diff --git a/src/pyhf/tensor/jax_backend.py b/src/pyhf/tensor/jax_backend.py
index 2a85006c04..855aa93f6f 100644
--- a/src/pyhf/tensor/jax_backend.py
+++ b/src/pyhf/tensor/jax_backend.py
@@ -157,6 +157,8 @@ def tile(self, tensor_in, repeats):
         Returns:
             JAX ndarray: The tensor with repeated axes
         """
+        if not isinstance(tensor_in, jnp.ndarray):
+            tensor_in = jnp.array(tensor_in)
         return jnp.tile(tensor_in, repeats)
 
     def conditional(self, predicate, true_callable, false_callable):