diff --git a/include/mapnik/json/topojson_grammar_x3_def.hpp b/include/mapnik/json/topojson_grammar_x3_def.hpp
index aa040c371..6a5d6920e 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/json/topojson_grammar_x3_def.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/json/topojson_grammar_x3_def.hpp
@@ -255,13 +255,23 @@ auto assign_properties = [] (auto const& ctx)
     std::get<3>(_val(ctx)) = std::move(_attr(ctx));
 };
 
+auto assign_prop_name = [] (auto const& ctx)
+{
+    std::get<0>(_val(ctx)) = std::move(_attr(ctx));
+};
+
+auto assign_prop_value = [] (auto const& ctx)
+{
+    std::get<1>(_val(ctx)) = std::move(_attr(ctx));
+};
+
 namespace x3 = boost::spirit::x3;
 
 using x3::lit;
 using x3::double_;
 using x3::int_;
 using x3::omit;
-
+using x3::char_;
 namespace
 {
 // import unicode string rule
@@ -296,6 +306,7 @@ topojson_grammar_type const topology = "Topology";
 x3::rule<class transform_tag, mapnik::topojson::transform> transform = "Transform";
 x3::rule<class bbox_tag, mapnik::topojson::bounding_box> bbox = "Bounding Box";
 x3::rule<class objects_tag, std::vector<mapnik::topojson::geometry>> objects= "Objects";
+x3::rule<class property_tag, mapnik::topojson::property> property = "Property";
 x3::rule<class properties_tag, mapnik::topojson::properties> properties = "Properties";
 x3::rule<class geometry_tag, mapnik::topojson::geometry> geometry = "Geometry";
 x3::rule<class geometry_collection_tag, std::vector<mapnik::topojson::geometry>> geometry_collection = "Geometry Collection";
@@ -346,7 +357,7 @@ auto const  bbox_def = lit("\"bbox\"") > lit(':')
 
 auto const objects_def = lit("\"objects\"") > lit(':')
     > lit('{')
-    > ((omit[json_string] > lit(':') > ((geometry_collection[push_collection] | geometry[push_geometry]))) % lit(','))
+    > ((omit[*~char_(':')] > lit(':') > ((geometry_collection[push_collection] | geometry[push_geometry]))) % lit(','))
     > lit('}')
     ;
 
@@ -359,7 +370,7 @@ auto const geometry_tuple_def =
      |
      properties[assign_properties]
      |
-     omit[json_string >> lit(':') >> json_value]) % lit(',')
+     omit[json_string] > lit(':') > omit[json_value]) % lit(',')
     ;
 
 auto const geometry_def = lit("{") > geometry_tuple[create_geometry] > lit("}");
@@ -384,9 +395,12 @@ auto const rings_array_def = (lit('[') >> (rings % lit(',')) >> lit(']'))
     ring
     ;
 
+auto const property_def = json_string[assign_prop_name] > lit(':') > json_value[assign_prop_value]
+    ;
+
 auto const properties_def = lit("\"properties\"")
     > lit(':')
-    > lit('{') > (json_string > lit(':') > json_value) % lit(',') > lit('}')
+    > lit('{') > (property % lit(',')) > lit('}')
     ;
 
 auto const arcs_def = lit("\"arcs\"") >> lit(':') >> lit('[') >> -( arc % lit(',')) >> lit(']') ;
@@ -408,6 +422,7 @@ BOOST_SPIRIT_DEFINE(
     ring,
     rings,
     rings_array,
+    property,
     properties,
     arcs,
     arc,
diff --git a/src/json/unicode_string_grammar_x3.cpp b/src/json/unicode_string_grammar_x3.cpp
index f3969feec..76c0e731e 100644
--- a/src/json/unicode_string_grammar_x3.cpp
+++ b/src/json/unicode_string_grammar_x3.cpp
@@ -23,11 +23,6 @@
 #include <mapnik/json/unicode_string_grammar_x3_def.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/json/json_grammar_config.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/json/extract_bounding_boxes_x3_config.hpp>
-#include <mapnik/json/json_value.hpp>
-#pragma GCC diagnostic push
-#include <mapnik/warning_ignore.hpp>
-#include <boost/fusion/adapted/std_tuple.hpp>
-#pragma GCC diagnostic pop
 
 namespace mapnik { namespace json { namespace grammar {
 
@@ -48,9 +43,4 @@ BOOST_SPIRIT_INSTANTIATE_UNUSED(unicode_string_grammar_type, iterator_type, extr
 BOOST_SPIRIT_INSTANTIATE_UNUSED(unicode_string_grammar_type, iterator_type, extract_bounding_boxes_context_type_f);
 BOOST_SPIRIT_INSTANTIATE_UNUSED(unicode_string_grammar_type, iterator_type, extract_bounding_boxes_reverse_context_type_f);
 
-using attribute_type = boost::fusion::iterator_range<boost::fusion::std_tuple_iterator<std::tuple<std::string, mapnik::json::json_value>, 0>, boost::fusion::std_tuple_iterator<std::tuple<std::string, mapnik::json::json_value>, 1>>;
-
-template bool mapnik::json::grammar::parse_rule<iterator_type, phrase_parse_context_type, attribute_type> (
-    unicode_string_grammar_type, iterator_type&, iterator_type const&,  phrase_parse_context_type const&, attribute_type &);
-
 }}}