diff --git a/roboco/api/schemas/v1/do.py b/roboco/api/schemas/v1/do.py
index aa658b51..1121ddc3 100644
--- a/roboco/api/schemas/v1/do.py
+++ b/roboco/api/schemas/v1/do.py
@@ -91,7 +91,9 @@ class NoteRequest(BaseModel):
     # 422'd at the route and the agent's retry loop tripped the circuit
     # breaker. ``mode="before"`` runs ahead of type coercion so
     # the wrapped value satisfies the declared ``list[...]`` type.
-    @field_validator("options", "consequences", "next_steps", mode="before")
+    @field_validator(
+        "options", "consequences", "next_steps", "where_to_look", mode="before"
+    )
     @classmethod
     def _wrap_scalar_in_list(cls, value: Any) -> Any:
         return _coerce_to_list(value)
diff --git a/tests/unit/api/schemas/v1/test_note_request_no_null.py b/tests/unit/api/schemas/v1/test_note_request_no_null.py
index a6298eeb..50f9c88a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/api/schemas/v1/test_note_request_no_null.py
+++ b/tests/unit/api/schemas/v1/test_note_request_no_null.py
@@ -116,6 +116,18 @@ def test_note_request_coerces_string_next_steps_to_list() -> None:
     assert req.next_steps == ["wait for QA"]
 
 
+def test_note_request_coerces_string_where_to_look_to_list() -> None:
+    """F118: a single string for where_to_look is wrapped into a one-element
+    list. It is a list-typed handoff field like consequences/next_steps and
+    must tolerate a lone scalar — without this a well-intentioned
+    ``where_to_look="src/api/"`` 422'd at the route (no remediation envelope)
+    and the agent's retry loop tripped the do-server circuit breaker."""
+    req = NoteRequest.model_validate(
+        {"text": "x", "scope": "handoff", "where_to_look": "src/api/auth.py"}
+    )
+    assert req.where_to_look == ["src/api/auth.py"]
+
+
 def test_note_request_coerces_single_option_dict_to_list() -> None:
     """A single option dict (not wrapped in a list) is wrapped into a list."""
     req = NoteRequest.model_validate(