diff --git a/src/dged/buffer.c b/src/dged/buffer.c
index c537fb3..84d2f75 100644
--- a/src/dged/buffer.c
+++ b/src/dged/buffer.c
@@ -788,8 +788,9 @@ struct location buffer_end(struct buffer *buffer) {
   if (buffer->lazy_row_add) {
     return (struct location){.line = nlines, .col = 0};
   } else {
-    return (struct location){.line = nlines - 1,
-                             .col = buffer_line_length(buffer, nlines - 1)};
+    nlines = nlines == 0 ? 0 : nlines - 1;
+    return (struct location){.line = nlines,
+                             .col = buffer_line_length(buffer, nlines)};
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/dged/json.c b/src/dged/json.c
index 24d5c15..70d406b 100644
--- a/src/dged/json.c
+++ b/src/dged/json.c
@@ -18,22 +18,35 @@ struct json_array {
   VEC(struct json_value) values;
 };
 
-static void setarray(struct json_value *val) {
-  val->type = Json_Array;
-  val->value.array = calloc(1, sizeof(struct json_array));
-  VEC_INIT(&val->value.array->values, 10);
+static struct json_value create_array(struct json_value *parent) {
+  struct json_value val = {0};
+  val.type = Json_Array;
+  val.parent = parent;
+  val.value.array = calloc(1, sizeof(struct json_array));
+  VEC_INIT(&val.value.array->values, 10);
+
+  return val;
 }
 
-static void setobject(struct json_value *val) {
-  val->type = Json_Object;
-  val->value.object = calloc(1, sizeof(struct json_object));
-  HASHMAP_INIT(&val->value.object->members, 10, hash_name);
+static struct json_value create_object(struct json_value *parent) {
+  struct json_value val = {0};
+  val.type = Json_Object;
+  val.parent = parent;
+  val.value.object = calloc(1, sizeof(struct json_object));
+  HASHMAP_INIT(&val.value.object->members, 10, hash_name);
+
+  return val;
 }
 
-static void setstring(struct json_value *val, uint8_t *current) {
-  val->type = Json_String;
-  val->value.string.s = current;
-  val->value.string.l = 0;
+static struct json_value create_string(const uint8_t *start, uint32_t len,
+                                       struct json_value *parent) {
+  struct json_value val = {0};
+  val.type = Json_String;
+  val.parent = parent;
+  val.value.string.s = (uint8_t *)start;
+  val.value.string.l = len;
+
+  return val;
 }
 
 static bool is_number(uint8_t byte) { return byte >= '0' && byte <= '9'; }
@@ -43,133 +56,230 @@ enum object_parse_state {
   ObjectParseState_Value,
 };
 
-struct json_result json_parse(uint8_t *buf, uint64_t size) {
-  struct json_result res = {
-      .ok = true,
-      .result.document.type = Json_Null,
+struct parser_state {
+  const uint8_t *buf;
+  uint64_t pos;
+  uint64_t len;
+  uint32_t line;
+  uint32_t col;
+};
+
+static struct json_result parse_string(struct parser_state *state,
+                                       struct json_value *parent) {
+  uint64_t start_pos = ++state->pos; /* ++ to skip start of string (") */
+  while (state->pos < state->len && state->buf[state->pos] != '"') {
+    ++state->pos;
+    ++state->col;
+  }
+
+  if (state->pos < state->len) {
+    uint64_t len = state->pos - start_pos;
+
+    // skip over "
+    ++state->pos;
+    ++state->col;
+
+    return (struct json_result){
+        .ok = true,
+        .result.document = create_string(&state->buf[start_pos], len, parent),
+    };
+  }
+
+  return (struct json_result){
+      .ok = false,
+      .result.error = "expected end of string, found EOF",
   };
+}
 
