diff --git a/Sources/MCP/Base/Value.swift b/Sources/MCP/Base/Value.swift
index 732835b8..05f09572 100644
--- a/Sources/MCP/Base/Value.swift
+++ b/Sources/MCP/Base/Value.swift
@@ -2,13 +2,15 @@ import struct Foundation.Data
 import class Foundation.JSONDecoder
 import class Foundation.JSONEncoder
 
-/// A codable value.
+/// A JSON value. Encoding `.data` produces a data-URL string; decoding that JSON
+/// produces `.string`, since an ordinary JSON string does not carry a binary type.
 public enum Value: Hashable, Sendable {
     case null
     case bool(Bool)
     case int(Int)
     case double(Double)
     case string(String)
+    /// Encodes as a data-URL string. Decode the string explicitly when binary data is expected.
     case data(mimeType: String? = nil, Data)
     case array([Value])
     case object([String: Value])
@@ -95,13 +97,7 @@ extension Value: Codable {
         } else if let value = try? container.decode(Double.self) {
             self = .double(value)
         } else if let value = try? container.decode(String.self) {
-            if Data.isDataURL(string: value),
-                case let (mimeType, data)? = Data.parseDataURL(value)
-            {
-                self = .data(mimeType: mimeType, data)
-            } else {
-                self = .string(value)
-            }
+            self = .string(value)
         } else if let value = try? container.decode([Value].self) {
             self = .array(value)
         } else if let value = try? container.decode([String: Value].self) {
diff --git a/Tests/MCPTests/ValueDecodingTests.swift b/Tests/MCPTests/ValueDecodingTests.swift
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5059c390
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/MCPTests/ValueDecodingTests.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+import Foundation
+import Testing
+
+@testable import MCP
+
+@Suite("Value JSON String Tests")
+struct ValueDecodingTests {
+    @Test("Data-URL-looking strings stay strings in nested JSON")
+    func dataURLStringsStayStrings() throws {
+        let strings = [
+            "data:text/plain,Hello%20World",
+            "data:text/plain;base64,SGVsbG8=",
+            "data:application/octet-stream;base64,AAEC/w==",
+        ]
+        let expected = Value.object(["values": .array(strings.map(Value.string))])
+        let json = try JSONEncoder().encode(expected)
+        #expect(try JSONDecoder().decode(Value.self, from: json) == expected)
+    }
+
+    @Test("Explicit data encoding does not change how generic JSON strings decode")
+    func explicitDataNeedsAnExplicitType() throws {
+        let data = Value.data(mimeType: "application/octet-stream", Data([0, 1, 2]))
+        let json = try JSONEncoder().encode(data)
+        let string = try JSONDecoder().decode(String.self, from: json)
+        #expect(string == "data:application/octet-stream;base64,AAEC")
+        #expect(try JSONDecoder().decode(Value.self, from: json) == .string(string))
+        let parsed = try #require(Data.parseDataURL(string))
+        #expect(parsed.mimeType == "application/octet-stream")
+        #expect(parsed.data == Data([0, 1, 2]))
+    }
+
+    @Test("Tool text content survives Value erasure")
+    func toolTextContentSurvivesValueErasure() throws {
+        let text = "data:text/plain,Hello%20World"
+        let result = CallTool.Result(content: [
+            .text(text: text, annotations: nil, _meta: nil)
+        ])
+        let erased = try Value(result)
+        let recovered = try JSONDecoder().decode(
+            CallTool.Result.self,
+            from: JSONEncoder().encode(erased)
+        )
+        guard case .text(let recoveredText, _, _) = recovered.content.first else {
+            Issue.record("Expected text content")
+            return
+        }
+        #expect(recoveredText == text)
+    }
+}