diff --git a/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar.hpp b/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar.hpp
index ae59e3bf0..e63052eb5 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar.hpp
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include <mapnik/value.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/json/generic_json.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/json/value_converters.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/util/conversions.hpp>
 
 #pragma GCC diagnostic push
 #include <mapnik/warning_ignore.hpp>
@@ -45,8 +46,72 @@ namespace qi = boost::spirit::qi;
 namespace phoenix = boost::phoenix;
 namespace fusion = boost::fusion;
 
-class attribute_value_visitor
+namespace {
+struct stringifier
+{
+    std::string operator()(std::string const& val) const
+    {
+        return "\"" + val + "\"";
+    }
 
+    std::string operator()(value_null) const
+    {
+        return "null";
+    }
+
+    std::string operator()(value_bool val) const
+    {
+        return val ? "true" : "false";
+    }
+
+    std::string operator()(value_integer val) const
+    {
+        std::string str;
+        util::to_string(str, val);
+        return str;
+    }
+
+    std::string operator()(value_double val) const
+    {
+        std::string str;
+        util::to_string(str, val);
+        return str;
+    }
+
+    std::string operator()(std::vector<mapnik::json::json_value> const& array) const
+    {
+        std::string str = "[";
+        bool first = true;
+        for (auto const& val : array)
+        {
+            if (first) first = false;
+            else str += ",";
+            str += mapnik::util::apply_visitor(*this, val);
+        }
+        str += "]";
+        return str;
+    }
+
+    std::string operator()(std::unordered_map<std::string, mapnik::json::json_value> const& object) const
+    {
+        std::string str = "{";
+        bool first = true;
+        for (auto const& kv : object)
+        {
+            if (first) first = false;
+            else str += ",";
+            str += kv.first;
+            str += ":";
+            str += mapnik::util::apply_visitor(*this, kv.second);
+        }
+        str += "}";
+        return str;
+    }
+};
+
+} // anonymous ns
+
+struct attribute_value_visitor
 {
 public:
     attribute_value_visitor(mapnik::transcoder const& tr)
@@ -57,6 +122,18 @@ public:
         return mapnik::value(tr_.transcode(val.c_str()));
     }
 
+    mapnik::value operator()(std::vector<mapnik::json::json_value> const& array) const
+    {
+        std::string str = stringifier()(array);
+        return mapnik::value(tr_.transcode(str.c_str()));
+    }
+
+    mapnik::value operator()(std::unordered_map<std::string, mapnik::json::json_value> const& object) const
+    {
+        std::string str = stringifier()(object);
+        return mapnik::value(tr_.transcode(str.c_str()));
+    }
+
     template <typename T>
     mapnik::value operator()(T const& val) const
     {
@@ -102,8 +179,6 @@ struct feature_grammar : qi::grammar<Iterator, void(FeatureType&), space_type>
     qi::rule<Iterator,void(FeatureType &),space_type> properties;
     qi::rule<Iterator,qi::locals<std::string>, void(FeatureType &),space_type> attributes;
     qi::rule<Iterator, json_value(), space_type> attribute_value;
-    qi::rule<Iterator, qi::locals<std::int32_t>, std::string(), space_type> stringify_object;
-    qi::rule<Iterator, qi::locals<std::int32_t>, std::string(), space_type> stringify_array;
     // functions
     phoenix::function<put_property> put_property_;
     phoenix::function<set_geometry_impl> set_geometry;
diff --git a/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar_impl.hpp b/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar_impl.hpp
index 1ddf95581..c6340d779 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar_impl.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar_impl.hpp
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ feature_grammar<Iterator,FeatureType,ErrorHandler>::feature_grammar(mapnik::tran
     qi::_r1_type _r1;
     qi::eps_type eps;
     qi::char_type char_;
-    qi::no_skip_type no_skip;
     using qi::fail;
     using qi::on_error;
     using phoenix::new_;
@@ -57,17 +56,19 @@ feature_grammar<Iterator,FeatureType,ErrorHandler>::feature_grammar(mapnik::tran
     json_.pairs = json_.key_value % lit(',')
         ;
 
-    json_.key_value = (json_.string_ > lit(':') > json_.value)
+    json_.key_value = json_.string_ > lit(':') > json_.value
         ;
 
     json_.object = lit('{')
-        > *json_.pairs
+        > json_.pairs
         > lit('}')
         ;
+
     json_.array = lit('[')
         > json_.value > *(lit(',') > json_.value)
         > lit(']')
         ;
+
     json_.number = json_.strict_double[_val = json_.double_converter(_1)]
         | json_.int__[_val = json_.integer_converter(_1)]
         | lit("true") [_val = true]
@@ -99,13 +100,7 @@ feature_grammar<Iterator,FeatureType,ErrorHandler>::feature_grammar(mapnik::tran
     attributes = (json_.string_ [_a = _1] > lit(':') > attribute_value [put_property_(_r1,_a,_1)]) % lit(',')
         ;
 
-    attribute_value %= json_.number | json_.string_ | stringify_object | stringify_array
-        ;
-
-    stringify_object %= char_('{')[_a = 1 ] > no_skip[*(eps(_a > 0) > (char_('{')[_a +=1] | char_('}')[_a -=1] | char_))]
-        ;
-
-    stringify_array %= char_('[')[_a = 1 ] > no_skip[*(eps(_a > 0) > (char_('[')[_a +=1] | char_(']')[_a -=1] | char_))]
+    attribute_value %= json_.number | json_.string_ | json_.object | json_.array
         ;
 
     feature.name("Feature");