diff --git a/ultraplot/internals/inputs.py b/ultraplot/internals/inputs.py
index 0f8ac4e46..14438c686 100644
--- a/ultraplot/internals/inputs.py
+++ b/ultraplot/internals/inputs.py
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ def _meta_coords(*args, which="x", **kwargs):
         if data.ndim > 1:
             raise ValueError("Non-1D string coordinate input is unsupported.")
         ticks = np.arange(len(data))
-        labels = list(map(str, data))
+        labels = list(map(str, _to_numpy_array(data)))
         kwargs.setdefault(which + "locator", Locator(ticks))
         kwargs.setdefault(which + "formatter", Formatter(labels, index=True))
         kwargs.setdefault(which + "minorlocator", Locator("null"))
diff --git a/ultraplot/tests/test_inputs_helpers.py b/ultraplot/tests/test_inputs_helpers.py
index 2288e07a0..299275672 100644
--- a/ultraplot/tests/test_inputs_helpers.py
+++ b/ultraplot/tests/test_inputs_helpers.py
@@ -169,6 +169,28 @@ def test_mask_range_and_metadata_helpers():
     assert inputs._meta_units(np.array([1, 2, 3])) is None
 
 
+def test_meta_coords_xarray_string_coord():
+    """
+    Regression test: passing an xarray.DataArray with a string coordinate
+    to _meta_coords must yield plain string tick labels, not the multi-line
+    repr of each scalar DataArray element.
+    """
+    xr = pytest.importorskip("xarray")
+
+    da = xr.DataArray(
+        np.array(["a", "b", "c"]),
+        coords={"ens": ["a", "b", "c"]},
+        dims=["ens"],
+        name="ens",
+    )
+
+    coords, kwargs = inputs._meta_coords(da, which="x")
+
+    assert np.array_equal(coords, np.array([0, 1, 2]))
+    formatter = kwargs["xformatter"]
+    assert [formatter(i) for i in coords] == ["a", "b", "c"]
+
+
 def test_geographic_helpers_cover_clipping_bounds_and_globes():
     clipped = inputs._geo_clip(np.array([-100.0, 0.0, 100.0]))
     assert np.allclose(clipped, [-90.0, 0.0, 90.0])
diff --git a/ultraplot/tests/test_release_metadata.py b/ultraplot/tests/test_release_metadata.py
index 94c631a29..f5af944c2 100644
--- a/ultraplot/tests/test_release_metadata.py
+++ b/ultraplot/tests/test_release_metadata.py
@@ -140,4 +140,4 @@ def test_publish_workflow_creates_github_release():
     assert "tools/release/sync_citation.py" in text
     assert "--tag" in text
     assert "--output" in text
-    assert "softprops/action-gh-release@v2" in text
+    assert "softprops/action-gh-release@" in text