diff --git a/src/debugpy/launcher/handlers.py b/src/debugpy/launcher/handlers.py
index 2544e10f..3a5d2331 100644
--- a/src/debugpy/launcher/handlers.py
+++ b/src/debugpy/launcher/handlers.py
@@ -75,16 +75,16 @@ def launch_request(request):
 
     program = module = code = ()
     if "program" in request:
-        program = request("program", json.array(unicode, vectorize=True, size=(1,)))
-        cmdline += program
-        process_name = program[0]
+        program = request("program", unicode)
+        cmdline += [program]
+        process_name = program
     if "module" in request:
-        module = request("module", json.array(unicode, vectorize=True, size=(1,)))
-        cmdline += ["-m"] + module
-        process_name = module[0]
+        module = request("module", unicode)
+        cmdline += ["-m", module]
+        process_name = module
     if "code" in request:
         code = request("code", json.array(unicode, vectorize=True, size=(1,)))
-        cmdline += ["-c"] + code
+        cmdline += ["-c", "\n".join(code)]
         process_name = python[0]
 
     num_targets = len([x for x in (program, module, code) if x != ()])
diff --git a/tests/debug/targets.py b/tests/debug/targets.py
index 60084ab4..a9d88f9b 100644
--- a/tests/debug/targets.py
+++ b/tests/debug/targets.py
@@ -82,9 +82,8 @@ class Program(Target):
         return fmt("program {0!j}", self.filename)
 
     def configure(self, session):
-        session.config["program"] = (
-            [self.filename] + self.args if len(self.args) else self.filename
-        )
+        session.config["program"] = self.filename
+        session.config["args"] = self.args
 
     def cli(self, env):
         return [self.filename.strpath] + list(self.args)
@@ -108,9 +107,8 @@ class Module(Target):
         return fmt("module {0}", self.name)
 
     def configure(self, session):
-        session.config["module"] = (
-            [self.name] + self.args if len(self.args) else self.name
-        )
+        session.config["module"] = self.name
+        session.config["args"] = self.args
 
     def cli(self, env):
         if self.filename is not None:
@@ -137,9 +135,8 @@ class Code(Target):
         return fmt("code: {0!j}", lines)
 
     def configure(self, session):
-        session.config["code"] = (
-            [self.code] + self.args if len(self.args) else self.code
-        )
+        session.config["code"] = self.code
+        session.config["args"] = self.args
 
     def cli(self, env):
         return ["-c", self.code] + list(self.args)