diff --git a/crates/pile-dataset/src/index/index_fts.rs b/crates/pile-dataset/src/index/index_fts.rs
index 2b44652..f40b8f8 100644
--- a/crates/pile-dataset/src/index/index_fts.rs
+++ b/crates/pile-dataset/src/index/index_fts.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use pile_config::{ConfigToml, DatasetFts, Label};
+use pile_config::{ConfigToml, DatasetFts, Label, objectpath::ObjectPath};
 use pile_value::{
 	extract::traits::ExtractState,
 	value::{Item, PileValue},
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use tantivy::{
 	query::QueryParser,
 	schema::{self, Schema, Value as TantivyValue},
 };
-use tracing::{debug, trace, warn};
+use tracing::warn;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct FtsLookupResult {
@@ -79,18 +79,12 @@ impl DbFtsIndex {
 
 		let mut empty = true;
 		for name in self.fts_cfg().fields.keys() {
-			let x = self.get_field(state, &item, name).await?;
+			let vals = self.get_field(state, &item, name).await?;
+			let field = self.schema.get_field(name)?;
 
-			let val = match x {
-				Some(x) => x,
-				None => continue,
-			};
-
-			empty = false;
-
-			let field = self.schema.get_field(name);
-			if let Ok(field) = field {
-				doc.add_text(field, val);
+			for v in vals {
+				empty = false;
+				doc.add_text(field, v);
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -106,110 +100,29 @@ impl DbFtsIndex {
 		state: &ExtractState,
 		extractor: &PileValue,
 		field_name: &Label,
-	) -> Result<Option<String>, std::io::Error> {
+	) -> Result<Vec<String>, std::io::Error> {
 		let field = match self.cfg.schema.get(field_name) {
 			Some(x) => x,
 			None => {
 				warn!("Unknown field {field_name:?}");
-				return Ok(None);
+				return Ok(Vec::new());
 			}
 		};
 
 		// Try paths in order, using the first value we find
-		'outer: for path in field.path.as_slice() {
+		for path in field.path.as_slice() {
 			let val = match extractor.query(state, path).await? {
 				Some(x) => x,
-				None => return Ok(None),
+				None => continue,
 			};
 
-			let mut val = match val {
-				PileValue::Null => {
-					trace!(
-						message = "Skipping field, is null",
-						field = field_name.to_string(),
-						?path,
-						// value = ?val
-					);
-					continue;
-				}
-				x => x.clone(),
-			};
-
-			loop {
-				val = match val {
-					PileValue::String(x) => return Ok(Some(x.to_string())),
-					PileValue::U64(x) => return Ok(Some(x.to_string())),
-					PileValue::I64(x) => return Ok(Some(x.to_string())),
-
-					PileValue::Array(x) => {
-						if x.len() == 1 {
-							x[0].clone()
-						} else if x.len() > 1 {
-							debug!(
-								message = "Skipping field, is array with more than one element",
-								field = field_name.to_string(),
-								?path,
-							);
-							continue 'outer;
-						} else {
-							debug!(
-								message = "Skipping field, is empty array",
-								field = field_name.to_string(),
-								?path,
-							);
-							continue 'outer;
-						}
-					}
-
-					PileValue::Null => {
-						trace!(
-							message = "Skipping field, is null",
-							field = field_name.to_string(),
-							?path,
-						);
-						continue 'outer;
-					}
-
-					PileValue::ObjectExtractor(_) => {
-						trace!(
-							message = "Skipping field, is object",
-							field = field_name.to_string(),
-							?path,
-						);
-						continue 'outer;
-					}
-
-					PileValue::Item(_) => {
-						trace!(
-							message = "Skipping field, is item",
-							field = field_name.to_string(),
-							?path,
-						);
-						continue 'outer;
-					}
-
-					PileValue::ListExtractor(_) => {
-						trace!(
-							message = "Skipping field, is ListExtractor",
-							field = field_name.to_string(),
-							?path,
-						);
-						continue 'outer;
-					}
-
-					PileValue::Blob { .. } => {
-						trace!(
-							message = "Skipping field, is blob",
-							field = field_name.to_string(),
-							?path,
-						);
-						continue 'outer;
-					}
-				}
+			let val = val_to_string(state, &val, path, field_name).await?;
+			if !val.is_empty() {
+				return Ok(val);
 			}
 		}
 
-		return Ok(None);
+		return Ok(Vec::new());
 	}
 
 	/// Run the given query on this table's ftx index.
@@ -298,3 +211,42 @@ impl DbFtsIndex {
 		return Ok(out);
 	}
 }
+
+async fn val_to_string(
+	state: &ExtractState,
+	val: &PileValue,
+	path: &ObjectPath,
+	field_name: &str,
+) -> Result<Vec<String>, std::io::Error> {
+	match val {
+		PileValue::String(x) => return Ok(vec![x.to_string()]),
+		PileValue::U64(x) => return Ok(vec![x.to_string()]),
+		PileValue::I64(x) => return Ok(vec![x.to_string()]),
+
+		PileValue::Array(x) => {
+			let mut out = Vec::new();
+			for x in x.iter() {
+				out.extend(Box::pin(val_to_string(state, x, path, field_name)).await?);
+			}
+			return Ok(out);
+		}
+
+		#[expect(clippy::unwrap_used)]
+		PileValue::ListExtractor(x) => {
+			let mut out = Vec::new();
+			let len = x.len(state).await?;
+			for i in 0..len {
+				let v = x.get(state, i).await?;
+				out.extend(Box::pin(val_to_string(state, &v.unwrap(), path, field_name)).await?);
+			}
+			return Ok(out);
+		}
+
+		PileValue::Null => {}
+		PileValue::ObjectExtractor(_) => {}
+		PileValue::Item(_) => {}
+		PileValue::Blob { .. } => {}
+	}
+
+	return Ok(Vec::new());
+}
diff --git a/crates/pile/src/command/annotate.rs b/crates/pile/src/command/annotate.rs
index e2bd83f..9f95fb5 100644
--- a/crates/pile/src/command/annotate.rs
+++ b/crates/pile/src/command/annotate.rs
@@ -77,18 +77,16 @@ impl CliCmd for AnnotateCommand {
 						};
 
 						let item = PileValue::Item(item.clone());
-						let Some(value) = index
-							.get_field(&state, &item, &field)
-							.await
-							.with_context(|| {
-								format!("while extracting field from {}", path.display())
-							})?
-						else {
-							continue;
-						};
+						let vals =
+							index
+								.get_field(&state, &item, &field)
+								.await
+								.with_context(|| {
+									format!("while extracting field from {}", path.display())
+								})?;
 
 						// TODO: implement sidecar writing
-						let _ = (&dest_path, &value);
+						let _ = (&dest_path, &vals);
 						todo!("write_sidecar not yet implemented");
 
 						#[expect(unreachable_code)]