diff --git a/arkouda/message.py b/arkouda/message.py
index d771a6d74b..c230331b73 100644
--- a/arkouda/message.py
+++ b/arkouda/message.py
@@ -115,11 +115,21 @@ def _build_list_param(key: str, val: list) -> ParameterObject:
         -------
         ParameterObject
         """
-        dtypes = set([p.dtype if hasattr(p, "dtype") else type(p).__name__ for p in val])
+        from arkouda.pdarrayclass import pdarray
+        from arkouda.strings import Strings
+
+        # want the object type. If pdarray the content dtypes can vary
+        dtypes = set([type(p).__name__ for p in val])
         if len(dtypes) > 1:
             t_str = ", ".join(dtypes)
             raise TypeError(f"List values must be of the same type. Found {t_str}")
-        return ParameterObject(key, ObjectType.LIST, dtypes.pop(), json.dumps(val))
+        t = dtypes.pop()
+        if any(x == t for x in [pdarray.__name__, Strings.__name__]):
+            return ParameterObject(key, ObjectType.LIST, t, json.dumps([x.name for x in val]))
+        else:
+            # need all values to be str for chapel to read list properly
+            v = val if t == str.__name__ else [str(x) for x in val]
+            return ParameterObject(key, ObjectType.LIST, t, json.dumps(v))
 
     @staticmethod
     @typechecked
diff --git a/tests/message_test.py b/tests/message_test.py
index 05a547e0b9..8e2a3e53f6 100644
--- a/tests/message_test.py
+++ b/tests/message_test.py
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 import json
 import unittest
 
+from base_test import ArkoudaTest
+
+from arkouda.client import _json_args_to_str
 from arkouda.message import MessageFormat, MessageType, ReplyMessage, RequestMessage
+from arkouda.pdarraycreation import arange, array
 
 
 class MessageTest(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -98,3 +102,62 @@ def testReplyMessage(self):
 
         with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
             ReplyMessage.fromdict({"msg": "normal result", "msgType": "NORMAL"})
+
+
+class JSONArgs(ArkoudaTest):
+    def testJSONArgs(self):
+        # test single value args
+        size, args = _json_args_to_str({"arg1": "Test", "arg2": 5})
+        self.assertEqual(size, 2)
+        self.assertListEqual(
+            [
+                '{"key": "arg1", "objType": "VALUE", "dtype": "str", "val": "Test"}',
+                '{"key": "arg2", "objType": "VALUE", "dtype": "int", "val": "5"}',
+            ],
+            json.loads(args),
+        )
+
+        # test list arg of numerics
+        size, args = _json_args_to_str({"list1": [3, 2, 4]})
+        self.assertEqual(size, 1)
+        self.assertListEqual(
+            [
+                '{"key": "list1", "objType": "LIST", "dtype": "int", "val": "[\\"3\\", \\"2\\", \\"4\\"]"}'
+            ],
+            json.loads(args),
+        )
+
+        # test list of str
+        size, args = _json_args_to_str({"list1": ["a", "b", "c"], "list2": ["d", "e", "f"]})
+        self.assertEqual(size, 2)
+        self.assertListEqual(
+            [
+                '{"key": "list1", "objType": "LIST", "dtype": "str", "val": "[\\"a\\", \\"b\\", \\"c\\"]"}',
+                '{"key": "list2", "objType": "LIST", "dtype": "str", "val": "[\\"d\\", \\"e\\", \\"f\\"]"}',
+            ],
+            json.loads(args),
+        )
+
+        # test list of pdarray
+        pd1 = arange(3)
+        pd2 = arange(4)
+        size, args = _json_args_to_str({"pd1": pd1, "pd2": pd2})
+        self.assertEqual(size, 2)
+        for a in json.loads(args):
+            p = json.loads(a)
+            self.assertRegex(p["key"], "^pd(1|2)$")
+            self.assertEqual(p["objType"], "PDARRAY")
+            self.assertEqual(p["dtype"], "int64")
+            self.assertRegex(p["val"], "^id_\\w{7}_\\d$")
+
+        # test list of Strings
+        str1 = array(["abc", "def"])
+        str2 = array(["Test", "Test2"])
+        size, args = _json_args_to_str({"str1": str1, "str2": str2})
+        self.assertEqual(size, 2)
+        for a in json.loads(args):
+            p = json.loads(a)
+            self.assertRegex(p["key"], "^str(1|2)$")
+            self.assertEqual(p["objType"], "SEGSTRING")
+            self.assertEqual(p["dtype"], "str")
+            self.assertRegex(p["val"], "^id_\\w{7}_\\d$")