diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 018dc77..4a1ebb5 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,23 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 0.1.0rc11 — 2026-07-28
+
+Free-text fields are no longer type-coerced during parsing (closes ClickUp 869cqbpxa).
+
+### Fixed
+- `CuemsParser.str_to_value` no longer coerces values whose key names a string-typed field. It previously ran every scalar through `int` → `float` → `strtobool` → `Uuid` regardless of key, so free text was silently rewritten. Because `strtobool` accepts the truth abbreviations, a cue named `n`/`N`/`f`/`F` was persisted as `False`, `y`/`Y`/`t`/`T` as `True`, and any bare digit as an `int` — 18 of the 62 alphanumeric single characters were corrupted, along with the words `yes`/`no`/`true`/`false`/`on`/`off`. Sergio reported the symptom as "can't name a cue with a single letter"; there was never a length rule, the failing characters were exactly `strtobool`'s vocabulary. The affected keys reachable in practice are `name`, `description` and `file_name`.
+- A cue named lowercase `none` or `null` hit the `['none', 'null', '']` → `None` branch, serialised to `<name/>`, and failed `NameStringType`'s `minLength=1` — a hard `XMLSchemaValidationError` at save time rather than silent corruption. The new short-circuit precedes that branch, so both failure modes are fixed together.
+
+### Added
+- `STRING_TYPED_KEYS` in `xml/Parsers.py` — the set of keys exempt from coercion. `name`, `description` and `file_name` are the ones reachable today; `output_name`, `parameter_name`, `icon`, `color` and `unix_name` are defensive entries, currently shielded by unrelated bypasses in `outputsParser`, `_normalize_fade_parameters` and the `GenericDict` fallback, listed so that fixing any of those bypasses cannot silently reintroduce this bug.
+- `str_to_value` takes an optional `key` argument, threaded through all four call sites (`CuemsScriptParser`, `CueListParser`, `GenericParser`, `fade_profileParser`). The argument is optional, so existing single-argument callers are unaffected.
+- `tests/test_name_coercion.py` — exhaustive sweep over all 62 alphanumeric single characters for each reachable key, the boolean/nullish word set, a full XML round-trip, and negative tests pinning that `enabled`/`autoload`/`timecode`/`loop` still coerce and that `id` still parses to a `Uuid`.
+
+### Notes
+- `id` is deliberately **not** in the allowlist: the `Uuid()` branch inside `str_to_value` is the only thing that produces `Uuid` objects on parse (the parsers assign via raw `dict.__setitem__` and never reach the property setters), so adding it would downgrade every cue, script and media id to a plain `str`. The consequence is that `DmxSceneType.id` (`script.xsd:403`, declared `xs:string`) cannot be protected by this mechanism — accepted, since DMX scene ids are system-assigned rather than operator-typed.
+- Projects saved before this release have the corrupted name baked into their `cue_script.xml`; the original text is unrecoverable (`n`, `no`, `N`, `off` all collapse to `False`) and must be renamed by hand.
+- `cuems-nodeconf` calls the inherited `str_to_value` without a key (`NodeXmlBuilders.py:80`), so node names remain exposed to the identical bug. Tracked separately.
+
 ## 0.1.0rc8 — 2026-05-20
 
 Production call-site migration to the `CTimecode` v2 API, removal of a long-deprecated method, and a new required settings field for `gradient-motiond` integration.
diff --git a/src/cuemsutils/__init__.py b/src/cuemsutils/__init__.py
index 34b69c1..b041f11 100644
--- a/src/cuemsutils/__init__.py
+++ b/src/cuemsutils/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 # SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025-present Adrià (StageLab) <adria@stagelab.coop>
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0
-__version__ = "0.1.0rc10"
+__version__ = "0.1.0rc11"
diff --git a/src/cuemsutils/xml/Parsers.py b/src/cuemsutils/xml/Parsers.py
index 82a87ee..f55a97a 100644
--- a/src/cuemsutils/xml/Parsers.py
+++ b/src/cuemsutils/xml/Parsers.py
@@ -13,6 +13,28 @@
 #TODO: XML_ROOT_TAG get from constants storage
 XML_ROOT_TAG = 'CuemsScript'
 
+# Keys that must never be type-coerced by str_to_value(). Without this, a cue named
+# "n" is saved as False, one named "1" as int 1, and one named "none" becomes None ->
+# <name/> -> XSD minLength violation, i.e. a hard save error. See ClickUp 869cqbpxa.
+#
+# 'name', 'description' and 'file_name' are the keys actually reachable today. The
+# rest are defensive only: they are currently shielded by bypasses in outputsParser
+# (builds output objects directly), _normalize_fade_parameters (diverts 'parameters'
+# before the scalar branch) and the GenericDict fallback in GenericParser.parse()
+# (get_class('ui_properties') misses because the class is UI_properties). They are
+# listed so that fixing any of those bypasses cannot silently reintroduce this bug.
+#
+# 'id' is deliberately ABSENT: the Uuid() branch in str_to_value is the only thing
+# that produces Uuid objects on parse (parsers assign via raw dict.__setitem__ and so
+# never hit the property setters). Adding 'id' here would downgrade every cue, script
+# and media id to a plain str.
+STRING_TYPED_KEYS = frozenset({
+    # reachable today
+    'name', 'description', 'file_name',
+    # defensive -- see above
+    'output_name', 'parameter_name', 'icon', 'color', 'unix_name',
+})
+
 class GenericDict(dict):
     pass
 
