diff --git a/lib/rscons/environment.rb b/lib/rscons/environment.rb
index 03f99d7..70eabe4 100644
--- a/lib/rscons/environment.rb
+++ b/lib/rscons/environment.rb
@@ -34,8 +34,15 @@ module Rscons
       end
     end
 
-    def [](key)
-      @variables[key]
+    def [](key, type = nil)
+      val = @variables[key]
+      if type == :array
+        val.is_a?(String) ? [val] : val
+      elsif type == :string
+        val.is_a?(Array) ? val.first : val
+      else
+        val
+      end
     end
 
     def []=(key, val)