diff --git a/src/rougail/annotator/value.py b/src/rougail/annotator/value.py
index aeec99b54..6bfda4326 100644
--- a/src/rougail/annotator/value.py
+++ b/src/rougail/annotator/value.py
@@ -74,9 +74,19 @@ class Annotator(Walk):  # pylint: disable=R0903
             if multi is False and variable.type is None:
                 if type(variable.default) in basic_types:
                     variable.type = basic_types[type(variable.default)]
-            else:
+            elif isinstance(variable.default, list):
+                #if variable.name == "varname23":
+                #    print("IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII")
+                #    print(variable.multi)
+                if variable.multi is None or variable.multi is False:
+                    variable.multi = True
                 if variable.type is None:
-                    variable.type = "string"
+                    variable.type = basic_types[type(variable.default[0])]
+                #if variable.name == "varname23":
+                #    print(variable.multi)
+                #    print(variable.type)
+            else:
+                variable.type = "string"
 
         # a boolean must have value, the default value is "True"
         if variable.type == "boolean" and multi is False and variable.default is None:
@@ -89,9 +99,9 @@ class Annotator(Walk):  # pylint: disable=R0903
             pass
         #            variable.default = variable.default.to_function(self.functions)
         elif isinstance(variable.default, list):
-            if not multi:
+            if not multi and variable.version == "1.0":
                 raise Exception(
-                    f'The variable "{variable.path}" with a list has default value must have "multi" attribute'
+                    f'The variable "{variable.path}" with a list as default value must have "multi" attribute'
                 )
             if variable.path in self.objectspace.followers:
                 if multi != "submulti" and len(variable.default) != 1: