diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/components/inputs/AppMultiSelectV2.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/components/inputs/AppMultiSelectV2.svelte
index ec0c1d00fe..ca7bcb0dc5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/components/inputs/AppMultiSelectV2.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/components/inputs/AppMultiSelectV2.svelte
@@ -44,24 +44,28 @@
 	)
 
 	const outputs = initOutput($worldStore, id, {
-		result: [] as Options
+		result: isObjectOptionArray(items)
+			? ([] as ObjectOption[])
+			: isStringArray(items)
+			? ([] as string[])
+			: ([] as unknown[])
 	})
 
-	let value: Options | undefined = isLabeledArray(outputs?.result.peak())
+	let value: Options | undefined = isObjectOptionArray(outputs?.result.peak())
 		? ([...new Set(outputs?.result.peak())] as ObjectOption[])
 		: ([...new Set(outputs?.result.peak())] as string[])
 
 	$componentControl[id] = {
 		setValue(nvalue: Options) {
-			if (isLabeledArray(nvalue)) {
+			if (isObjectOptionArray(nvalue)) {
 				value = [...new Set(nvalue)] as ObjectOption[]
 				outputs?.result.set([...(value ?? [])])
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
-	function isObjectOption(item: Options[number]): item is ObjectOption {
-		if (typeof item === 'string') {
+	function isObjectOption(item: any): item is ObjectOption {
+		if (!item || item !== Object(item)) {
 			return false
 		}
 		if (item.label === undefined || item.label === null) {
@@ -73,11 +77,17 @@
 		return true
 	}
 
-	function isLabeledArray(arr: Options): arr is ObjectOption[] {
+	function isObjectOptionArray(arr: any | undefined): arr is ObjectOption[] {
+		if (!arr || !Array.isArray(arr)) {
+			return false
+		}
 		return arr.every((item) => isObjectOption(item))
 	}
 
-	function isStringArray(arr: Options): arr is string[] {
+	function isStringArray(arr: any | undefined): arr is string[] {
+		if (!arr || !Array.isArray(arr)) {
+			return false
+		}
 		return arr.every((item) => typeof item === 'string')
 	}
 
@@ -121,7 +131,7 @@
 	}
 
 	function handleItems() {
-		if (isLabeledArray(resolvedConfig.items)) {
+		if (isObjectOptionArray(resolvedConfig.items)) {
 			handleLabeledItems()
 		} else if (isStringArray(resolvedConfig.items)) {
 			handleStringItems()
@@ -138,9 +148,11 @@
 			outputs?.result.set([])
 			return
 		}
-		let rawNvalue = new Set(resolvedConfig.defaultItems?.filter((v) => typeof v === 'string'))
-		if (isLabeledArray(items)) {
-			nvalue = items?.filter((item) => rawNvalue.has(item.value)) as ObjectOption[]
+		let rawNvalue = new Set(
+			resolvedConfig.defaultItems?.filter((v) => typeof v === 'string' || typeof v === 'number')
+		)
+		if (isObjectOptionArray(items)) {
+			nvalue = items?.filter((item) => rawNvalue.has(item.label)) as ObjectOption[]
 			value = [...new Set(nvalue)]
 			outputs?.result.set([...(value ?? [])])
 		} else if (isStringArray(items)) {
@@ -184,6 +196,23 @@
 	}
 	let w = 0
 	let open: boolean = false
+
+	const multiSelectProps = {
+		outerDivClass: resolvedConfig.allowOverflow ? '' : 'h-full',
+		ulSelectedClass: resolvedConfig.allowOverflow ? '' : 'overflow-auto max-h-full',
+		'--sms-border': 'none',
+		'--sms-min-height': '32px',
+		'--sms-focus-border': 'none',
+		placeholder: resolvedConfig.placeholder,
+		allowUserOptions: resolvedConfig.create,
+		onOpen: () => {
+			$selectedComponent = [id]
+			open = true
+		},
+		onClose: () => {
+			open = false
+		}
+	}
 </script>
 
