diff --git a/commands/cli/parse.go b/commands/cli/parse.go
index 614a0b16f..1f00c3161 100644
--- a/commands/cli/parse.go
+++ b/commands/cli/parse.go
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ func parseOptions(input []string) (map[string]interface{}, []string, error) {
 	return opts, args, nil
 }
 
-func parseArgs(inputs []string, stdin *os.File, argDefs []cmds.Argument, recursive bool) ([]interface{}, []cmds.File, error) {
+func parseArgs(inputs []string, stdin *os.File, argDefs []cmds.Argument, recursive bool) ([]string, []cmds.File, error) {
 	// check if stdin is coming from terminal or is being piped in
 	if stdin != nil {
 		stat, err := stdin.Stat()
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ func parseArgs(inputs []string, stdin *os.File, argDefs []cmds.Argument, recursi
 		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("Expected %v arguments, got %v", len(argDefs), numInputs)
 	}
 
-	stringArgs := make([]interface{}, 0, numInputs)
+	stringArgs := make([]string, 0, numInputs)
 	fileArgs := make([]cmds.File, 0, numInputs)
 
 	argDefIndex := 0 // the index of the current argument definition
diff --git a/commands/http/client.go b/commands/http/client.go
index 3dcf6e9c3..3cbc41153 100644
--- a/commands/http/client.go
+++ b/commands/http/client.go
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import (
 
 	cmds "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/commands"
 	config "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/config"
-	u "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -109,11 +108,7 @@ func getQuery(req cmds.Request) (string, error) {
 		}
 
 		if argDef.Type == cmds.ArgString {
-			str, ok := arg.(string)
-			if !ok {
-				return "", u.ErrCast()
-			}
-			query.Add("arg", str)
+			query.Add("arg", arg)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/commands/http/parse.go b/commands/http/parse.go
index 8022782ed..d2d8725b6 100644
--- a/commands/http/parse.go
+++ b/commands/http/parse.go
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ func Parse(r *http.Request, root *cmds.Command) (cmds.Request, error) {
 	// count the number of provided argument values
 	valCount := len(stringArgs)
 
-	args := make([]interface{}, valCount)
+	args := make([]string, valCount)
 
 	valIndex := 0
 	for _, argDef := range cmd.Arguments {
diff --git a/commands/request.go b/commands/request.go
index beb990d51..d13a06673 100644
--- a/commands/request.go
+++ b/commands/request.go
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ type Request interface {
 	Option(name string) *OptionValue
 	Options() optMap
 	SetOption(name string, val interface{})
-	Arguments() []interface{}
-	SetArguments([]interface{})
+	Arguments() []string
+	SetArguments([]string)
 	Files() File
 	SetFiles(File)
 	Context() *Context
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ type Request interface {
 type request struct {
 	path       []string
 	options    optMap
-	arguments  []interface{}
+	arguments  []string
 	files      File
 	cmd        *Command
 	ctx        Context
@@ -145,11 +145,11 @@ func (r *request) SetOption(name string, val interface{}) {
 }
 
 // Arguments returns the arguments slice
-func (r *request) Arguments() []interface{} {
+func (r *request) Arguments() []string {
 	return r.arguments
 }
 
-func (r *request) SetArguments(args []interface{}) {
+func (r *request) SetArguments(args []string) {
 	r.arguments = args
 }
 
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ func NewEmptyRequest() (Request, error) {
 
 // NewRequest returns a request initialized with given arguments
 // An non-nil error will be returned if the provided option values are invalid
-func NewRequest(path []string, opts optMap, args []interface{}, file File, cmd *Command, optDefs map[string]Option) (Request, error) {
+func NewRequest(path []string, opts optMap, args []string, file File, cmd *Command, optDefs map[string]Option) (Request, error) {
 	if path == nil {
 		path = make([]string, 0)
 	}
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ func NewRequest(path []string, opts optMap, args []interface{}, file File, cmd *
 		opts = make(map[string]interface{})
 	}
 	if args == nil {
-		args = make([]interface{}, 0)
+		args = make([]string, 0)
 	}
 	if optDefs == nil {
 		optDefs = make(map[string]Option)