diff --git a/mio/bin/t03.c b/mio/bin/t03.c
index 53a22e1..cacb24f 100644
--- a/mio/bin/t03.c
+++ b/mio/bin/t03.c
@@ -114,6 +114,13 @@ static int write_json_element (mio_jsonwr_t* jsonwr, const mio_bch_t* dptr, mio_
 int main (int argc, char* argv[])
 {
 	mio_t* mio = MIO_NULL;
+	mio_bitmask_t o = 0;
+	int i;
+
+	for (i = 1; i < argc; i++)
+	{
+		if (strcmp(argv[i], "--permit-word-key") == 0) o |= MIO_JSON_PERMITWORDKEY;
+	}
 
 	mio = mio_open(MIO_NULL, 0, MIO_NULL, 512, MIO_NULL);
 	if (!mio)
@@ -131,6 +138,7 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[])
 
 		json = mio_json_open(mio, 0);
 
+		mio_json_setoption (json, o);
 		mio_json_setinstcb (json, on_json_inst, &pending);
 
 		rem = 0;
@@ -152,7 +160,7 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[])
 			if ((x = mio_json_feed(json, buf, size + rem, &rem, 1)) <= -1) 
 			{
 				mio_logbfmt (mio, MIO_LOG_STDOUT, "**** ERROR - %js ****\n", mio_geterrmsg(mio));
-				break;
+				goto done;
 			}
 
 			if (x > 0)
@@ -167,7 +175,10 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[])
 		}
 
 mio_logbfmt (mio, MIO_LOG_STDOUT, "\n");
-		if (pending) mio_logbfmt (mio, MIO_LOG_STDOUT, "**** ERROR - incomplete ****\n");
+		//if (pending) mio_logbfmt (mio, MIO_LOG_STDOUT, "**** ERROR - incomplete ****\n");
+		if (json->state_stack != &json->state_top) mio_logbfmt (mio, MIO_LOG_STDOUT, "**** ERROR - incomplete ****\n");
+
+	done:
 		mio_json_close (json);
 	}
 
diff --git a/mio/lib/htrd.c b/mio/lib/htrd.c
index bbfe04d..bc06dc8 100644
--- a/mio/lib/htrd.c
+++ b/mio/lib/htrd.c
@@ -434,14 +434,14 @@ mio_htrd_errnum_t mio_htrd_geterrnum (mio_htrd_t* htrd)
 	return htrd->errnum;
 }
 
-int mio_htrd_getopt (mio_htrd_t* htrd)
+mio_bitmask_t mio_htrd_getoption (mio_htrd_t* htrd)
 {
 	return htrd->option;
 }
 
-void mio_htrd_setopt (mio_htrd_t* htrd, int opts)
+void mio_htrd_setoption (mio_htrd_t* htrd, mio_bitmask_t mask)
 {
-	htrd->option = opts;
+	htrd->option = mask;
 }
 
 const mio_htrd_recbs_t* mio_htrd_getrecbs (mio_htrd_t* htrd)
diff --git a/mio/lib/http-cgi.c b/mio/lib/http-cgi.c
index 3fec3c4..01c3cf2 100644
--- a/mio/lib/http-cgi.c
+++ b/mio/lib/http-cgi.c
@@ -963,7 +963,7 @@ int mio_svc_htts_docgi (mio_svc_htts_t* htts, mio_dev_sck_t* csck, mio_htre_t* r
 
 	cgi->peer_htrd = mio_htrd_open(mio, MIO_SIZEOF(*cgi_peer));
 	if (MIO_UNLIKELY(!cgi->peer_htrd)) goto oops;
-	mio_htrd_setopt (cgi->peer_htrd, MIO_HTRD_SKIPINITIALLINE | MIO_HTRD_RESPONSE);
+	mio_htrd_setoption (cgi->peer_htrd, MIO_HTRD_SKIPINITIALLINE | MIO_HTRD_RESPONSE);
 	mio_htrd_setrecbs (cgi->peer_htrd, &cgi_peer_htrd_recbs);
 
 	cgi_peer = mio_htrd_getxtn(cgi->peer_htrd);
diff --git a/mio/lib/http-svr.c b/mio/lib/http-svr.c
index 858c47a..46913ba 100644
--- a/mio/lib/http-svr.c
+++ b/mio/lib/http-svr.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ static int init_client (mio_svc_htts_cli_t* cli, mio_dev_sck_t* sck)
 