 {#each Object.keys(components['multiselectcomponent'].initialData.configuration) as key (key)}
@@ -222,46 +251,67 @@
 		bind:clientWidth={w}
 	>
 		{#if !value || Array.isArray(value)}
-			<MultiSelect
-				bind:outerDiv
-				outerDivClass={`${resolvedConfig.allowOverflow ? '' : 'h-full'}`}
-				ulSelectedClass={`${resolvedConfig.allowOverflow ? '' : 'overflow-auto max-h-full'} `}
-				--sms-border={'none'}
-				--sms-min-height={'32px'}
-				--sms-focus-border={'none'}
-				bind:selected={value}
-				options={items}
-				placeholder={resolvedConfig.placeholder}
-				allowUserOptions={resolvedConfig.create}
-				on:change={(event) => {
-					if (event?.detail?.type === 'removeAll') {
-						outputs?.result.set([])
-					} else {
-						outputs?.result.set([...(value ?? [])])
-					}
-				}}
-				on:open={() => {
-					$selectedComponent = [id]
-					open = true
-				}}
-				on:close={() => {
-					open = false
-				}}
-				let:option
-			>
-				<!-- needed because portal doesn't work for mouseup event en mobile -->
-				<!-- svelte-ignore a11y-no-static-element-interactions -->
-				<div
-					class="w-full"
-					on:mouseup|stopPropagation
-					on:pointerdown|stopPropagation={(e) => {
-						let newe = new MouseEvent('mouseup')
-						e.target?.['parentElement']?.dispatchEvent(newe)
+			{#if isObjectOptionArray(value) && isObjectOptionArray(items)}
+				<MultiSelect
+					bind:selected={value}
+					options={items}
+					on:change={(event) => {
+						if (event?.detail?.type === 'removeAll') {
+							outputs?.result.set([])
+						} else {
+							outputs?.result.set([...(value ?? [])])
+						}
 					}}
+					{...multiSelectProps}
+					bind:outerDiv
+					on:open={multiSelectProps.onOpen}
+					on:close={multiSelectProps.onClose}
+					let:option
 				>
-					{option.label}
-				</div>
-			</MultiSelect>
+					<!-- needed because portal doesn't work for mouseup event en mobile -->
+					<!-- svelte-ignore a11y-no-static-element-interactions -->
+					<div
+						class="w-full"
+						on:mouseup|stopPropagation
+						on:pointerdown|stopPropagation={(e) => {
+							let newe = new MouseEvent('mouseup')
+							e.target?.['parentElement']?.dispatchEvent(newe)
+						}}
+					>
+						{option.label}
+					</div>
+				</MultiSelect>
+			{:else if isStringArray(value) && isStringArray(items)}
+				<MultiSelect
+					bind:selected={value}
+					options={items}
+					on:change={(event) => {
+						if (event?.detail?.type === 'removeAll') {
+							outputs?.result.set([])
+						} else {
+							outputs?.result.set([...(value ?? [])])
+						}
+					}}
+					{...multiSelectProps}
+					bind:outerDiv
+					on:open={multiSelectProps.onOpen}
+					on:close={multiSelectProps.onClose}
+					let:option
+				>
+					<!-- needed because portal doesn't work for mouseup event en mobile -->
+					<!-- svelte-ignore a11y-no-static-element-interactions -->
+					<div
+						class="w-full"
+						on:mouseup|stopPropagation
+						on:pointerdown|stopPropagation={(e) => {
+							let newe = new MouseEvent('mouseup')
+							e.target?.['parentElement']?.dispatchEvent(newe)
+						}}
+					>
+						{option.label}
+					</div>
+				</MultiSelect>
+			{/if}
 			<Portal name="app-multiselect-v2">
 				<div use:floatingContent class="z5000" hidden={!open}>
 					<!-- svelte-ignore a11y-click-events-have-key-events -->
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/editor/component/components.ts b/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/editor/component/components.ts
index ca1b45d7d5..6ce8fb9f05 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/editor/component/components.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/editor/component/components.ts
@@ -2199,11 +2199,8 @@ This is a paragraph.
 				items: {
 					type: 'static',
 					fieldType: 'array',
-					subFieldType: 'labeledselect',
-					value: [
-						{ value: 'foo', label: 'Foo' },
-						{ value: 'bar', label: 'Bar' }
-					],
+					subFieldType: 'simplestringselect',
+					value: ['Foo', 'Bar'],
 					hasLabeledMode: true
 				} as StaticAppInput,
 				defaultItems: {
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/editor/settingsPanel/ArrayStaticInputEditor.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/editor/settingsPanel/ArrayStaticInputEditor.svelte
index bea3cf4deb..9fbc63b6f0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/editor/settingsPanel/ArrayStaticInputEditor.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/editor/settingsPanel/ArrayStaticInputEditor.svelte
@@ -2,15 +2,16 @@
 	import { Button } from '$lib/components/common'
 	import { GripVertical, Loader2, Plus, X } from 'lucide-svelte'
 	import { createEventDispatcher } from 'svelte'
-	import type { InputType, LabeledOption, StaticInput, StaticOptions } from '../../inputType'
+	import type { InputType, StaticInput, StaticOptions } from '../../inputType'
 	import SubTypeEditor from './SubTypeEditor.svelte'
 	import { dragHandle, dragHandleZone } from '@windmill-labs/svelte-dnd-action'
 	import { generateRandomString, pluralize } from '$lib/utils'
 	import Toggle from '$lib/components/Toggle.svelte'
 	import QuickAddColumn from './QuickAddColumn.svelte'
 	import RefreshDatabaseStudioTable from './RefreshDatabaseStudioTable.svelte'
+	import type { ObjectOption } from '$lib/components/multiselect/types'
 
