diff --git a/lib/cli/kit/parse_args.rb b/lib/cli/kit/parse_args.rb
index 66b90f2..3b525af 100644
--- a/lib/cli/kit/parse_args.rb
+++ b/lib/cli/kit/parse_args.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,12 @@ module ParseArgs
       # and the resulting args[:opts] is pretty broad. There seems to be minimal value in expressing a
       # tighter subset of T.untyped.
 
-      sig { params(args: String, opts_defn: T::Hash[Symbol, T::Array[T.untyped]]).returns(T::Hash[Symbol, T.untyped]) }
+      sig do
+        params(
+          args: T.any(Array, String),
+          opts_defn: T::Hash[Symbol, T::Array[T.untyped]],
+        ).returns(T::Hash[Symbol, T.untyped])
+      end
       def parse_args(args, opts_defn)
         start_opts, parser_config = opts_defn.reduce([{}, []]) do |(ini, pcfg), (n, cfg)|
           (vals, desc, short, klass) = cfg
@@ -43,7 +48,7 @@ def parse_args(args, opts_defn)
           end
         end
 
-        arg_v = args.strip.split(/\s+/).map(&:strip)
+        arg_v = (args.is_a?(Array) ? args : args.strip.split(/\s+/)).map(&:strip)
         sub = prsr.parse(arg_v)
 
         { opts: start_opts.merge(acc_opts) }.tap do |a|
diff --git a/test/cli/kit/parse_args_test.rb b/test/cli/kit/parse_args_test.rb
index 7014eb3..72128d6 100644
--- a/test/cli/kit/parse_args_test.rb
+++ b/test/cli/kit/parse_args_test.rb
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ def test_positional
 
         @cmd.call('alpha 1')
         assert_equal(['alpha', '1'], @cmd.args[:sub])
+
+        @cmd.call(['alpha', '1'])
+        assert_equal(['alpha', '1'], @cmd.args[:sub])
       end
 
       def test_options_default
@@ -46,6 +49,11 @@ def test_options_default
           { maybe: false, sum: 11, str: 'foo', opt: 'init_val', snake_squad_alpha: 'snakes' },
           @cmd.args[:opts],
         )
+        @cmd.call([])
+        assert_equal(
+          { maybe: false, sum: 11, str: 'foo', opt: 'init_val', snake_squad_alpha: 'snakes' },
+          @cmd.args[:opts],
+        )
       end
 
       def test_options_short
@@ -64,6 +72,21 @@ def test_options_short
           @cmd.args[:opts],
         )
 
+        @cmd.call(['-m', '-i', '-c', '100', '-s', '111', '-v', 'bar', '-x', 'baz', '-o', 'other_val', '-k', 'cobras'])
+        assert_equal(
+          {
+            maybe: true,
+            choice: true,
+            count: 100,
+            sum: 111,
+            val: 'bar',
+            str: 'baz',
+            opt: 'other_val',
+            snake_squad_alpha: 'cobras',
+          },
+          @cmd.args[:opts],
+        )
+
         # assume the default value for '-o'
         @cmd.call('-m -i -c 100 -s 111 -v bar -x baz -o -k cobras')
         assert_equal(