diff --git a/src/plugins/data_views/server/routes/fields_for.test.ts b/src/plugins/data_views/server/routes/fields_for.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..57d1465f8a9ee8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/data_views/server/routes/fields_for.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License
+ * 2.0 and the Server Side Public License, v 1; you may not use this file except
+ * in compliance with, at your election, the Elastic License 2.0 or the Server
+ * Side Public License, v 1.
+ */
+
+import { parseMetaFields } from './fields_for';
+
+describe('_fields_for_wildcard', () => {
+  describe('parseMetaFields', () => {
+    it('should throw if receiving a string of comma-separated values', () => {
+      const value = '_source,_id';
+      expect(() => parseMetaFields(value)).toThrowErrorMatchingInlineSnapshot(
+        `"metaFields should be an array of field names, a JSON-stringified array of field names, or a single field name"`
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('should parse a stringified list of values', () => {
+      const value = JSON.stringify(['_source', '_id']);
+      const fields = parseMetaFields(value);
+      expect(fields).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      Array [
+        "_source",
+        "_id",
+      ]
+    `);
+    });
+
+    it('should wrap a single value in an array', () => {
+      const value = '_source';
+      const fields = parseMetaFields(value);
+      expect(fields).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      Array [
+        "_source",
+      ]
+    `);
+    });
+
+    it('should return the array if already an array', () => {
+      const value = ['_source', '_id'];
+      const fields = parseMetaFields(value);
+      expect(fields).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      Array [
+        "_source",
+        "_id",
+      ]
+    `);
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/plugins/data_views/server/routes/fields_for.ts b/src/plugins/data_views/server/routes/fields_for.ts
index 415077258966de..8719fd5ce75491 100644
--- a/src/plugins/data_views/server/routes/fields_for.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/data_views/server/routes/fields_for.ts
@@ -17,14 +17,24 @@ import {
 import { IndexPatternsFetcher } from '../fetcher';
 import type { DataViewsServerPluginStart, DataViewsServerPluginStartDependencies } from '../types';
 
-const parseMetaFields = (metaFields: string | string[]) => {
-  let parsedFields: string[] = [];
-  if (typeof metaFields === 'string') {
-    parsedFields = JSON.parse(metaFields);
-  } else {
-    parsedFields = metaFields;
+/**
+ * Accepts one of the following:
+ * 1. An array of field names
+ * 2. A JSON-stringified array of field names
+ * 3. A single field name (not comma-separated)
+ * @returns an array of field names
+ * @param metaFields
+ */
+export const parseMetaFields = (metaFields: string | string[]): string[] => {
+  if (Array.isArray(metaFields)) return metaFields;
+  try {
+    return JSON.parse(metaFields);
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (!metaFields.includes(',')) return [metaFields];
+    throw new Error(
+      'metaFields should be an array of field names, a JSON-stringified array of field names, or a single field name'
+    );
   }
-  return parsedFields;
 };
 
 const path = '/api/index_patterns/_fields_for_wildcard';
@@ -32,7 +42,7 @@ const path = '/api/index_patterns/_fields_for_wildcard';
 type IBody = { index_filter?: estypes.QueryDslQueryContainer } | undefined;
 interface IQuery {
   pattern: string;
-  meta_fields: string[];
+  meta_fields: string | string[];
   type?: string;
   rollup_index?: string;
   allow_no_index?: boolean;
diff --git a/test/api_integration/apis/data_views/fields_for_wildcard_route/params.js b/test/api_integration/apis/data_views/fields_for_wildcard_route/params.js
index b91c307cc1743a..595d12f38c5014 100644
--- a/test/api_integration/apis/data_views/fields_for_wildcard_route/params.js
+++ b/test/api_integration/apis/data_views/fields_for_wildcard_route/params.js
@@ -49,6 +49,15 @@ export default function ({ getService }) {
         })
         .expect(200));
 
+    it('accepts single meta_fields query param', () =>
+      supertest
+        .get('/api/index_patterns/_fields_for_wildcard')
+        .query({
+          pattern: '*',
+          meta_fields: ['_id'],
+        })
+        .expect(200));
+
     it('rejects a comma-separated list of meta_fields', () =>
       supertest
         .get('/api/index_patterns/_fields_for_wildcard')