-	export let componentInput: StaticInput<any[]> & { loading?: boolean; isLabeled?: boolean }
+	export let componentInput: StaticInput<any[]> & { loading?: boolean }
 	export let subFieldType: InputType | undefined = undefined
 	export let selectOptions: StaticOptions['selectOptions'] | undefined = undefined
 	export let id: string | undefined
@@ -19,17 +20,6 @@
 	const dispatch = createEventDispatcher()
 	const flipDurationMs = 200
 
-	console.log(componentInput.value)
-
-	// transform string[] to LabeledOption[], or the opposite way
-	function handleLabeledChange() {
-		if (labeled) {
-			componentInput.value = componentInput.value?.map((option: LabeledOption) => option?.label)
-		} else if (!labeled) {
-			componentInput.value = componentInput.value?.map((label) => ({ label, value: label }))
-		}
-	}
-
 	function addElementByType() {
 		if (!Array.isArray(componentInput.value)) {
 			componentInput.value = []
@@ -224,16 +214,62 @@
 
 	$: subFieldType === 'db-explorer' && clearTableOnComponentReset(componentInput?.value)
 
-	$: items != undefined && handleItemsChange()
+	let raw: boolean = false
+	let labeled: boolean = subFieldType === 'labeledselect'
 
 	function handleItemsChange() {
-		componentInput.value = items.map((item) => item.value).filter((item) => item != undefined)
+		const newComponentInput = { ...componentInput }
+		newComponentInput.value = items.map((item) => item.value).filter((item) => item != undefined)
+
+		const newSubFieldType = labeled ? 'labeledselect' : 'simplestringselect'
+
+		dispatch('componentInputChange', { newComponentInput, newSubFieldType })
 	}
 
-	let raw: boolean = false
-	let labeled: boolean = false
+	function isObjectOption(item: any): item is ObjectOption {
+		if (!item || item !== Object(item)) {
+			return false
+		}
+		if (item.label === undefined || item.label === null) {
+			return false
+		}
+		if (typeof item.label !== 'string' && typeof item.label !== 'number') {
+			return false
+		}
+		return true
+	}
 
-	$: labeled
+	function isObjectOptionArray(arr: any | undefined): arr is ObjectOption[] {
+		if (!arr || !Array.isArray(arr)) {
+			return false
+		}
+		return arr.every((item) => isObjectOption(item))
+	}
+
+	function isStringArray(arr: any | undefined): arr is string[] {
+		if (!arr || !Array.isArray(arr)) {
+			return false
+		}
+		return arr.every((item) => typeof item === 'string')
+	}
+
+	// transform string[] to ObjectOption[], or the opposite way
+	function handleLabeledChange() {
+		if (labeled && isStringArray(items.map((item) => item.value))) {
+			for (let i = 0; i < items.length; i++) {
+				const itemValue = items[i].value
+				items[i].value = { label: itemValue, value: itemValue }
+			}
+		} else if (!labeled && isObjectOptionArray(items.map((item) => item.value))) {
+			for (let i = 0; i < items.length; i++) {
+				const itemValue = items[i].value
+				items[i].value = itemValue.label
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	$: labeled !== undefined && handleLabeledChange()
+	$: items !== undefined && handleItemsChange()
 
