diff --git a/cgi-bin/request/asos1min.py b/cgi-bin/request/asos1min.py
index 0b180c49de..2639f61ff4 100644
--- a/cgi-bin/request/asos1min.py
+++ b/cgi-bin/request/asos1min.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 from pyiem.exceptions import IncompleteWebRequest
 from pyiem.util import get_dbconnc
-from pyiem.webutil import iemapp
+from pyiem.webutil import ensure_list, iemapp
 
 SAMPLING = {
     "1min": 1,
@@ -74,23 +74,18 @@ def compute_prefixes(sio, form, delim, stations, tz) -> dict:
 @iemapp()
 def application(environ, start_response):
     """Handle mod_wsgi request."""
-    stations = environ.get("station", [])
+    stations = ensure_list(environ, "station")
     if not stations:  # legacy php
-        stations = environ.get("station[]", [])
-    # Ensure stations is a list
-    if isinstance(stations, str):
-        stations = [stations]
+        stations = ensure_list(environ, "station[]")
     if not stations:
         raise IncompleteWebRequest("No station= was specified in request.")
     delim = DELIM[environ.get("delim", "comma")]
     sample = SAMPLING[environ.get("sample", "1min")]
     what = environ.get("what", "dl")
     tz = environ.get("tz", "UTC")
-    varnames = environ.get("vars", [])
+    varnames = ensure_list(environ, "vars")
     if not varnames:  # legacy php
-        varnames = environ.get("vars[]", [])
-    if isinstance(varnames, str):
-        varnames = [varnames]
+        varnames = ensure_list(environ, "vars[]")
     if not varnames:
         raise IncompleteWebRequest("No vars= was specified in request.")
     pgconn, cursor = get_dbconnc("asos1min")
diff --git a/cgi-bin/request/daily.py b/cgi-bin/request/daily.py
index 06efa7f05d..f7f2517924 100644
--- a/cgi-bin/request/daily.py
+++ b/cgi-bin/request/daily.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 from pyiem.exceptions import IncompleteWebRequest
 from pyiem.network import Table as NetworkTable
 from pyiem.util import get_dbconn, get_sqlalchemy_conn
-from pyiem.webutil import iemapp
+from pyiem.webutil import ensure_list, iemapp
 from sqlalchemy import text
 
 EXL = "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet"
@@ -138,20 +138,14 @@ def application(environ, start_response):
         return [b"ERROR: server over capacity, please try later"]
 
     fmt = environ.get("format", "csv")
-    stations = environ.get("stations", [])
-    if isinstance(stations, str):
-        stations = [stations]
+    stations = ensure_list(environ, "stations")
     if not stations:
-        stations = environ.get("station", [])
-        if isinstance(stations, str):
-            stations = [stations]
+        stations = ensure_list(environ, "station")
     if not stations:
         start_response("200 OK", [("Content-type", "text/plain")])
         return [b"ERROR: No stations specified for request"]
     network = environ.get("network")[:12]
-    cols = environ.get("var", [])
-    if isinstance(cols, str):
-        cols = [cols]
+    cols = ensure_list(environ, "var")
     na = environ.get("na", "None")
     if na not in ["M", "None", "blank"]:
         start_response("200 OK", [("Content-type", "text/plain")])
diff --git a/cgi-bin/request/gis/lsr.py b/cgi-bin/request/gis/lsr.py
index f6635a1e11..1c781afcc6 100644
--- a/cgi-bin/request/gis/lsr.py
+++ b/cgi-bin/request/gis/lsr.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 import shapefile
 from pyiem.exceptions import IncompleteWebRequest
 from pyiem.util import get_dbconn, get_sqlalchemy_conn, utc
-from pyiem.webutil import iemapp
+from pyiem.webutil import ensure_list, iemapp
 
 fiona.supported_drivers["KML"] = "rw"
 EXL = "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet"
@@ -114,17 +114,13 @@ def application(environ, start_response):
     statelimiter = ""
     for opt in ["state", "states", "states[]"]:
         if opt in environ:
-            aStates = environ.get(opt, [])
-            if isinstance(aStates, str):
-                aStates = [aStates]
+            aStates = ensure_list(environ, opt)
             aStates.append("XX")
             if "_ALL" not in aStates:
                 statelimiter = f" and l.state in {tuple(aStates)} "
     wfoLimiter = ""
     if "wfo[]" in environ:
-        aWFO = environ.get("wfo[]", [])
-        if isinstance(aWFO, str):
-            aWFO = [aWFO]
+        aWFO = ensure_list(environ, "wfo[]")
         aWFO.append("XXX")  # Hack to make next section work
         if "ALL" not in aWFO:
             wfoLimiter = f" and l.wfo in {tuple(aWFO)} "
diff --git a/cgi-bin/request/gis/watchwarn.py b/cgi-bin/request/gis/watchwarn.py
index ba3d9e8579..ab03f1d881 100644
--- a/cgi-bin/request/gis/watchwarn.py
+++ b/cgi-bin/request/gis/watchwarn.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 import pandas as pd
 from pyiem.exceptions import IncompleteWebRequest
 from pyiem.util import get_dbconnc, get_sqlalchemy_conn, utc
-from pyiem.webutil import iemapp
+from pyiem.webutil import ensure_list, iemapp
 from shapely.geometry import mapping
 from shapely.wkb import loads
 
@@ -34,17 +34,13 @@ def parse_wfo_location_group(form):
     """Parse wfoLimiter"""
     limiter = ""
     if "wfo[]" in form:
-        wfos = form.get("wfo[]", [])
-        if not isinstance(wfos, list):
-            wfos = [wfos]
+        wfos = ensure_list(form, "wfo[]")
         wfos.append("XXX")  # Hack to make next section work
         if "ALL" not in wfos:
             limiter = f" and w.wfo in {tuple(char3(wfos))} "
 
     if "wfos[]" in form:
-        wfos = form.get("wfos[]", [])
-        if not isinstance(wfos, list):
-            wfos = [wfos]
+        wfos = ensure_list(form, "wfos[]")
         wfos.append("XXX")  # Hack to make next section work
         if "ALL" not in wfos:
             limiter = f" and w.wfo in {tuple(char3(wfos))} "
@@ -59,9 +55,7 @@ def build_sql(environ):
     location_group = environ.get("location_group", "wfo")
     if location_group == "states":
         if "states[]" in environ:
-            arstates = environ.get("states[]", [])
-            if not isinstance(arstates, list):
-                arstates = [arstates]
+            arstates = ensure_list(environ, "states[]")
             states = [x[:2].upper() for x in arstates]
             states.append("XX")  # Hack for 1 length
             wfo_limiter = (
diff --git a/cgi-bin/request/talltowers.py b/cgi-bin/request/talltowers.py
index d53b539b90..6fe31bba0b 100644
--- a/cgi-bin/request/talltowers.py
+++ b/cgi-bin/request/talltowers.py
@@ -70,15 +70,9 @@ def application(environ, start_response):
     fmt = environ.get("format")
     # Build out our variable list
     tokens = []
-    zz = environ.get("z", [])
-    if isinstance(zz, str):
-        zz = [zz]
-    varnames = environ.get("var", [])
-    if isinstance(varnames, str):
-        varnames = [varnames]
-    aggs = environ.get("agg", [])
-    if isinstance(aggs, str):
-        aggs = [aggs]
+    zz = ensure_list(environ, "z")
+    varnames = ensure_list(environ, "var")
+    aggs = ensure_list(environ, "agg")
     for z in zz:
         for v in varnames:
             v1 = v