diff --git a/HISTORY.rst b/HISTORY.rst
index 3d5d2f9..95acb99 100644
--- a/HISTORY.rst
+++ b/HISTORY.rst
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 History
 =======
 
+2023.10.21: Improved handling of choices
+   * When editing the choices for a parameter, the entryfield now accepts the choices
+     separated by spaces. If a choice has spaces or other special characters they can be
+     protected with quotes or backslash in the normal fashion for shell arguments.
+
 2023.7.10: Bugfix handling parameters with 0+ values
 
    * The default was not correctly handled for control parameters with 0+ arguments,
diff --git a/control_parameters_step/control_parameters.py b/control_parameters_step/control_parameters.py
index 90bb93b..92efdbb 100644
--- a/control_parameters_step/control_parameters.py
+++ b/control_parameters_step/control_parameters.py
@@ -432,12 +432,17 @@ def create_parser(self):
             else:
                 name = dest
             nargs = nargs_values[data["nargs"]]
+
+            # Compatibility for old flowcharts
+            if isinstance(data["choices"], str):
+                data["choices"] = json.loads(data["choices"])
+
             choices = data["choices"]
             if choices == "":
                 choices = None
             else:
                 # choices is a string representation of a list
-                choices = json.loads(choices.replace("'", '"'))
+                # choices = json.loads(choices.replace("'", '"'))
                 if len(choices) == 0:
                     choices = None
 
diff --git a/control_parameters_step/tk_control_parameters.py b/control_parameters_step/tk_control_parameters.py
index cfa1ab4..69a1f3a 100644
--- a/control_parameters_step/tk_control_parameters.py
+++ b/control_parameters_step/tk_control_parameters.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
 """The graphical part of a Control Parameters step"""
+import json
+import shlex
 
 import seamm
 from seamm_util import ureg, Q_, units_class  # noqa: F401
@@ -129,6 +131,7 @@ def create_dialog(self):
         self["variables"] = sw.ScrolledColumns(
             frame,
             columns=[
+                "",
                 "",
                 "Name",
                 "Type",
@@ -241,6 +244,15 @@ def edit(self):
 
         P = self.node.parameters
         self._variables = P["variables"].value
+
+        # Turn choices into simple strings
+        for data in self._variables.values():
+            # Compatibility for old flowcharts
+            if isinstance(data["choices"], str):
+                data["choices"] = json.loads(data["choices"])
+
+            data["choices"] = shlex.join(data["choices"])
+
         self.reset_dialog()
         self.reset_table()
 
@@ -281,8 +293,11 @@ def handle_dialog(self, result):
         # Shortcut for parameters
         P = self.node.parameters
 
-        # Get the values for all the widgets.
+        # Get the values for all the widgets, fixing up choices
+        for data in self._variables.values():
+            data["choices"] = shlex.split(data["choices"])
         P["variables"].value = self._variables
+
         self._variables = None
 
         for key in P:
@@ -314,7 +329,7 @@ def add_variable(self):
         self._new["nargs"].set("a single value")
         self._new["overwrite"].set("No")
         self._new["default"].set("")
-        self._new["choices"].set("[]")
+        self._new["choices"].set("")
         self._new["help"].set("")
 
         self._new_variable_dialog.activate(geometry="centerscreenfirst")