 	// let mounted = false
 
@@ -257,16 +293,22 @@
 </script>
 
 <div class="flex gap-2 flex-col mt-2 w-full">
+	<button
+		on:click={() =>
+			console.log(
+				'labeled =',
+				labeled,
+				'items =',
+				items,
+				'componentInput =',
+				componentInput,
+				'subFieldType =',
+				subFieldType
+			)}>console.log in ArrayStaticInputEditor</button
+	>
 	{#if Array.isArray(items) && componentInput.value}
-		<!-- {#if componentInput.isLabeled}<Toggle
-				size="xs"
-				options={{ right: 'LabeledOption' }}
-				bind:checked={isLabeled}
-			/>
-		{/if} -->
 		<div class="flex flex-row items-center justify-between">
 			<div class="text-xs text-tertiary font-semibold">{pluralize(items.length, 'item')}</div>
-
 			{#if subFieldType === 'ag-grid' || subFieldType === 'table-column'}
 				<Toggle
 					options={{
@@ -304,7 +346,7 @@
 						<div class="grow min-w-0">
 							<SubTypeEditor
 								{id}
-								subFieldType={raw ? 'object' : !labeled ? 'simplestringselect' : subFieldType}
+								subFieldType={raw ? 'object' : labeled ? 'labeledselect' : subFieldType}
 								bind:componentInput
 								bind:value={item.value}
 								on:remove={() => deleteElementByType(index)}
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/editor/settingsPanel/SubTypeEditor.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/editor/settingsPanel/SubTypeEditor.svelte
index e1171c56bd..406059ea40 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/editor/settingsPanel/SubTypeEditor.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/editor/settingsPanel/SubTypeEditor.svelte
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@
 	$: fakeComponentInput && (value = fakeComponentInput.value)
 </script>
 
+<button
+	on:click={() => console.log('subFieldType =', subFieldType, 'componentInput =', componentInput)}
+	>console.log in SubtypeEditor</button
+>
 <StaticInputEditor
 	{id}
 	fieldType={subFieldType}
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/editor/settingsPanel/inputEditor/StaticInputEditor.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/editor/settingsPanel/inputEditor/StaticInputEditor.svelte
index 041835022b..4f9c1b3e55 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/editor/settingsPanel/inputEditor/StaticInputEditor.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/editor/settingsPanel/inputEditor/StaticInputEditor.svelte
@@ -35,6 +35,21 @@
 
 	const { onchange } = getContext<AppViewerContext>('AppViewerContext')
 
+	// Workaround for MultiSelect: changing fieldType needs parent rehydration
+	function handleComponentInputChange(event: {
+		newComponentInput: StaticInput<any>
+		newSubFieldType: InputType
+	}) {
+		if (!event) {
+			console.error('fired a componentInputChange with no data?')
+			return
+		}
+		const { newComponentInput, newSubFieldType } = event
+
+		componentInput = { ...componentInput, ...newComponentInput }
+		subFieldType = newSubFieldType
+	}
+
 	$: componentInput && onchange?.()
 </script>
 
@@ -168,6 +183,7 @@
 				{subFieldType}
 				bind:componentInput
 				on:deleteArrayItem
+				on:componentInputChange={(e) => handleComponentInputChange(e.detail)}
 				{hasLabeledMode}
 			/>
 		{:else if fieldType === 'schema'}
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/inputType.ts b/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/inputType.ts
index 5e913a0c1d..af9f169318 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/inputType.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/apps/inputType.ts
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ export type AppInput =
 	| (AppInputSpec<'array', string[], 'select'> & StaticOptions)
 	| AppInputSpec<'array', object[], 'labeledresource'>
 	| AppInputSpec<'array', object[], 'labeledselect'>
-	| AppInputSpec<'array', object[], 'simplestringselect'>
+	| AppInputSpec<'array', string[], 'simplestringselect'>
 	| AppInputSpec<'labeledselect', object>
 	| AppInputSpec<'labeledresource', object>
 	| AppInputSpec<'array', object[], 'tab-select'>