-  struct json_value *parent = NULL;
-  struct json_value *current = &res.result.document;
-  struct json_value tmp_key = {0};
-  struct json_value tmp_val = {0};
-  uint32_t line = 1, col = 0;
-
-  enum object_parse_state obj_parse_state = ObjectParseState_Key;
-  for (uint64_t bufi = 0; bufi < size; ++bufi) {
-    uint8_t byte = buf[bufi];
-
-    // handle appends to the current scope
-    if (current->type == Json_Array) {
-      VEC_PUSH(&current->value.array->values, tmp_val);
-      parent = current;
-
-      // start looking for next value
-      tmp_val.type = Json_Null;
-      current = &tmp_val;
-    } else if (current->type == Json_Object &&
-               obj_parse_state == ObjectParseState_Key) {
-      // key is in tmp_key, start looking for value
-      obj_parse_state = ObjectParseState_Value;
-      parent = current;
-
-      tmp_val.type = Json_Null;
-      current = &tmp_val;
-    } else if (current->type == Json_Object &&
-               obj_parse_state == ObjectParseState_Value) {
-      // value is in tmp_val
-      // TODO: remove this alloc, should not be needed
-      char *k = s8tocstr(tmp_key.value.string);
-      uint32_t hash = 0;
-      HASHMAP_INSERT(&current->value.object->members, struct json_object_member,
-                     k, tmp_val, hash);
-      (void)hash;
-      free(k);
+static struct json_result parse_number(struct parser_state *state,
+                                       struct json_value *parent) {
+  uint64_t start_pos = state->pos;
+  while (state->pos < state->len &&
+         (is_number(state->buf[state->pos]) || state->buf[state->pos] == '-' ||
+          state->buf[state->pos] == '.')) {
+    ++state->pos;
+    ++state->col;
+  }
 
-      // start looking for next key
-      obj_parse_state = ObjectParseState_Key;
-      parent = current;
+  if (state->pos < state->len) {
+    uint64_t len = state->pos - start_pos;
+    ++state->pos;
+    ++state->col;
+    char *nmbr =
+        s8tocstr((struct s8){.s = (uint8_t *)&state->buf[start_pos], .l = len});
+    struct json_result res = {
+        .ok = true,
+        .result.document.type = Json_Number,
+        .result.document.value.number = atof(nmbr),
+        .result.document.parent = parent,
+    };
+    free(nmbr);
+    return res;
+  }
+
+  return (struct json_result){
+      .ok = false,
+      .result.error = "expected end of number, found EOF",
+  };
+}
 
-      tmp_key.type = Json_Null;
-      current = &tmp_key;
+static struct json_result parse_value(struct parser_state *state,
+                                      struct json_value *parent) {
+  uint8_t byte = state->buf[state->pos];
+  switch (byte) {
+  case '"':
+    return parse_string(state, parent);
+  case 't':
+    state->pos += 4;
+    state->col += 4;
+    return (struct json_result){
+        .ok = true,
+        .result.document.type = Json_Bool,
+        .result.document.value.boolean = true,
+        .result.document.parent = parent,
+    };
+  case 'f':
+    state->pos += 5;
+    state->col += 5;
+    return (struct json_result){
+        .ok = true,
+        .result.document.type = Json_Bool,
+        .result.document.value.boolean = false,
+        .result.document.parent = parent,
+    };
+  case 'n':
+    state->pos += 4;
+    state->col += 4;
+    return (struct json_result){
+        .ok = true,
+        .result.document.type = Json_Null,
+        .result.document.parent = parent,
+    };
+  default:
+    if (is_number(byte) || byte == '-' || byte == '.') {
+      return parse_number(state, parent);
     }
+    break;
+  }
 
-    switch (byte) {
-    case '[':
-      setarray(current);
-      parent = current;
+  return (struct json_result){
+      .ok = false,
+      .result.error = "expected value",
+  };
+}
+
+struct json_result json_parse(const uint8_t *buf, uint64_t size) {
+
+  enum object_parse_state expected = ObjectParseState_Value;
+  struct parser_state state = {
+      .buf = buf,
+      .pos = 0,
+      .len = size,
+      .line = 1,
+      .col = 0,
+  };
+
+  struct json_value root = {0}, key = {0}, value = {0};
+  struct json_value *container = &root;
+
+  while (state.pos < state.len) {
+    switch (state.buf[state.pos]) {
+    case ',':
+    case ' ':
+    case ':':
+    case '\r':
+    case '\t':
+      ++state.col;
+      ++state.pos;
+      continue;
+
+    case '\n':
+      ++state.line;
+      ++state.pos;
+      state.col = 0;
+      continue;
 
-      tmp_val.type = Json_Null;
-      current = &tmp_val;
-      break;
     case ']':
-      current = parent;
-      break;
-    case '{':
-      setobject(current);
-      obj_parse_state = ObjectParseState_Key;
-      parent = current;
+    case '}':
+      container = container->parent;
+      ++state.pos;
+      ++state.col;
+      continue;
 
