diff --git a/database.py b/database.py
index a0af580..8d9a99e 100644
--- a/database.py
+++ b/database.py
@@ -1428,12 +1428,16 @@ async def get_pending_run(run_id: str) -> Optional[dict]:
             run_id
         )
         if row:
+            # Parse inputs if it's a string (JSONB should auto-parse but be safe)
+            inputs = row["inputs"]
+            if isinstance(inputs, str):
+                inputs = _json.loads(inputs)
             return {
                 "run_id": row["run_id"],
                 "celery_task_id": row["celery_task_id"],
                 "status": row["status"],
                 "recipe": row["recipe"],
-                "inputs": row["inputs"],
+                "inputs": inputs,
                 "dag_json": row["dag_json"],
                 "output_name": row["output_name"],
                 "actor_id": row["actor_id"],
@@ -1472,21 +1476,25 @@ async def list_pending_runs(actor_id: Optional[str] = None, status: Optional[str
             """,
             *params
         )
-        return [
-            {
+        results = []
+        for row in rows:
+            # Parse inputs if it's a string
+            inputs = row["inputs"]
+            if isinstance(inputs, str):
+                inputs = _json.loads(inputs)
+            results.append({
                 "run_id": row["run_id"],
                 "celery_task_id": row["celery_task_id"],
                 "status": row["status"],
                 "recipe": row["recipe"],
-                "inputs": row["inputs"],
+                "inputs": inputs,
                 "output_name": row["output_name"],
                 "actor_id": row["actor_id"],
                 "error": row["error"],
                 "created_at": row["created_at"].isoformat() if row["created_at"] else None,
                 "updated_at": row["updated_at"].isoformat() if row["updated_at"] else None,
-            }
-            for row in rows
-        ]
+            })
+        return results
 
 
 async def update_pending_run_status(run_id: str, status: str, error: Optional[str] = None) -> bool: