diff --git a/SETUP/tests/unittests/ApiTest.php b/SETUP/tests/unittests/ApiTest.php
index c81f7fb8f..5d8d0cedf 100644
--- a/SETUP/tests/unittests/ApiTest.php
+++ b/SETUP/tests/unittests/ApiTest.php
@@ -205,8 +205,8 @@ public function test_get_page_data(): void
     public function test_get_round_type_none(): void
     {
         $project = $this->_create_project();
-        $result = $this->get_project_data($project->projectid, ["field" => "round_type"]);
-        $this->assertEquals(["round_type" => "none"], $result);
+        $result = $this->get_project_data($project->projectid, ["field" => "title,round_type"]);
+        $this->assertEquals(["title" => "War and Peace", "round_type" => "none"], $result);
     }
 
     public function test_get_round_type_proofreading(): void
diff --git a/api/v1_projects.inc b/api/v1_projects.inc
index 3271a44a2..030cce4d8 100644
--- a/api/v1_projects.inc
+++ b/api/v1_projects.inc
@@ -24,10 +24,11 @@ include_once("api_common.inc");
  */
 function get_return_fields(?array $query_params, ?Project $project)
 {
-    $return_fields = array_get_as_array($query_params, "field", null);
-    if (is_null($return_fields)) {
+    $field = $query_params["field"] ?? null;
+    if (is_null($field)) {
         return null;
     }
+    $return_fields = explode(",", $field);
     $valid_render_fields = array_keys(get_project_fields_with_attr(null, $project));
     $invalid_fields = array_diff($return_fields, $valid_render_fields);
     if (!empty($invalid_fields)) {