diff --git a/awscli/argprocess.py b/awscli/argprocess.py
index 816fa12de20c..a59ec727f45d 100644
--- a/awscli/argprocess.py
+++ b/awscli/argprocess.py
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ def _list_scalar_list_parse(self, param, value):
                     current_value = unpack_scalar_cli_arg(args[current_key],
                                                           current[1].strip())
                     if args[current_key].type == 'list':
-                        current_parsed[current_key] = [current_value]
+                        current_parsed[current_key] = current_value.split(',')
                     else:
                         current_parsed[current_key] = current_value
                 elif current_key is not None:
diff --git a/awscli/utils.py b/awscli/utils.py
index 9fb6c6573aea..414474f1bc29 100644
--- a/awscli/utils.py
+++ b/awscli/utils.py
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@
 
 
 def split_on_commas(value):
-    if '"' not in value and '\\' not in value and "'" not in value:
+    if not any(char in value for char in ['"', '\\', "'", ']', '[']):
         # No quotes or escaping, just use a simple split.
         return value.split(',')
-    elif '"' not in value and "'" not in value:
+    elif not any(char in value for char in ['"', "'", '[', ']']):
         # Simple escaping, let the csv module handle it.
         return list(csv.reader(six.StringIO(value), escapechar='\\'))[0]
     else:
@@ -36,8 +36,21 @@ def _split_with_quotes(value):
     iter_parts = iter(parts)
     new_parts = []
     for part in iter_parts:
+        # Find the first quote
         quote_char = _find_quote_char_in_part(part)
-        if quote_char is None:
+
+        # Find an opening list bracket
+        list_start = part.find('=[')
+
+        if list_start >= 0 and value.find(']') != -1 and \
+           (quote_char is None or part.find(quote_char) > list_start):
+            # This is a list, eat all the items until the end
+            new_chunk = _eat_items(value, iter_parts, part, ']')
+            list_items = _split_with_quotes(new_chunk[list_start + 2:-1])
+            new_chunk = new_chunk[:list_start + 1] + ','.join(list_items)
+            new_parts.append(new_chunk)
+            continue
+        elif quote_char is None:
             new_parts.append(part)
             continue
         elif part.count(quote_char) == 2:
@@ -49,21 +62,29 @@ def _split_with_quotes(value):
             continue
         # Now that we've found a starting quote char, we
         # need to combine the parts until we encounter an end quote.
-        current = part
-        chunks = [current.replace(quote_char, '')]
-        while True:
-            try:
-                current = six.advance_iterator(iter_parts)
-            except StopIteration:
-                raise ValueError(value)
-            chunks.append(current.replace(quote_char, ''))
-            if quote_char in current:
-                break
-        new_chunk = ','.join(chunks)
+        new_chunk = _eat_items(value, iter_parts, part, quote_char, quote_char)
         new_parts.append(new_chunk)
     return new_parts
 
 
+def _eat_items(value, iter_parts, part, end_char, replace_char=''):
+    """
+    Eat items from an iterator, optionally replacing characters with
+    a blank and stopping when the end_char has been reached.
+    """
+    current = part
+    chunks = [current.replace(replace_char, '')]
+    while True:
+        try:
+            current = six.advance_iterator(iter_parts)
+        except StopIteration:
+            raise ValueError(value)
+        chunks.append(current.replace(replace_char, ''))
+        if end_char in current:
+            break
+    return ','.join(chunks)
+
+
 def _find_quote_char_in_part(part):
     if '"' not in part and "'" not in part:
         return
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_argprocess.py b/tests/unit/test_argprocess.py
index 5d6ef8a260af..3356006cc659 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_argprocess.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_argprocess.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 from awscli.argprocess import ParamError
 from awscli.argprocess import ParamUnknownKeyError
 from awscli.argprocess import uri_param
+from awscli.arguments import CustomArgument
 
 
 MAPHELP = """--attributes key_name=string,key_name2=string
@@ -194,6 +195,41 @@ def test_list_structure_list_scalar_2(self):
 
         self.assertEqual(simplified, expected)
 
+    def test_list_structure_list_scalar_3(self):
+        arg = CustomArgument('foo', schema={
+            'type': 'array',
+            'items': {
+                'type': 'object',
+                'properties': {
+                    'Name': {
+                        'type': 'string'
+                    },
+                    'Args': {
+                        'type': 'array',
+                        'items': {
+                            'type': 'string'
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        })
+        arg.create_argument_object()
+        p = arg.argument_object
+
+        expected = [
+            {"Name": "foo",
+             "Args": ["a", "k1=v1", "b"]},
+            {"Name": "bar",
+             "Args": ["baz"]}
+        ]
+
+        simplified = self.simplify(p, [
+            "Name=foo,Args=[a,k1=v1,b]",
+            "Name=bar,Args=baz"
+        ])
+
+        self.assertEqual(simplified, expected)
+
     def test_list_structure_list_multiple_scalar(self):
         p = self.get_param_object('elastictranscoder.CreateJob.Playlists')
         returned = self.simplify(
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_utils.py b/tests/unit/test_utils.py
index 37501a6d50af..16d3eeb20484 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_utils.py
@@ -62,3 +62,23 @@ def test_trailing_commas(self):
     def test_escape_backslash(self):
         self.assertEqual(split_on_commas('foo,bar\\\\,baz\\\\,qux'),
                          ['foo', 'bar\\', 'baz\\', 'qux'])
+
+    def test_square_brackets(self):
+        self.assertEqual(split_on_commas('foo,bar=["a=b",\'2\',c=d],baz'),
+                         ['foo', 'bar=a=b,2,c=d', 'baz'])
+
+    def test_quoted_square_brackets(self):
+        self.assertEqual(split_on_commas('foo,bar="[blah]",c=d],baz'),
+                         ['foo', 'bar=[blah]', 'c=d]', 'baz'])
+
+    def test_missing_bracket(self):
+        self.assertEqual(split_on_commas('foo,bar=[a,baz'),
+                         ['foo', 'bar=[a', 'baz'])
+
+    def test_missing_bracket2(self):
+        self.assertEqual(split_on_commas('foo,bar=a],baz'),
+                         ['foo', 'bar=a]', 'baz'])
+
+    def test_bracket_in_middle(self):
+        self.assertEqual(split_on_commas('foo,bar=a[b][c],baz'),
+                         ['foo', 'bar=a[b][c]', 'baz'])