diff --git a/hedweb/process_service.py b/hedweb/process_service.py
index 7ad507c3..c7812205 100644
--- a/hedweb/process_service.py
+++ b/hedweb/process_service.py
@@ -136,8 +136,11 @@ def set_input_objects(arguments, params):
                                                          has_column_names=True, column_prefix_dictionary=None,
                                                          name='spreadsheets.tsv')
         if bc.STRING_LIST in params and params[bc.STRING_LIST]:
+            working_list = params[bc.STRING_LIST]
+            if isinstance(working_list, str):
+                working_list = [working_list]           
             s_list = []
-            for s in params[bc.STRING_LIST]:
+            for s in working_list:
                 s_list.append(HedString(s, hed_schema=schema))
             arguments[bc.STRING_LIST] = s_list
 
diff --git a/hedweb/string_operations.py b/hedweb/string_operations.py
index d778d2a7..761de168 100644
--- a/hedweb/string_operations.py
+++ b/hedweb/string_operations.py
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
-import json
 from hed.errors import ErrorHandler, get_printable_issue_string, HedFileError
 from hed import schema as hedschema
 from hed import get_query_handlers, search_hed_objs
 from hed.validator import HedValidator
-
 from hedweb.constants import base_constants as bc
 from hedweb.base_operations import BaseOperations
-from hedweb.web_util import generate_filename
+
 
 class StringOperations(BaseOperations):
 
@@ -130,13 +128,13 @@ def validate(self):
         validation_issues = []
         error_handler = ErrorHandler(check_for_warnings=self.check_for_warnings)
         validator = HedValidator(self.schema, self.definitions)
-        for pos, h_string in enumerate(self.string_list, start=1):
+        for pos, h_string in enumerate(self.string_list):
             issues = validator.validate(h_string, True, error_handler=error_handler)
             if issues:
                 validation_issues.append(get_printable_issue_string(issues, f"Errors for HED string {pos}:"))
         if validation_issues:
             return {bc.COMMAND: bc.COMMAND_VALIDATE,
-                    bc.COMMAND_TARGET: 'strings', 'data': validation_issues,
+                    bc.COMMAND_TARGET: 'strings', 'data': '\n'.join(validation_issues),
                     bc.SCHEMA_VERSION: self.schema.get_formatted_version(),
                     'msg_category': 'warning',
                     'msg': 'Strings had validation issues'}
diff --git a/tests/test_routes/test_routes_services_strings.py b/tests/test_routes/test_routes_services_strings.py
index 8e19c87d..88ef7bcf 100644
--- a/tests/test_routes/test_routes_services_strings.py
+++ b/tests/test_routes/test_routes_services_strings.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ def test_submit_service_strings_validate_route_file_invalid(self):
 
             response = self.app.test.post('/services_submit', content_type='application/json',
                                           data=json.dumps(json_data))
+            x = response.data
             json_data2 = json.loads(response.data)
             results = json_data2['results']
             self.assertTrue(isinstance(results, dict), "should return a dictionary when validation errors")
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ def test_submit_service_strings_validate_route_file_invalid_format(self):
         with self.app.app_context():
             json_data = {bc.CHECK_FOR_WARNINGS: 'on',
                          bc.SCHEMA_VERSION: '8.2.0',
-                         bc.STRING_LIST: "Blech",
+                         bc.STRING_LIST: 'Blech',
                          bc.SERVICE: 'strings_validate'}
 
             response = self.app.test.post('/services_submit', content_type='application/json',
@@ -49,4 +50,4 @@ def test_submit_service_strings_validate_route_file_invalid_format(self):
             self.assertTrue(isinstance(results, dict), "should return a dictionary when validation errors")
             self.assertEqual('warning', results['msg_category'], "should give warning with issues")
             self.assertTrue(results["data"], 'process return data for issues')
-            self.assertEqual(len(results["data"]), 5, "Server is allowing a string as a string list input")
+            self.assertEqual(len(results["data"]), 84, "Server is allowing a string as a string list input")