diff --git a/.changeset/kind-cups-bow.md b/.changeset/kind-cups-bow.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4b025777b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/kind-cups-bow.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@effect/cli": patch
+---
+
+Allow using the equals (`=`) character inside aliased key value params.
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/internal/options.ts b/packages/cli/src/internal/options.ts
index ff3bcb096c..d01b11be1e 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/internal/options.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/internal/options.ts
@@ -1149,6 +1149,9 @@ const toParseableInstruction = (self: Instruction): Array<ParseableInstruction>
   }
 }
 
+/** @internal */
+const keyValueSplitter = /=(.*)/
+
 const parseInternal = (
   self: Instruction,
   args: HashMap.HashMap<string, ReadonlyArray<string>>,
@@ -1198,7 +1201,7 @@ const parseInternal = (
       const extractKeyValue = (
         value: string
       ): Effect.Effect<[string, string], ValidationError.ValidationError> => {
-        const split = value.trim().split("=")
+        const split = value.trim().split(keyValueSplitter, 2)
         if (Arr.isNonEmptyReadonlyArray(split) && split.length === 2 && split[1] !== "") {
           return Effect.succeed(split as unknown as [string, string])
         }
diff --git a/packages/cli/test/Options.test.ts b/packages/cli/test/Options.test.ts
index 96cfb955fa..f493f2e91a 100644
--- a/packages/cli/test/Options.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/test/Options.test.ts
@@ -414,6 +414,20 @@ describe("Options", () => {
       expect(result).toEqual([["--verbose"], HashMap.make(["key1", "v1"], ["key2", "v2"])])
     }).pipe(runEffect))
 
+  it("keyValueMap - validates key/values with equals in alias value", () =>
+    Effect.gen(function*(_) {
+      const args = Array.make("-d", "key1=v1", "key2=v2=vv", "--verbose")
+      const result = yield* _(process(defs, args, CliConfig.defaultConfig))
+      expect(result).toEqual([["--verbose"], HashMap.make(["key1", "v1"], ["key2", "v2=vv"])])
+    }).pipe(runEffect))
+
+  it("keyValueMap - validates key/values with equals in aliased longer value", () =>
+    Effect.gen(function*(_) {
+      const args = Array.make("-d", "key1=v1", "key2=v2=1+1", "--verbose")
+      const result = yield* _(process(defs, args, CliConfig.defaultConfig))
+      expect(result).toEqual([["--verbose"], HashMap.make(["key1", "v1"], ["key2", "v2=1+1"])])
+    }).pipe(runEffect))
+
   it("keyValueMap - validate should keep non-key-value parameters that follow the key-value pairs (each preceded by alias -d)", () =>
     Effect.gen(function*(_) {
       const args = Array.make(