diff --git a/common.py b/common.py
index f6d3eb5a..5b3098ac 100644
--- a/common.py
+++ b/common.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ def set_marathon_auth_args(parser):
 
 class DCOSAuth(AuthBase):
     def __init__(self, credentials, ca_cert):
-        creds = json.loads(credentials)
+        creds = cleanup_json(json.loads(credentials))
         self.uid = creds['uid']
         self.private_key = creds['private_key']
         self.login_endpoint = creds['login_endpoint']
@@ -128,3 +128,11 @@ def set_logging_args(parser):
                         help="Set log level",
                         default="DEBUG")
     return parser
+
+
+def cleanup_json(data):
+    if isinstance(data, dict):
+        return {k: cleanup_json(v) for k, v in data.items() if v is not None}
+    if isinstance(data, list):
+        return [cleanup_json(e) for e in data]
+    return data
diff --git a/marathon_lb.py b/marathon_lb.py
index 4f73c8bc..dbfeeddf 100755
--- a/marathon_lb.py
+++ b/marathon_lb.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
 import requests
 
 from common import (get_marathon_auth_params, set_logging_args,
-                    set_marathon_auth_args, setup_logging)
+                    set_marathon_auth_args, setup_logging, cleanup_json)
 from config import ConfigTemplater, label_keys
 from lrucache import LRUCache
 from utils import (CurlHttpEventStream, get_task_ip_and_ports, ip_cache,
@@ -189,16 +189,18 @@ def api_req_raw(self, method, path, auth, body=None, **kwargs):
 
         response.raise_for_status()
 
-        if 'message' in response.json():
+        resp_json = cleanup_json(response.json())
+        if 'message' in resp_json:
             response.reason = "%s (%s)" % (
                 response.reason,
-                response.json()['message'])
+                resp_json['message'])
 
         return response
 
     def api_req(self, method, path, **kwargs):
-        return self.api_req_raw(method, path, self.__auth,
+        data = self.api_req_raw(method, path, self.__auth,
                                 verify=self.__verify, **kwargs).json()
+        return cleanup_json(data)
 
     def create(self, app_json):
         return self.api_req('POST', ['apps'], app_json)
@@ -1661,7 +1663,7 @@ def process_sse_events(marathon, processor):
                     # marathon sometimes sends more than one json per event
                     # e.g. {}\r\n{}\r\n\r\n
                     for real_event_data in re.split(r'\r\n', event.data):
-                        data = json.loads(real_event_data)
+                        data = load_json(real_event_data)
                         logger.info(
                             "received event of type {0}"
                             .format(data['eventType']))
@@ -1677,6 +1679,10 @@ def process_sse_events(marathon, processor):
         processor.stop()
 
 
+def load_json(data_str):
+    return cleanup_json(json.loads(data_str))
+
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     # Process arguments
     arg_parser = get_arg_parser()
diff --git a/tests/test_marathon_lb.py b/tests/test_marathon_lb.py
index 25112348..85d0a5d1 100644
--- a/tests/test_marathon_lb.py
+++ b/tests/test_marathon_lb.py
@@ -3036,3 +3036,42 @@ def test_backend_disabled_and_enablede(self):
   server agent2_2_2_2_2_1025 2.2.2.2:1025 check inter 3s fall 11
 '''
         self.assertMultiLineEqual(config, expected)
+
+
+class TestFunctions(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def test_json_number(self):
+        json_value = '1'
+        data = marathon_lb.load_json(json_value)
+        expected = 1
+        self.assertEquals(data, expected)
+
+    def test_json_string(self):
+        json_value = '"1"'
+        data = marathon_lb.load_json(json_value)
+        expected = "1"
+        self.assertEquals(data, expected)
+
+    def test_json_nested_null_dict_remain(self):
+        json_value = '{"key":null,"key2":"y","key3":{"key4":null,"key5":"x"}}'
+        data = marathon_lb.load_json(json_value)
+        expected = {'key3': {'key5': 'x'}, 'key2': 'y'}
+        self.assertEquals(data, expected)
+
+    def test_json_nested_null_dict(self):
+        json_value = '{"key":null,"key2":"y","key3":{"key4":null}}'
+        data = marathon_lb.load_json(json_value)
+        expected = {'key3': {}, 'key2': 'y'}
+        self.assertEquals(data, expected)
+
+    def test_json_simple_list_dict(self):
+        json_value = '["k1",{"k2":null,"k3":"v3"},"k4"]'
+        data = marathon_lb.load_json(json_value)
+        expected = ['k1', {'k3': 'v3'}, 'k4']
+        self.assertEquals(data, expected)
+
+    def test_json_nested_null_dict_list(self):
+        json_value = '["k1",{"k2":null,"k3":["k4",{"k5":null}]},"k6"]'
+        data = marathon_lb.load_json(json_value)
+        expected = ['k1', {'k3': ['k4', {}]}, 'k6']
+        self.assertEquals(data, expected)
diff --git a/zdd.py b/zdd.py
index a6b08710..eb759636 100755
--- a/zdd.py
+++ b/zdd.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 import six.moves.urllib as urllib
 
 from common import (get_marathon_auth_params, set_logging_args,
-                    set_marathon_auth_args, setup_logging)
+                    set_marathon_auth_args, setup_logging, cleanup_json)
 from utils import (get_task_ip_and_ports, get_app_port_mappings)
 from zdd_exceptions import (
     AppCreateException, AppDeleteException, AppScaleException,
@@ -76,12 +76,12 @@ def marathon_get_request(args, path):
 
 def list_marathon_apps(args):
     response = marathon_get_request(args, "/v2/apps")
-    return response.json()['apps']
+    return cleanup_json(response.json())['apps']
 
 
 def fetch_marathon_app(args, app_id):
     response = marathon_get_request(args, "/v2/apps" + app_id)
-    return response.json()['app']
+    return cleanup_json(response.json())['app']
 
 
 def _get_alias_records(hostname):
@@ -575,7 +575,7 @@ def select_next_port(app):
 
 
 def select_next_colour(app):
-    if app['labels'].get('HAPROXY_DEPLOYMENT_COLOUR') == 'blue':
+    if app.get('labels', {}).get('HAPROXY_DEPLOYMENT_COLOUR') == 'blue':
         return 'green'
     else:
         return 'blue'