 	/* With MIO_HTRD_TRAILERS, htrd stores trailers in a separate place.
 	 * Otherwise, it is merged to the headers. */
-	/*mio_htrd_setopt (cli->htrd, MIO_HTRD_REQUEST | MIO_HTRD_TRAILERS);*/
+	/*mio_htrd_setoption (cli->htrd, MIO_HTRD_REQUEST | MIO_HTRD_TRAILERS);*/
 
 	cli->sbuf = mio_becs_open(sck->mio, 0, 2048);
 	if (MIO_UNLIKELY(!cli->sbuf)) goto oops;
diff --git a/mio/lib/http-thr.c b/mio/lib/http-thr.c
index dfcb1e0..f6cd5f6 100644
--- a/mio/lib/http-thr.c
+++ b/mio/lib/http-thr.c
@@ -889,7 +889,7 @@ int mio_svc_htts_dothr (mio_svc_htts_t* htts, mio_dev_sck_t* csck, mio_htre_t* r
 
 	thr_state->peer_htrd = mio_htrd_open(mio, MIO_SIZEOF(*thr_peer));
 	if (MIO_UNLIKELY(!thr_state->peer_htrd)) goto oops;
-	mio_htrd_setopt (thr_state->peer_htrd, MIO_HTRD_SKIPINITIALLINE | MIO_HTRD_RESPONSE);
+	mio_htrd_setoption (thr_state->peer_htrd, MIO_HTRD_SKIPINITIALLINE | MIO_HTRD_RESPONSE);
 	mio_htrd_setrecbs (thr_state->peer_htrd, &thr_peer_htrd_recbs);
 
 	thr_peer = mio_htrd_getxtn(thr_state->peer_htrd);
diff --git a/mio/lib/json.c b/mio/lib/json.c
index f8a6ca6..9bf09fd 100644
--- a/mio/lib/json.c
+++ b/mio/lib/json.c
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@
 
 #define MIO_JSON_TOKEN_NAME_ALIGN 64
 
+/* this must not overlap with MIO_JSON_INST_XXXX enumerators in mio-json.h */
+#define __INST_WORD_STRING  9999
+
 /* ========================================================================= */
 
 static void clear_token (mio_json_t* json)
@@ -178,7 +181,7 @@ static int invoke_data_inst (mio_json_t* json, mio_json_inst_t inst)
 			/* this is called after the reader has seen a colon. 
 			 * the data item must be used as a key */
 
-			if (inst != MIO_JSON_INST_STRING)
+			if (inst != MIO_JSON_INST_STRING && inst != __INST_WORD_STRING)
 			{
 				mio_seterrbfmt (json->mio, MIO_EINVAL, "object key not a string - %.*js", json->tok.len, json->tok.ptr);
 				return -1;
@@ -193,6 +196,12 @@ static int invoke_data_inst (mio_json_t* json, mio_json_inst_t inst)
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (inst == __INST_WORD_STRING) 
+	{
+		mio_seterrbfmt (json->mio, MIO_EINVAL, "invalid word value - %.*js", json->tok.len, json->tok.ptr);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
 	switch (inst)
 	{
 		case MIO_JSON_INST_START_ARRAY:
@@ -392,8 +401,12 @@ static int handle_numeric_value_char (mio_json_t* json, mio_ooci_t c)
 static int handle_word_value_char (mio_json_t* json, mio_ooci_t c)
 {
 	mio_json_inst_t inst;
+	int ok;
 
-	if (mio_is_ooch_alpha(c))
+	ok = (json->option & MIO_JSON_PERMITWORDKEY)?
+		(mio_is_ooch_alpha(c) || mio_is_ooch_digit(c) || c == '_'):
+		mio_is_ooch_alpha(c);
+	if (ok)
 	{
 		if (add_char_to_token(json, c, 0) <= -1) return -1;
 		return 1;
@@ -404,6 +417,7 @@ static int handle_word_value_char (mio_json_t* json, mio_ooci_t c)
 	if (mio_comp_oochars_bcstr(json->tok.ptr, json->tok.len, "null", 0) == 0) inst = MIO_JSON_INST_NIL;
 	else if (mio_comp_oochars_bcstr(json->tok.ptr, json->tok.len, "true", 0) == 0) inst = MIO_JSON_INST_TRUE;
 	else if (mio_comp_oochars_bcstr(json->tok.ptr, json->tok.len, "false", 0) == 0) inst = MIO_JSON_INST_FALSE;
+	else if (json->option & MIO_JSON_PERMITWORDKEY) inst = __INST_WORD_STRING; /* internal only */
 	else
 	{
 		mio_seterrbfmt (json->mio, MIO_EINVAL, "invalid word value - %.*js", json->tok.len, json->tok.ptr);
@@ -801,6 +815,16 @@ void mio_json_fini (mio_json_t* json)
 }
 /* ========================================================================= */
 
