diff --git a/choose/command.go b/choose/command.go
index deb3743..56d55ed 100644
--- a/choose/command.go
+++ b/choose/command.go
@@ -48,15 +48,13 @@ func (o Options) Run() error {
 
 	// Keep track of the selected items.
 	currentSelected := 0
-	// Parse the selected items.
-	selectedItems := parseSelectedItems(o.Selected)
 	// Check if selected items should be used.
-	hasSelectedItems := o.Limit > 1 && len(selectedItems) > 0
+	hasSelectedItems := o.Limit > 1 && len(o.Selected) > 0
 
 	var items = make([]item, len(o.Options))
 	for i, option := range o.Options {
 		// Check if the option should be selected.
-		isSelected := hasSelectedItems && currentSelected < o.Limit && arrayContains(selectedItems, option)
+		isSelected := hasSelectedItems && currentSelected < o.Limit && arrayContains(o.Selected, option)
 		// If the option is selected then increment the current selected count.
 		if isSelected {
 			currentSelected++
@@ -123,15 +121,6 @@ func (o Options) BeforeReset(ctx *kong.Context) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// Parse the options that should start selected.
-func parseSelectedItems(selected string) []string {
-	selectedItems := strings.Split(strings.TrimSpace(selected), ",")
-	for i, selected := range selectedItems {
-		selectedItems[i] = strings.TrimSpace(selected)
-	}
-	return selectedItems
-}
-
 // Check if an array contains a value.
 func arrayContains(strArray []string, value string) bool {
 	for _, str := range strArray {
diff --git a/choose/options.go b/choose/options.go
index 6c77d4a..d768f2d 100644
--- a/choose/options.go
+++ b/choose/options.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ type Options struct {
 	CursorPrefix      string       `help:"Prefix to show on the cursor item (hidden if limit is 1)" default:"[•] " env:"GUM_CHOOSE_CURSOR_PREFIX"`
 	SelectedPrefix    string       `help:"Prefix to show on selected items (hidden if limit is 1)" default:"[✕] " env:"GUM_CHOOSE_SELECTED_PREFIX"`
 	UnselectedPrefix  string       `help:"Prefix to show on unselected items (hidden if limit is 1)" default:"[ ] " env:"GUM_CHOOSE_UNSELECTED_PREFIX"`
-	Selected          string       `help:"Options that should start as selected" default:"" env:"GUM_CHOOSE_SELECTED"`
+	Selected          []string     `help:"Options that should start as selected" default:"" env:"GUM_CHOOSE_SELECTED"`
 	CursorStyle       style.Styles `embed:"" prefix:"cursor." set:"defaultForeground=212" envprefix:"GUM_CHOOSE_CURSOR_"`
 	ItemStyle         style.Styles `embed:"" prefix:"item." hidden:"" envprefix:"GUM_CHOOSE_ITEM_"`
 	SelectedItemStyle style.Styles `embed:"" prefix:"selected." set:"defaultForeground=212" envprefix:"GUM_CHOOSE_SELECTED_"`