diff --git a/.dictionary b/.dictionary
index 939922cd..8df7bca1 100644
--- a/.dictionary
+++ b/.dictionary
@@ -10,3 +10,4 @@ ansible-.+
 toc
 GPL-3.0
 (P|p)re-(C|c)ommit
+JSON
diff --git a/ansibledoctor/annotation.py b/ansibledoctor/annotation.py
index de6560b1..4f7979d3 100644
--- a/ansibledoctor/annotation.py
+++ b/ansibledoctor/annotation.py
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ def _get_annotation_data(self, num, line, name, rfile):
 
         if parts[2] not in multiline_char and parts[2].startswith("$"):
             source = parts[2].replace("$", "").strip()
-            content = self._str_to_json(key, source, rfile, num, line)
+            content = self._str_to_json(key, source, rfile, num)
 
         item.data[key][parts[1]] = content
 
diff --git a/ansibledoctor/doc_parser.py b/ansibledoctor/doc_parser.py
index 7f79fb13..382ad13f 100644
--- a/ansibledoctor/doc_parser.py
+++ b/ansibledoctor/doc_parser.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ def _parse_task_tags(self):
 
                     tags = []
                     for task in raw:
-                        task_tags = task.get("tags")
+                        task_tags = task.get("tags", [])
                         if isinstance(task_tags, str):
                             task_tags = [task_tags]
 
diff --git a/docs/content/usage/configuration.md b/docs/content/usage/configuration.md
index e265af4c..6a7a4df1 100644
--- a/docs/content/usage/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/content/usage/configuration.md
@@ -127,11 +127,15 @@ options:
 
 ## Environment Variables
 
+{{< hint type=note >}}
+List configuration options need to be passed as JSON strings.
+{{< /hint >}}
+
 ```Shell
 ANSIBLE_DOCTOR_BASE_DIR=
 ANSIBLE_DOCTOR_DRY_RUN=False
-ANSIBLE_DOCTOR_EXCLUDE_FILES=
-ANSIBLE_DOCTOR_EXCLUDE_TAGS=
+ANSIBLE_DOCTOR_EXCLUDE_FILES="['molecule/']"
+ANSIBLE_DOCTOR_EXCLUDE_TAGS="[]"
 
 ANSIBLE_DOCTOR_ROLE__NAME=
 ANSIBLE_DOCTOR_ROLE__AUTODETECT=True