diff --git a/features/steps/ticket_steps.py b/features/steps/ticket_steps.py
index 276eb278..97cb0950 100644
--- a/features/steps/ticket_steps.py
+++ b/features/steps/ticket_steps.py
@@ -166,6 +166,26 @@ def step_ticket_linked_to(context, ticket_id, link_id):
     link_path.write_text(content)
 
 
+@given(r'ticket "(?P<ticket_id>[^"]+)" has tags \[(?P<tags>[^\]]+)\]')
+def step_ticket_has_tags(context, ticket_id, tags):
+    """Set tags on a ticket using quoted YAML array format."""
+    ticket_path = Path(context.test_dir) / '.tickets' / f'{ticket_id}.md'
+    content = ticket_path.read_text()
+
+    # Format tags as quoted YAML array: ["tag1", "tag2"]
+    tags_list = [tag.strip().strip('"') for tag in tags.split(',')]
+    yaml_tags = '[' + ', '.join(f'"{tag}"' for tag in tags_list) + ']'
+
+    # Check if tags field exists
+    if re.search(r'^tags:', content, re.MULTILINE):
+        content = re.sub(r'^tags:.*$', f'tags: {yaml_tags}', content, flags=re.MULTILINE)
+    else:
+        # Add tags field after priority
+        content = re.sub(r'^(priority: \d+)$', rf'\1\ntags: {yaml_tags}', content, flags=re.MULTILINE)
+
+    ticket_path.write_text(content)
+
+
 @given(r'ticket "(?P<ticket_id>[^"]+)" has a notes section')
 def step_ticket_has_notes(context, ticket_id):
     """Ensure ticket has a notes section."""
@@ -591,6 +611,40 @@ def step_jsonl_deps_is_array(context):
     raise AssertionError("No JSONL line with deps field found")
 
 
+@then(r'the JSONL tags field should be a JSON array')
+def step_jsonl_tags_is_array(context):
+    """Assert tags field in JSONL is an array."""
+    lines = context.stdout.strip().split('\n')
+    assert lines, "No JSONL output"
+
+    for line in lines:
+        if line.strip():
+            data = json.loads(line)
+            if 'tags' in data:
+                assert isinstance(data['tags'], list), \
+                    f"tags field is not an array: {type(data['tags'])}\nActual value: {data['tags']}\nFull line: {line}"
+                return
+    raise AssertionError("No JSONL line with tags field found")
+
+
+@then(r'the JSONL tags field should contain "(?P<tag>[^"]+)"')
+def step_jsonl_tags_contains(context, tag):
+    """Assert tags field in JSONL contains a specific tag."""
+    lines = context.stdout.strip().split('\n')
+    assert lines, "No JSONL output"
+
+    for line in lines:
+        if line.strip():
+            data = json.loads(line)
+            if 'tags' in data:
+                assert isinstance(data['tags'], list), \
+                    f"tags field is not an array: {type(data['tags'])}"
+                assert tag in data['tags'], \
+                    f"Tag '{tag}' not found in tags: {data['tags']}\nFull line: {line}"
+                return
+    raise AssertionError("No JSONL line with tags field found")
+
+
 @then(r'the dep tree output should have (?P<first_id>[^\s]+) before (?P<second_id>[^\s]+)')
 def step_dep_tree_order(context, first_id, second_id):
     """Assert that first_id appears before second_id in dep tree output."""
diff --git a/features/ticket_query.feature b/features/ticket_query.feature
index 2ccafe70..e23fcdec 100644
--- a/features/ticket_query.feature
+++ b/features/ticket_query.feature
@@ -46,3 +46,13 @@ Feature: Ticket Query
     When I run "ticket query"
     Then the command should succeed
     And the JSONL deps field should be a JSON array
+
+  Scenario: Query handles quoted tags in YAML
+    Given a ticket exists with ID "query-001" and title "Tagged ticket"
+    And ticket "query-001" has tags ["simplification-opportunity", "refactor"]
+    When I run "ticket query"
+    Then the command should succeed
+    And the output should be valid JSONL
+    And the JSONL tags field should be a JSON array
+    And the JSONL tags field should contain "simplification-opportunity"
+    And the JSONL tags field should contain "refactor"
diff --git a/ticket b/ticket
index 452adda4..71f3219d 100755
--- a/ticket
+++ b/ticket
@@ -1352,6 +1352,8 @@ cmd_query() {
                     for (j = 1; j <= n; j++) {
                         if (j > 1) printf ","
                         gsub(/^ +| +$/, "", items[j])
+                        # Strip quotes from items (handles both single and double quotes)
+                        gsub(/^["\047]|["\047]$/, "", items[j])
                         if (items[j] != "") printf "\"%s\"", items[j]
                     }
                     printf "]"