diff --git a/cli/cliui/parameter.go b/cli/cliui/parameter.go
index 9b3e9e47fb..8fda0dd516 100644
--- a/cli/cliui/parameter.go
+++ b/cli/cliui/parameter.go
@@ -30,9 +30,15 @@ func RichParameter(inv *serpent.Invocation, templateVersionParameter codersdk.Te
 		_, _ = fmt.Fprint(inv.Stdout, "\033[1A")
 
 		var defaults []string
-		err = json.Unmarshal([]byte(templateVersionParameter.DefaultValue), &defaults)
-		if err != nil {
-			return "", err
+		defaultSource := defaultValue
+		if defaultSource == "" {
+			defaultSource = templateVersionParameter.DefaultValue
+		}
+		if defaultSource != "" {
+			err = json.Unmarshal([]byte(defaultSource), &defaults)
+			if err != nil {
+				return "", err
+			}
 		}
 
 		values, err := RichMultiSelect(inv, RichMultiSelectOptions{
diff --git a/cli/parameterresolver.go b/cli/parameterresolver.go
index 9308d245f8..d443741756 100644
--- a/cli/parameterresolver.go
+++ b/cli/parameterresolver.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package cli
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -231,7 +232,7 @@ next:
 			continue // immutables should not be passed to consecutive builds
 		}
 
-		if len(tvp.Options) > 0 && !isValidTemplateParameterOption(buildParameter, tvp.Options) {
+		if len(tvp.Options) > 0 && !isValidTemplateParameterOption(buildParameter, *tvp) {
 			continue // do not propagate invalid options
 		}
 
@@ -365,7 +366,7 @@ func (pr *ParameterResolver) isLastBuildParameterInvalidOption(templateVersionPa
 
 	for _, buildParameter := range pr.lastBuildParameters {
 		if buildParameter.Name == templateVersionParameter.Name {
-			return !isValidTemplateParameterOption(buildParameter, templateVersionParameter.Options)
+			return !isValidTemplateParameterOption(buildParameter, templateVersionParameter)
 		}
 	}
 	return false
@@ -389,8 +390,31 @@ func findWorkspaceBuildParameter(parameterName string, params []codersdk.Workspa
 	return nil
 }
 
-func isValidTemplateParameterOption(buildParameter codersdk.WorkspaceBuildParameter, options []codersdk.TemplateVersionParameterOption) bool {
-	for _, opt := range options {
+func isValidTemplateParameterOption(buildParameter codersdk.WorkspaceBuildParameter, templateVersionParameter codersdk.TemplateVersionParameter) bool {
+	// Multi-select parameters store values as a JSON array (e.g.
+	// '["vim","emacs"]'), so we need to parse the array and validate
+	// each element individually against the allowed options.
+	if templateVersionParameter.Type == "list(string)" {
+		var values []string
+		if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(buildParameter.Value), &values); err != nil {
+			return false
+		}
+		for _, v := range values {
+			found := false
+			for _, opt := range templateVersionParameter.Options {
+				if opt.Value == v {
+					found = true
+					break
+				}
+			}
+			if !found {
+				return false
+			}
+		}
+		return true
+	}
+
+	for _, opt := range templateVersionParameter.Options {
 		if opt.Value == buildParameter.Value {
 			return true
 		}
diff --git a/cli/parameterresolver_internal_test.go b/cli/parameterresolver_internal_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..244627c58e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/parameterresolver_internal_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+
+	"github.com/coder/coder/v2/codersdk"
+)
+
+func TestIsValidTemplateParameterOption(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	options := []codersdk.TemplateVersionParameterOption{
+		{Name: "Vim", Value: "vim"},
+		{Name: "Emacs", Value: "emacs"},
+		{Name: "VS Code", Value: "vscode"},
+	}
+
+	t.Run("SingleSelectValid", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		bp := codersdk.WorkspaceBuildParameter{Name: "editor", Value: "vim"}
+		tvp := codersdk.TemplateVersionParameter{
+			Name:    "editor",
+			Type:    "string",
+			Options: options,
+		}
+		assert.True(t, isValidTemplateParameterOption(bp, tvp))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("SingleSelectInvalid", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		bp := codersdk.WorkspaceBuildParameter{Name: "editor", Value: "notepad"}
+		tvp := codersdk.TemplateVersionParameter{
+			Name:    "editor",
+			Type:    "string",
+			Options: options,
+		}
+		assert.False(t, isValidTemplateParameterOption(bp, tvp))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("MultiSelectAllValid", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		bp := codersdk.WorkspaceBuildParameter{Name: "editors", Value: `["vim","emacs"]`}
+		tvp := codersdk.TemplateVersionParameter{
+			Name:    "editors",
+			Type:    "list(string)",
+			Options: options,
+		}
+		assert.True(t, isValidTemplateParameterOption(bp, tvp))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("MultiSelectOneInvalid", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		bp := codersdk.WorkspaceBuildParameter{Name: "editors", Value: `["vim","notepad"]`}
+		tvp := codersdk.TemplateVersionParameter{
+			Name:    "editors",
+			Type:    "list(string)",
+			Options: options,
+		}
+		assert.False(t, isValidTemplateParameterOption(bp, tvp))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("MultiSelectEmptyArray", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		bp := codersdk.WorkspaceBuildParameter{Name: "editors", Value: `[]`}
+		tvp := codersdk.TemplateVersionParameter{
+			Name:    "editors",
+			Type:    "list(string)",
+			Options: options,
+		}
+		assert.True(t, isValidTemplateParameterOption(bp, tvp))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("MultiSelectInvalidJSON", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		bp := codersdk.WorkspaceBuildParameter{Name: "editors", Value: `not-json`}
+		tvp := codersdk.TemplateVersionParameter{
+			Name:    "editors",
+			Type:    "list(string)",
+			Options: options,
+		}
+		assert.False(t, isValidTemplateParameterOption(bp, tvp))
+	})
+}