diff --git a/moto/ec2/utils.py b/moto/ec2/utils.py
index b633bf9c9..3e0e609bc 100644
--- a/moto/ec2/utils.py
+++ b/moto/ec2/utils.py
@@ -395,6 +395,8 @@ def tag_filter_matches(obj: Any, filter_name: str, filter_values: List[str]) ->
     for tag_value in tag_values:
         if any(regex.match(tag_value) for regex in regex_filters):
             return True
+        if tag_value in filter_values:
+            return True
 
     return False
 
diff --git a/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py b/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py
index 0c670c80b..491baa9e7 100644
--- a/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py
+++ b/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import base64
 import ipaddress
+import json
 import warnings
 from unittest import SkipTest, mock
 from uuid import uuid4
@@ -769,9 +770,15 @@ def test_get_instances_filtering_by_tag():
     tag1_val = str(uuid4())
     tag2_name = str(uuid4())[0:6]
     tag2_val = str(uuid4())
+    tag3_name = str(uuid4())[0:6]
 
-    instance1.create_tags(Tags=[{"Key": tag1_name, "Value": tag1_val}])
-    instance1.create_tags(Tags=[{"Key": tag2_name, "Value": tag2_val}])
+    instance1.create_tags(
+        Tags=[
+            {"Key": tag1_name, "Value": tag1_val},
+            {"Key": tag2_name, "Value": tag2_val},
+            {"Key": tag3_name, "Value": json.dumps(["entry1", "entry2"])},
+        ]
+    )
     instance2.create_tags(Tags=[{"Key": tag1_name, "Value": tag1_val}])
     instance2.create_tags(Tags=[{"Key": tag2_name, "Value": "wrong value"}])
     instance3.create_tags(Tags=[{"Key": tag2_name, "Value": tag2_val}])
@@ -812,6 +819,16 @@ def test_get_instances_filtering_by_tag():
     res["Reservations"][0]["Instances"][0]["InstanceId"].should.equal(instance1.id)
     res["Reservations"][0]["Instances"][1]["InstanceId"].should.equal(instance3.id)
 
+    # We should be able to use tags containing special characters
+    res = client.describe_instances(
+        Filters=[
+            {"Name": f"tag:{tag3_name}", "Values": [json.dumps(["entry1", "entry2"])]}
+        ]
+    )
+    res["Reservations"].should.have.length_of(1)
+    res["Reservations"][0]["Instances"].should.have.length_of(1)
+    res["Reservations"][0]["Instances"][0]["InstanceId"].should.equal(instance1.id)
+
 
 @mock_ec2
 def test_get_instances_filtering_by_tag_value():