diff --git a/ultralytics/__init__.py b/ultralytics/__init__.py
index 9c0a6f3943..10688a9a2f 100644
--- a/ultralytics/__init__.py
+++ b/ultralytics/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Ultralytics YOLO 🚀, AGPL-3.0 license
 
-__version__ = "8.3.16"
+__version__ = "8.3.17"
 
 import os
 
diff --git a/ultralytics/cfg/__init__.py b/ultralytics/cfg/__init__.py
index e73610aaf5..4cdb123d81 100644
--- a/ultralytics/cfg/__init__.py
+++ b/ultralytics/cfg/__init__.py
@@ -438,34 +438,60 @@ def check_dict_alignment(base: Dict, custom: Dict, e=None):
 
 def merge_equals_args(args: List[str]) -> List[str]:
     """
-    Merges arguments around isolated '=' in a list of strings, handling three cases:
-    1. ['arg', '=', 'val'] becomes ['arg=val'],
-    2. ['arg=', 'val'] becomes ['arg=val'],
-    3. ['arg', '=val'] becomes ['arg=val'].
+    Merges arguments around isolated '=' in a list of strings and joins fragments with brackets.
+
+    This function handles the following cases:
+    1. ['arg', '=', 'val'] becomes ['arg=val']
+    2. ['arg=', 'val'] becomes ['arg=val']
+    3. ['arg', '=val'] becomes ['arg=val']
+    4. Joins fragments with brackets, e.g., ['imgsz=[3,', '640,', '640]'] becomes ['imgsz=[3,640,640]']
 
     Args:
-        args (List[str]): A list of strings where each element represents an argument.
+        args (List[str]): A list of strings where each element represents an argument or fragment.
 
     Returns:
-        (List[str]): A list of strings where the arguments around isolated '=' are merged.
+        List[str]: A list of strings where the arguments around isolated '=' are merged and fragments with brackets are joined.
 
     Examples:
-        >>> args = ["arg1", "=", "value", "arg2=", "value2", "arg3", "=value3"]
-        >>> merge_equals_args(args)
-        ['arg1=value', 'arg2=value2', 'arg3=value3']
+        >>> args = ["arg1", "=", "value", "arg2=", "value2", "arg3", "=value3", "imgsz=[3,", "640,", "640]"]
+        >>> merge_and_join_args(args)
+        ['arg1=value', 'arg2=value2', 'arg3=value3', 'imgsz=[3,640,640]']
     """
     new_args = []
-    for i, arg in enumerate(args):
+    current = ""
+    depth = 0
+
+    i = 0
+    while i < len(args):
+        arg = args[i]
+
+        # Handle equals sign merging
         if arg == "=" and 0 < i < len(args) - 1:  # merge ['arg', '=', 'val']
             new_args[-1] += f"={args[i + 1]}"
-            del args[i + 1]
+            i += 2
+            continue
         elif arg.endswith("=") and i < len(args) - 1 and "=" not in args[i + 1]:  # merge ['arg=', 'val']
             new_args.append(f"{arg}{args[i + 1]}")
-            del args[i + 1]
+            i += 2
+            continue
         elif arg.startswith("=") and i > 0:  # merge ['arg', '=val']
             new_args[-1] += arg
-        else:
-            new_args.append(arg)
+            i += 1
+            continue
+
+        # Handle bracket joining
+        depth += arg.count("[") - arg.count("]")
+        current += arg
+        if depth == 0:
+            new_args.append(current)
+            current = ""
+
+        i += 1
+
+    # Append any remaining current string
+    if current:
+        new_args.append(current)
+
     return new_args