diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index d87de84b..54db8dc2 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+- fix `q` query parameter parsing of advanced free-text search on GET request
+
 ## [6.0.0] - 2025-06-19
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/stac_fastapi/extensions/stac_fastapi/extensions/core/free_text/request.py b/stac_fastapi/extensions/stac_fastapi/extensions/core/free_text/request.py
index 67de422d..5ac59f1d 100644
--- a/stac_fastapi/extensions/stac_fastapi/extensions/core/free_text/request.py
+++ b/stac_fastapi/extensions/stac_fastapi/extensions/core/free_text/request.py
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ class FreeTextAdvancedExtensionGetRequest(APIRequest):
     """Free-text Extension GET request model."""
 
     q: Annotated[
-        Optional[str],
+        Optional[List[str]],
         Query(
             description="Parameter to perform free-text queries against STAC metadata",
             openapi_examples={
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class FreeTextAdvancedExtensionGetRequest(APIRequest):
                 "Coastal": {"value": "ocean,coast"},
             },
         ),
-    ] = attr.ib(default=None)
+    ] = attr.ib(default=None, converter=_ft_converter)
 
 
 class FreeTextAdvancedExtensionPostRequest(BaseModel):