diff --git a/docs/conf.py b/docs/conf.py
index 2362c792..86646e38 100644
--- a/docs/conf.py
+++ b/docs/conf.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 author = "Scrapy group"
 
 # The short X.Y version
-version = "1.4.0"
+version = "1.4.1"
 # The full version, including alpha/beta/rc tags
 release = version
 
diff --git a/docs/news.rst b/docs/news.rst
index fb1939fd..c48f19c5 100644
--- a/docs/news.rst
+++ b/docs/news.rst
@@ -3,6 +3,14 @@
 Release notes
 =============
 
+1.4.1 (2023-02-10)
+------------------
+
+Fixed
+~~~~~
+
+- Encode the ``FEEDS`` command-line argument as JSON.
+
 1.4.0 (2023-02-07)
 ------------------
 
diff --git a/scrapyd/VERSION b/scrapyd/VERSION
index 88c5fb89..347f5833 100644
--- a/scrapyd/VERSION
+++ b/scrapyd/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.4.0
+1.4.1
diff --git a/scrapyd/environ.py b/scrapyd/environ.py
index 83772b14..2f948794 100644
--- a/scrapyd/environ.py
+++ b/scrapyd/environ.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import json
 import os
 from urllib.parse import urlparse, urlunparse
 
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ def get_settings(self, message):
         if self.logs_dir:
             settings['LOG_FILE'] = self._get_file(message, self.logs_dir, 'log')
         if self.items_dir:
-            settings['FEEDS'] = {self._get_feed_uri(message, 'jl'): {'format': 'jsonlines'}}
+            settings['FEEDS'] = json.dumps({self._get_feed_uri(message, 'jl'): {'format': 'jsonlines'}})
         return settings
 
     def get_environment(self, message, slot):