diff --git a/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/agents/middlewares/clarification_middleware.py b/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/agents/middlewares/clarification_middleware.py
index 5074d8d2f..9e0c2b259 100644
--- a/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/agents/middlewares/clarification_middleware.py
+++ b/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/agents/middlewares/clarification_middleware.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 """Middleware for intercepting clarification requests and presenting them to the user."""
 
+import json
 import logging
 from collections.abc import Callable
 from typing import override
@@ -60,6 +61,20 @@ class ClarificationMiddleware(AgentMiddleware[ClarificationMiddlewareState]):
         context = args.get("context")
         options = args.get("options", [])
 
+        # Some models (e.g. Qwen3-Max) serialize array parameters as JSON strings
+        # instead of native arrays. Deserialize and normalize so `options`
+        # is always a list for the rendering logic below.
+        if isinstance(options, str):
+            try:
+                options = json.loads(options)
+            except (json.JSONDecodeError, TypeError):
+                options = [options]
+
+        if options is None:
+            options = []
+        elif not isinstance(options, list):
+            options = [options]
+
         # Type-specific icons
         type_icons = {
             "missing_info": "❓",
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_clarification_middleware.py b/backend/tests/test_clarification_middleware.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9a8118996
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/test_clarification_middleware.py
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+"""Tests for ClarificationMiddleware, focusing on options type coercion."""
+
+import json
+
+import pytest
+
+from deerflow.agents.middlewares.clarification_middleware import ClarificationMiddleware
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def middleware():
+    return ClarificationMiddleware()
+
+
+class TestFormatClarificationMessage:
+    """Tests for _format_clarification_message options handling."""
+
+    def test_options_as_native_list(self, middleware):
+        """Normal case: options is already a list."""
+        args = {
+            "question": "Which env?",
+            "clarification_type": "approach_choice",
+            "options": ["dev", "staging", "prod"],
+        }
+        result = middleware._format_clarification_message(args)
+        assert "1. dev" in result
+        assert "2. staging" in result
+        assert "3. prod" in result
+
+    def test_options_as_json_string(self, middleware):
+        """Bug case (#1995): model serializes options as a JSON string."""
+        args = {
+            "question": "Which env?",
+            "clarification_type": "approach_choice",
+            "options": json.dumps(["dev", "staging", "prod"]),
+        }
+        result = middleware._format_clarification_message(args)
+        assert "1. dev" in result
+        assert "2. staging" in result
+        assert "3. prod" in result
+        # Must NOT contain per-character output
+        assert "1. [" not in result
+        assert '2. "' not in result
+
+    def test_options_as_json_string_scalar(self, middleware):
+        """JSON string decoding to a non-list scalar is treated as one option."""
+        args = {
+            "question": "Which env?",
+            "clarification_type": "approach_choice",
+            "options": json.dumps("development"),
+        }
+        result = middleware._format_clarification_message(args)
+        assert "1. development" in result
+        # Must be a single option, not per-character iteration.
+        assert "2." not in result
+
+    def test_options_as_plain_string(self, middleware):
+        """Edge case: options is a non-JSON string, treated as single option."""
+        args = {
+            "question": "Which env?",
+            "clarification_type": "approach_choice",
+            "options": "just one option",
+        }
+        result = middleware._format_clarification_message(args)
+        assert "1. just one option" in result
+
+    def test_options_none(self, middleware):
+        """Options is None — no options section rendered."""
+        args = {
+            "question": "Tell me more",
+            "clarification_type": "missing_info",
+            "options": None,
+        }
+        result = middleware._format_clarification_message(args)
+        assert "1." not in result
+
+    def test_options_empty_list(self, middleware):
+        """Options is an empty list — no options section rendered."""
+        args = {
+            "question": "Tell me more",
+            "clarification_type": "missing_info",
+            "options": [],
+        }
+        result = middleware._format_clarification_message(args)
+        assert "1." not in result
+
+    def test_options_missing(self, middleware):
+        """Options key is absent — defaults to empty list."""
+        args = {
+            "question": "Tell me more",
+            "clarification_type": "missing_info",
+        }
+        result = middleware._format_clarification_message(args)
+        assert "1." not in result
+
+    def test_context_included(self, middleware):
+        """Context is rendered before the question."""
+        args = {
+            "question": "Which env?",
+            "clarification_type": "approach_choice",
+            "context": "Need target env for config",
+            "options": ["dev", "prod"],
+        }
+        result = middleware._format_clarification_message(args)
+        assert "Need target env for config" in result
+        assert "Which env?" in result
+        assert "1. dev" in result
+
+    def test_json_string_with_mixed_types(self, middleware):
+        """JSON string containing non-string elements still works."""
+        args = {
+            "question": "Pick one",
+            "clarification_type": "approach_choice",
+            "options": json.dumps(["Option A", 2, True, None]),
+        }
+        result = middleware._format_clarification_message(args)
+        assert "1. Option A" in result
+        assert "2. 2" in result
+        assert "3. True" in result
+        assert "4. None" in result