diff --git a/loopy/kernel.py b/loopy/kernel.py
index 4c90e1eec7770bad3fb1f9c525805f49216f4e8e..bef788c0ded57803e6db4bd25380f8534ed80269 100644
--- a/loopy/kernel.py
+++ b/loopy/kernel.py
@@ -141,13 +141,19 @@ class ArrayArg:
                 shape = (shape,)
 
         if shape is not None:
-            if isinstance(shape, str):
-                from pymbolic import parse
-                shape = parse(shape)
+            def parse_if_necessary(x):
+                if isinstance(x, str):
+                    from pymbolic import parse
+                    return parse(x)
+                else:
+                    return x
 
+            shape = parse_if_necessary(shape)
             if not isinstance(shape, tuple):
                 shape = (shape,)
 
+            shape = tuple(parse_if_necessary(si) for si in shape)
+
             from pyopencl.compyte.array import (
                     f_contiguous_strides,
                     c_contiguous_strides)