diff --git a/src/caosadvancedtools/read_md_header.py b/src/caosadvancedtools/read_md_header.py
index 7ff7d6b94a02084666d8f570d8d9e3fcf6ee4bd3..82d0077f9eae21b59567d2274af8da1e5d3e53ef 100644
--- a/src/caosadvancedtools/read_md_header.py
+++ b/src/caosadvancedtools/read_md_header.py
@@ -199,7 +199,18 @@ def _add_header(filename):
 
 
 def parse_responsibles(header):
+    """
+    Extract the responsible person(s) from the yaml header.
+
+    If field responsible is a list every entry from that list will be added as a person.
+    Currently only the format <Firstname> <Lastname> <*> is supported.
+    If it is a simple string, it is added as the only person.
+    """
     people = []
+    if type(header["responsible"]) == list:
+        resplist = header["responsible"]
+    else:
+        resplist = [header["responsible"]]
     for person in header["responsible"]:
         firstname = person.split(" ")[0]
         lastname = person.split(" ")[1]