-      tmp_key.type = Json_Null;
-      current = &tmp_key;
+    case '[':
+      value = create_array(container);
+      ++state.pos;
+      ++state.col;
       break;
-    case '}':
-      current = parent;
+    case '{':
+      value = create_object(container);
+      expected = ObjectParseState_Key;
+      ++state.pos;
+      ++state.col;
       break;
-    case '"':
-      if (current->type == Json_String) {
-        // finish off the string
-        current->value.string.l = (buf + bufi) - current->value.string.s;
-        current = parent;
+    default:
+      if (expected == ObjectParseState_Key) {
+        struct json_result res = parse_string(&state, container);
+
+        if (!res.ok) {
+          return res;
+        }
+
+        key = res.result.document;
+        expected = ObjectParseState_Value;
+
+        // dont insert anything now, we still need a value
+        continue;
       } else {
-        setstring(current, buf + bufi + 1 /* skip " */);
+        struct json_result res = parse_value(&state, container);
+
+        if (!res.ok) {
+          return res;
+        }
+
+        value = res.result.document;
       }
-      break;
-    case '\n':
-      ++line;
-      col = 0;
-      break;
-    default:
-      if (current->type == Json_String) {
-        // append to string
-      } else if (current->type == Json_Number &&
-                 !(is_number(byte) || byte == '-' || byte == '.')) {
-        // end of number
-        current->value.string.l = (buf + bufi) - current->value.string.s;
-        char *nmbr = s8tocstr(current->value.string);
-        current->value.number = atof(nmbr);
-        free(nmbr);
-
-        current = parent;
-
-      } else if (current->type == Json_Null &&
-                 (is_number(byte) || byte == '-' || byte == '.')) {
-        // borrow string storage in the value for storing number
-        // as a string
-        setstring(current, buf + bufi);
-        current->type = Json_Number;
-      } else if (byte == 't') {
-        current->type = Json_Bool;
-        current->value.boolean = true;
-
-        current = parent;
-      } else if (byte == 'f') {
-        current->type = Json_Bool;
-        current->value.boolean = false;
-
-        current = parent;
-      } else if (byte == 'n') {
-        current->type = Json_Null;
-
-        current = parent;
+    }
+
+    struct json_value *inserted = NULL;
+    // where to put value?
+    if (container->type == Json_Object) {
+      // TODO: remove this alloc, should not be needed
+      char *k = s8tocstr(key.value.string);
+      HASHMAP_APPEND(&container->value.object->members,
+                     struct json_object_member, k,
+                     struct json_object_member * val);
+
+      // TODO: duplicate key
+      if (val != NULL) {
+        inserted = &val->value;
+        val->value = value;
+        // start looking for next key
+        expected = ObjectParseState_Key;
       }
-      break;
+
+      free(k);
+    } else if (container->type == Json_Array) {
+      VEC_APPEND(&container->value.array->values, struct json_value * val);
+      inserted = val;
+      *val = value;
+    } else { // root
+      *container = value;
+      inserted = container;
     }
 
-    // TODO: not entirely correct
-    ++col;
+    // did we insert a container?
+    // In this case, this is the current container
+    if (inserted != NULL &&
+        (value.type == Json_Object || value.type == Json_Array)) {
+      container = inserted;
+    }
   }
-  return res;
+
+  return (struct json_result){
+      .ok = true,
+      .result.document = root,
+  };
 }
 
 void json_destroy(struct json_value *value) {
diff --git a/src/dged/json.h b/src/dged/json.h
index c0428b9..63b80da 100644
--- a/src/dged/json.h
+++ b/src/dged/json.h
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@
 #include "s8.h"
 
 enum json_type {
+  Json_Null = 0,
   Json_Array,
   Json_Object,
-  Json_Null,
   Json_Number,
   Json_String,
   Json_Bool,
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ struct json_value {
     double number;
     bool boolean;
   } value;
+  struct json_value *parent;
 };
 
 struct json_result {
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ struct json_result {
 
 struct json_writer;
 
-struct json_result json_parse(uint8_t *buf, uint64_t size);
+struct json_result json_parse(const uint8_t *buf, uint64_t size);
 void json_destroy(struct json_value *value);
 
 uint64_t json_len(struct json_object *obj);
diff --git a/src/dged/lsp.c b/src/dged/lsp.c
index 3c699f4..e73a41f 100644
--- a/src/dged/lsp.c
+++ b/src/dged/lsp.c
@@ -75,9 +75,9 @@ void lsp_destroy(struct lsp *lsp) {
     free(lsp->process);
   }
   if (lsp->command != NULL) {
-    char *command = lsp->command[0];
+    char *const *command = &lsp->command[0];
     while (command != NULL) {
-      free(command);
+      free(*command);
       ++command;
     }