options.(*options); ok {
+			if s.Choices == "" {
+				s.Choices = "a"
+			}
+			if s.List == nil {
+				s.List = make([]string, 0)
+			}
+		}
 		actual_options := reflect.New(reflect.TypeOf(expected_options).Elem()).Interface()
 		err = cmd.GetOptionValues(actual_options)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -58,20 +74,30 @@ func TestCLIParsing(t *testing.T) {
 	child1.Add(OptionSpec{Name: "--set-me", Type: "bool-set"})
 	child1.Add(OptionSpec{Name: "--int", Type: "int"})
 	child1.Add(OptionSpec{Name: "--float", Type: "float"})
+	child1.Add(OptionSpec{Name: "--list", Type: "list"})
+	child1.SubCommandIsOptional = true
+	gc1 := child1.AddSubCommand("", "gc1")
 
 	rt(
 		child1, "test --from-parent child1 -ps ss --choices b --from-parent one two",
 		&options{SimpleString: "ss", Choices: "b", FromParent: 3},
 		"one", "two",
 	)
-	rt(child1, "test child1", &options{Choices: "a"})
-	rt(child1, "test child1 --set-me --simple-string=foo one", &options{Choices: "a", SimpleString: "foo", SetMe: true}, "one")
-	rt(child1, "test child1 --set-me --simple-string= one", &options{Choices: "a", SetMe: true}, "one")
-	rt(child1, "test child1 --int -3 --simple-string -s --float=3.3", &options{Choices: "a", SimpleString: "-s", Int: -3, Float: 3.3})
+	rt(child1, "test child1", &options{})
+	rt(child1, "test child1 --set-me --simple-string=foo one", &options{SimpleString: "foo", SetMe: true}, "one")
+	rt(child1, "test child1 --set-me --simple-string= one", &options{SetMe: true}, "one")
+	rt(child1, "test child1 --int -3 --simple-string -s --float=3.3", &options{SimpleString: "-s", Int: -3, Float: 3.3})
+	rt(child1, "test child1 --list -3 -p --list one", &options{FromParent: 1, List: []string{"-3", "one"}})
+	rt(gc1, "test -p child1 -p gc1 xxx", &empty_options{}, "xxx")
 
 	_, err := child1.ParseArgs(strings.Split("test child1 --choices x", " "))
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Invalid choice not caught")
 	}
 	root.ResetAfterParseArgs()
+	gc1.ParseArgs(strings.Split("test child1 -p gc1 xxx", " "))
+	err = gc1.GetOptionValues(&base_options{})
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Invalid choice not caught")
+	}
 }