diff --git a/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/agents/middlewares/clarification_middleware.py b/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/agents/middlewares/clarification_middleware.py
index 5074d8d2..dfcc41b2 100644
--- a/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/agents/middlewares/clarification_middleware.py
+++ b/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/agents/middlewares/clarification_middleware.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 """Middleware for intercepting clarification requests and presenting them to the user."""
 
+import json
 import logging
 from collections.abc import Callable
 from typing import override
@@ -35,6 +36,28 @@ class ClarificationMiddleware(AgentMiddleware[ClarificationMiddlewareState]):
 
     state_schema = ClarificationMiddlewareState
 
+    def _normalize_options(self, options: object) -> list[str]:
+        """Normalize clarification options into a list of display strings."""
+        if options is None:
+            return []
+
+        if isinstance(options, list):
+            return [str(option) for option in options]
+
+        if isinstance(options, str):
+            stripped = options.strip()
+            if not stripped:
+                return []
+            try:
+                parsed = json.loads(stripped)
+            except json.JSONDecodeError:
+                return [stripped]
+            if isinstance(parsed, list):
+                return [str(option) for option in parsed]
+            return [str(parsed)]
+
+        return [str(options)]
+
     def _is_chinese(self, text: str) -> bool:
         """Check if text contains Chinese characters.
 
@@ -58,7 +81,7 @@ class ClarificationMiddleware(AgentMiddleware[ClarificationMiddlewareState]):
         question = args.get("question", "")
         clarification_type = args.get("clarification_type", "missing_info")
         context = args.get("context")
-        options = args.get("options", [])
+        options = self._normalize_options(args.get("options"))
 
         # Type-specific icons
         type_icons = {
@@ -84,7 +107,7 @@ class ClarificationMiddleware(AgentMiddleware[ClarificationMiddlewareState]):
             message_parts.append(f"{icon} {question}")
 
         # Add options in a cleaner format
-        if options and len(options) > 0:
+        if options:
             message_parts.append("")  # blank line for spacing
             for i, option in enumerate(options, 1):
                 message_parts.append(f"  {i}. {option}")