diff --git a/tiled/_tests/test_slicer.py b/tiled/_tests/test_slicer.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fa79f7dbd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tiled/_tests/test_slicer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+import pytest
+from fastapi import Query
+
+from ..server.dependencies import slice_
+
+slice_test_data = [
+    "",
+    ":",
+    "::" "0",
+    "0:",
+    "0::",
+    ":0",
+    "::0",
+    "5:",
+    ":10",
+    "::12",
+    "-1",
+    "-5:",
+    ":-5",
+    "::-45",
+    "3:5",
+    "5:3",
+    "123::4",
+    "5::678",
+    ":123:4",
+    ":5:678",
+    ",",
+    ",,",
+    ",:",
+    ":,::",
+    ",,:,::,,::,:,,::,",
+    "0,1,2",
+    "5:,:10,::-5",
+    "1:2:3,4:5:6,7:8:9",
+    "10::20,30::40,50::60",
+    "1 : 2",
+    "1:2, 3",
+    "1 ,2:3",
+    "1 , 2 , 3",
+]
+
+slice_typo_data = [
+    ":::",
+    "1:2:3:4",
+    "1:2,3:4:5:6",
+]
+
+slice_malicious_data = [
+    "1:(2+3)",
+    "1**2",
+    "print('oh so innocent')",
+    "; print('oh so innocent')",
+    ")\"; print('oh so innocent')",
+    "1:2)\"; print('oh so innocent')",
+    "1:2)\";print('oh_so_innocent')",
+    "import sys; sys.exit()",
+    "; import sys; sys.exit()",
+    "touch /tmp/x",
+    "rm -rf /tmp/*",
+]
+
+
+# this is the outgoing slice_ function from tiled.server.dependencies as is
+def reference_slice_(
+    slice: str = Query(None, pattern="^[-0-9,:]*$"),
+):
+    "Specify and parse a block index parameter."
+    import numpy
+
+    # IMPORTANT We are eval-ing a user-provider string here so we need to be
+    # very careful about locking down what can be in it. The regex above
+    # excludes any letters or operators, so it is not possible to execute
+    # functions or expensive arithmetic.
+    return tuple(
+        [
+            eval(f"numpy.s_[{dim!s}]", {"numpy": numpy})
+            for dim in (slice or "").split(",")
+            if dim
+        ]
+    )
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("slice", slice_test_data)
+def test_slicer(slice: str):
+    """
+    Test the slicer function
+    """
+    assert slice_(slice) == reference_slice_(slice)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("slice", slice_typo_data)
+def test_slicer_typo_data(slice: str):
+    """
+    Test the slicer function with invalid input
+    """
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError):
+        _ = slice_(slice)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("slice", slice_malicious_data)
+def test_slicer_malicious_exec(slice: str):
+    """
+    Test the slicer function with 'malicious' input
+    """
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        _ = slice_(slice)
diff --git a/tiled/server/dependencies.py b/tiled/server/dependencies.py
index ccca20785..a1e38f672 100644
--- a/tiled/server/dependencies.py
+++ b/tiled/server/dependencies.py
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
 from .core import NoEntry
 from .utils import filter_for_access, record_timing
 
+# saving slice() to rescue after using "slice" for FastAPI dependency injection of slice_(slice: str)
+slice_func = slice
+
 
 @lru_cache(1)
 def get_query_registry():
@@ -160,19 +163,16 @@ def expected_shape(
 
 
 def slice_(
-    slice: str = Query(None, pattern="^[-0-9,:]*$"),
+    slice: str | None = None,
 ):
     "Specify and parse a block index parameter."
-    import numpy
-
-    # IMPORTANT We are eval-ing a user-provider string here so we need to be
-    # very careful about locking down what can be in it. The regex above
-    # excludes any letters or operators, so it is not possible to execute
-    # functions or expensive arithmetic.
-    return tuple(
-        [
-            eval(f"numpy.s_[{dim!s}]", {"numpy": numpy})
-            for dim in (slice or "").split(",")
-            if dim
-        ]
-    )
+
+    def np_style_slicer(indices: tuple):
+        return indices[0] if len(indices) == 1 else slice_func(*indices)
+
+    def parse_slice_str(dim: str):
+        return np_style_slicer(
+            tuple(int(idx) if idx else None for idx in dim.split(":"))
+        )
+
+    return tuple(parse_slice_str(dim) for dim in (slice or "").split(",") if dim)