+mio_bitmask_t mio_json_getoption (mio_json_t* json)
+{
+	return json->option;
+}
+
+void mio_json_setoption (mio_json_t* json, mio_bitmask_t mask)
+{
+	json->option = mask;
+}
+
 void mio_json_setinstcb (mio_json_t* json, mio_json_instcb_t instcb, void* ctx)
 {
 	json->instcb = instcb;
diff --git a/mio/lib/mio-htrd.h b/mio/lib/mio-htrd.h
index fb5d061..126c4a3 100644
--- a/mio/lib/mio-htrd.h
+++ b/mio/lib/mio-htrd.h
@@ -52,13 +52,13 @@ typedef enum mio_htrd_errnum_t mio_htrd_errnum_t;
  */
 enum mio_htrd_option_t
 {
-	MIO_HTRD_SKIPEMPTYLINES  = (1 << 0), /**< skip leading empty lines before the initial line */
-	MIO_HTRD_SKIPINITIALLINE = (1 << 1), /**< skip processing an initial line */
-	MIO_HTRD_CANONQPATH      = (1 << 2), /**< canonicalize the query path */
-	MIO_HTRD_REQUEST         = (1 << 3), /**< parse input as a request */
-	MIO_HTRD_RESPONSE        = (1 << 4), /**< parse input as a response */
-	MIO_HTRD_TRAILERS        = (1 << 5), /**< store trailers in a separate table */
-	MIO_HTRD_STRICT          = (1 << 6)  /**< be more picky */
+	MIO_HTRD_SKIPEMPTYLINES  = ((mio_bitmask_t)1 << 0), /**< skip leading empty lines before the initial line */
+	MIO_HTRD_SKIPINITIALLINE = ((mio_bitmask_t)1 << 1), /**< skip processing an initial line */
+	MIO_HTRD_CANONQPATH      = ((mio_bitmask_t)1 << 2), /**< canonicalize the query path */
+	MIO_HTRD_REQUEST         = ((mio_bitmask_t)1 << 3), /**< parse input as a request */
+	MIO_HTRD_RESPONSE        = ((mio_bitmask_t)1 << 4), /**< parse input as a response */
+	MIO_HTRD_TRAILERS        = ((mio_bitmask_t)1 << 5), /**< store trailers in a separate table */
+	MIO_HTRD_STRICT          = ((mio_bitmask_t)1 << 6)  /**< be more picky */
 };
 
 typedef enum mio_htrd_option_t mio_htrd_option_t;
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ struct mio_htrd_t
 {
 	mio_t* mio;
 	mio_htrd_errnum_t errnum;
-	int option;
+	mio_bitmask_t option;
 	int flags;
 
 	mio_htrd_recbs_t recbs;
@@ -153,13 +153,13 @@ MIO_EXPORT void mio_htrd_clear (
 	mio_htrd_t* htrd
 );
 
-MIO_EXPORT int mio_htrd_getopt (
+MIO_EXPORT mio_bitmask_t mio_htrd_getoption (
 	mio_htrd_t* htrd
 );
 
-MIO_EXPORT void mio_htrd_setopt (
-	mio_htrd_t* htrd,
-	int         opts
+MIO_EXPORT void mio_htrd_setoption (
+	mio_htrd_t*   htrd,
+	mio_bitmask_t mask
 );
 
 MIO_EXPORT const mio_htrd_recbs_t* mio_htrd_getrecbs (
diff --git a/mio/lib/mio-json.h b/mio/lib/mio-json.h
index 06a2b74..5075de6 100644
--- a/mio/lib/mio-json.h
+++ b/mio/lib/mio-json.h
@@ -120,16 +120,27 @@ struct mio_json_state_node_t
 	mio_json_state_node_t* next;
 };
 
+enum mio_json_option_t
+{
+	/* allow an unquoted word as an object key */
+        MIO_JSON_PERMITWORDKEY  = ((mio_bitmask_t)1 << 0), 
+};
+
+typedef enum mio_json_option_t mio_json_option_t;
+
+
 struct mio_json_t
 {
 	mio_t* mio;
 	mio_json_instcb_t instcb;
 	void* rctx;
+	mio_bitmask_t option;
 
 	mio_json_state_node_t state_top;
 	mio_json_state_node_t* state_stack;
 	mio_oocs_t tok;
 	mio_oow_t tok_capa;
+
 };
 
 /* ========================================================================= */
@@ -208,6 +219,15 @@ static MIO_INLINE void* mio_json_getxtn (mio_json_t* json) { return (void*)(json
 #define mio_json_getxtn(json) ((void*)((mio_json_t*)(json) + 1))
 #endif
 
+MIO_EXPORT mio_bitmask_t mio_json_getoption (
+	mio_json_t*       json
+);
+
+MIO_EXPORT void mio_json_setoption (
+	mio_json_t*       json,
+	mio_bitmask_t     mask
+);
+
 MIO_EXPORT void mio_json_setinstcb (
 	mio_json_t*       json,
 	mio_json_instcb_t instcb,