@@ -56,7 +78,22 @@ def get_first_key(self, _dict):
     def get_contained_dict(self, _dict):
         return list(_dict.values())[0]
 
-    def str_to_value(self, _string):
+    def str_to_value(self, _string, key = None):
+        """Decode a string-encoded scalar into its Python type.
+
+        Args:
+            _string: The value to decode. Non-str values pass through unchanged.
+            key: The dict key ``_string`` was stored under, when known. Values
+                whose key is in :data:`STRING_TYPED_KEYS` are returned verbatim
+                so free-text fields are never coerced (ClickUp 869cqbpxa).
+
+        Returns:
+            The decoded value, or ``_string`` unchanged for string-typed keys.
+        """
+        # Must precede every coercion branch below, including the none/null one:
+        # a cue legitimately named "none" would otherwise become None.
+        if key in STRING_TYPED_KEYS:
+            return _string
         if not isinstance(_string, str):
             return _string
         if _string in ['none', 'null', '']:
@@ -94,7 +131,7 @@ def parse(self):
                     parser_class, class_string = self.get_parser_class(k)
                     self.item_csp[k] = parser_class(init_dict=v, class_string=class_string).parse()                    
             else:
-                v = self.str_to_value(v)
+                v = self.str_to_value(v, key = k)
                 self.item_csp[k] = v
 
         return self.item_csp
@@ -128,7 +165,7 @@ def parse(self):
                         self.item_clp[k] = value_parser_class(init_dict=v, class_string=value_class_string).parse()
 
             else:
-                v = self.str_to_value(v)
+                v = self.str_to_value(v, key = k)
                 self.item_clp[k] = v
         return self.item_clp
 
@@ -177,7 +214,7 @@ def parse(self):
                     else:
                         self.item_gp[dict_key] = local_list
                 else:
-                    dict_value = self.str_to_value(dict_value)
+                    dict_value = self.str_to_value(dict_value, key = dict_key)
                     self.item_gp[dict_key] = dict_value
         return self.item_gp
 
