diff --git a/src/scgenerator/variableparameters.py b/src/scgenerator/variableparameters.py
index c930f25..bbf08cd 100644
--- a/src/scgenerator/variableparameters.py
+++ b/src/scgenerator/variableparameters.py
@@ -331,9 +331,13 @@ def sequence_from_specs(
         raise ValueError(f"kind {kind!r} not recognized")
 
 
-def get_sequence(value) -> np.ndarray:
-    if isinstance(value, (Sequence, np.ndarray)):
-        if isinstance(value[0], Sequence):
+def get_sequence(value) -> np.ndarray | list[str]:
+    if isinstance(value, str):
+        return [value]
+    elif isinstance(value, (Sequence, np.ndarray)):
+        if isinstance(value[0], str):
+            return value
+        elif isinstance(value[0], Sequence):
             value = sequence_from_specs(*value[0])
         return np.asanyarray(value)
     else:
diff --git a/tests/test_variableparameters.py b/tests/test_variableparameters.py
index 10314b7..b46958f 100644
--- a/tests/test_variableparameters.py
+++ b/tests/test_variableparameters.py
@@ -94,6 +94,21 @@ def test_constant_number():
         conf.y(1)
 
 
+def test_non_numbers():
+    @vdataclass
+    class Conf:
+        x: Variable = vfield(default=["Hello", "World"])
+        y: Variable = vfield()
+
+    conf = Conf(y=("a", "b", "c"))
+    assert conf.x(0) == "Hello"
+    assert conf.y(0) == "a"
+    assert conf.y(1) == "b"
+    assert conf.y(2) == "c"
+
+    assert conf.x(3) == "World"
+
+
 def test_constant_list():
     """classes with constant fields don't increase size and always return the constant"""