diff --git a/burr/cli/__main__.py b/burr/cli/__main__.py
index 8967602d9..439252537 100644
--- a/burr/cli/__main__.py
+++ b/burr/cli/__main__.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 from importlib.resources import files
 from pathlib import Path
 from types import ModuleType
-from typing import Optional
+from typing import List, Optional, Union
 
 from burr import system
 from burr.core.persistence import PersistedStateData
@@ -50,7 +50,9 @@
 setup_logging(logging.INFO)
 
 
-def _command(command: str, capture_output: bool, addl_env: dict | None = None) -> str:
+def _command(
+    command: Union[str, List[str]], capture_output: bool, addl_env: dict | None = None
+) -> str:
     """Runs a simple command"""
     if addl_env is None:
         addl_env = {}
@@ -59,18 +61,18 @@ def _command(command: str, capture_output: bool, addl_env: dict | None = None) -
     logger.info(f"Running command: {command}")
     if isinstance(command, str):
         command = command.split(" ")
-        if capture_output:
-            try:
-                return (
-                    subprocess.check_output(command, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, shell=False, env=env)
-                    .decode()
-                    .strip()
-                )
-            except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
-                print(e.stdout.decode())
-                print(e.stderr.decode())
-                raise e
-        subprocess.run(command, shell=False, check=True, env=env)
+    if capture_output:
+        try:
+            return (
+                subprocess.check_output(command, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, shell=False, env=env)
+                .decode()
+                .strip()
+            )
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
+            print(e.stdout.decode())
+            print(e.stderr.decode())
+            raise e
+    subprocess.run(command, shell=False, check=True, env=env)
 
 
 def _get_git_root() -> str:
@@ -168,9 +170,18 @@ def _run_server(
     # TODO: Implement server running logic here
     # Example: Start a web server, configure ports, etc.
     logger.info(f"Starting server on port {port}")
-    cmd = f"{sys.executable} -m uvicorn burr.tracking.server.run:app --port {port} --host {host}"
+    cmd = [
+        sys.executable,
+        "-m",
+        "uvicorn",
+        "burr.tracking.server.run:app",
+        "--port",
+        str(port),
+        "--host",
+        host,
+    ]
     if dev_mode:
-        cmd += " --reload"
+        cmd.append("--reload")
 
     if backend == "local" and not no_copy_demo_data:
         # TODO: fix this so we don't leak burr_path here since that's the value the local backend users
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..71e297bfa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+# or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
+# distributed with this work for additional information
+# regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
+# to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+# "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+# with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+# software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+# "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+# KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+# specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+import pytest
+
+try:
+    from burr.cli import __main__ as cli_main
+except ImportError:
+    pytest.skip("the CLI needs the [cli] extra", allow_module_level=True)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def captured_runs(monkeypatch):
+    calls = []
+
+    def fake_run(command, **kwargs):
+        calls.append(command)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cli_main.subprocess, "run", fake_run)
+    return calls
+
+
+def test_command_runs_argument_list_unchanged(captured_runs):
+    cli_main._command(["/path with spaces/python", "-c", "pass"], capture_output=False)
+    assert captured_runs == [["/path with spaces/python", "-c", "pass"]]
+
+
+def test_run_server_handles_python_path_with_spaces(monkeypatch, captured_runs):
+    python_path = "/Users/someone/My Projects/venv/bin/python"
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cli_main.sys, "executable", python_path)
+    cli_main._run_server(
+        port=7241, dev_mode=False, no_open=True, no_copy_demo_data=True, host="127.0.0.1"
+    )
+    assert captured_runs[0][0] == python_path