@@ -360,7 +397,7 @@ def parse(self):
                     pcls(init_dict=li, class_string=pstr).parse() for li in dict_value
                 ]
             else:
-                d[dict_key] = self.str_to_value(dict_value)
+                d[dict_key] = self.str_to_value(dict_value, key = dict_key)
         return FadeProfile(d)
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_name_coercion.py b/tests/test_name_coercion.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ea2e09c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_name_coercion.py
@@ -0,0 +1,184 @@
+"""Free-text fields must survive parsing verbatim.
+
+Regression tests for ClickUp 869cqbpxa: ``CuemsParser.str_to_value`` used to
+coerce every scalar regardless of its key, so a cue named ``n`` was saved as
+``False``, one named ``1`` as int ``1``, and one named ``none`` collapsed to
+``None`` -> ``<name/>`` -> a hard XSD ``minLength`` failure on save.
+"""
+
+import string
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+from cuemsutils.cues import AudioCue, CueList, CuemsScript
+from cuemsutils.cues.MediaCue import Media, Region
+from cuemsutils.tools.Uuid import Uuid
+from cuemsutils.xml import XmlReaderWriter
+from cuemsutils.xml.Parsers import STRING_TYPED_KEYS, CuemsParser
+
+TMP_DIR = Path(__file__).parent / "tmp"
+TMP_DIR.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+
+# The strtobool truth abbreviations -- the single characters that used to break.
+TRUTHY_TOKENS = ["y", "Y", "t", "T", "yes", "true", "on"]
+FALSY_TOKENS = ["n", "N", "f", "F", "no", "false", "off"]
+# Hit the ['none', 'null', ''] -> None branch, which raised on save.
+NULLISH_TOKENS = ["none", "null"]
+
+UUID_STR = "1f301cf8-dd03-4b40-ac17-ef0e5e7988be"
+
+
+def _str_to_value(value, key=None):
+    """Call the parser helper without needing a constructed parser."""
+    return CuemsParser.str_to_value(None, value, key=key)
+
+
+def _audio_cue(name="placeholder"):
+    cue = AudioCue({
+        "Media": Media({
+            "file_name": "f.wav",
+            "id": "",
+            "duration": "00:00:00.000",
+            "regions": [
+                Region({"id": 0, "loop": 1, "in_time": None, "out_time": None})
+            ],
+        }),
+        "ui_properties": {"warning": None},
+    })
+    cue.name = name
+    return cue
+
+
+def _script(cue_name="placeholder"):
+    cuelist = CueList({"contents": [_audio_cue(cue_name)]})
+    cuelist.name = "main"
+    script = CuemsScript({"CueList": cuelist})
+    script.name = "proj"
+    # Dates required by the CuemsScript schema assertion (modified >= created).
+    now = datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat()
+    script.created = now
+    script.modified = now
+    return script
+
+
+def _roundtrip_cue_name(name, tmp_name):
+    """Write a script whose cue is named ``name``, read it back, return the name."""
+    path = str(TMP_DIR / tmp_name)
+    writer = XmlReaderWriter(schema_name="script", xmlfile=path)
+    writer.write_from_object(_script(name))
+    assert writer.validate() is None
+    loaded = XmlReaderWriter(schema_name="script", xmlfile=path).read_to_objects()
+    return loaded.cuelist.contents[0].name
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# str_to_value -- string-typed keys are never coerced
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("char", list(string.ascii_letters + string.digits))
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("key", ["name", "description", "file_name"])
+def test_single_characters_survive_for_string_typed_keys(char, key):
+    """All 62 alphanumeric single characters must pass through untouched.
+
+    18 of them (y/Y/t/T/n/N/f/F and the ten digits) used to be corrupted.
+    """
+    result = _str_to_value(char, key=key)
+    assert result == char
+    assert isinstance(result, str)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("token", TRUTHY_TOKENS + FALSY_TOKENS + NULLISH_TOKENS)
+def test_boolean_and_nullish_words_survive_as_names(token):
+    result = _str_to_value(token, key="name")
+    assert result == token
+    assert isinstance(result, str)
+
+
+def test_every_string_typed_key_is_protected():
+    """Guards the allowlist itself, including the defensive entries."""
+    for key in STRING_TYPED_KEYS:
+        assert _str_to_value("n", key=key) == "n"
+        assert _str_to_value("1", key=key) == "1"
+        assert _str_to_value("none", key=key) == "none"
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# ...but coercion still happens everywhere it must
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("key", ["enabled", "autoload", "timecode", "loop"])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "value,expected",
+    [("true", True), ("false", False), ("True", True), ("False", False)],
+)
+def test_boolean_keys_still_coerce(key, value, expected):
+    assert _str_to_value(value, key=key) is expected
+
+
+def test_numeric_and_nullish_keys_still_coerce():
+    assert _str_to_value("1", key="loop") == 1
+    assert _str_to_value("42", key="master_vol") == 42
+    assert _str_to_value("none", key="target") is None
+    assert _str_to_value("", key="target") is None
+
+
+def test_id_is_not_allowlisted_and_still_becomes_a_uuid():
+    """'id' must stay coercible -- the Uuid() branch is the only thing that
+    produces Uuid objects on parse."""
+    assert "id" not in STRING_TYPED_KEYS
+    assert isinstance(_str_to_value(UUID_STR, key="id"), Uuid)
+
+
+def test_unkeyed_calls_are_unchanged():
+    """The key argument is optional; existing callers pass one positional arg."""
+    assert _str_to_value("n") is False
+    assert _str_to_value("1") == 1
+    assert _str_to_value("none") is None
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Full XML roundtrip through the editor's save path
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("name", ["a", "n", "y", "t", "f", "N", "1", "0", "no", "on"])
+def test_cue_name_survives_xml_roundtrip(name):
+    assert _roundtrip_cue_name(name, f"test_name_coercion_{name}.xml") == name
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("name", NULLISH_TOKENS)
+def test_nullish_cue_name_no_longer_fails_validation(name):
+    """These used to raise XMLSchemaValidationError (minLength=1) on save."""
+    assert _roundtrip_cue_name(name, f"test_name_coercion_null_{name}.xml") == name
+
+
+def test_parser_preserves_name_through_the_editor_save_path():
+    """CuemsParser is what CuemsDBProject.update() runs on the frontend payload."""
+    parsed = CuemsParser({"AudioCue": {"name": "n", "description": "off"}}).parse()
+    assert parsed["name"] == "n"
+    assert parsed["description"] == "off"
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# output_name: currently shielded by outputsParser, but assert the consumer
+# that would break first if that bypass is ever removed (plan section 4b/5).
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_get_all_output_names_handles_numeric_output_name():
+    """MediaCue.get_all_output_names slices output_name -- an int would raise
+    TypeError: 'int' object is not subscriptable."""
+    parsed = CuemsParser({
+        "AudioCue": {
+            "name": "cue",
+            "outputs": {
+                "AudioCueOutput": [
+                    {"output_name": "1", "output_vol": "80", "channels": {}}
+                ]
+            },
+        }
+    }).parse()
+    # Returns (node_id, output_id) tuples split at the UUID boundary.
+    names = parsed.get_all_output_names()
+    assert names == [("1", "")]
+    assert all(isinstance(part, str) for pair in names for part in pair)