diff --git a/lib/json/pure/parser.rb b/lib/json/pure/parser.rb
index e1d701b30..be48c6074 100644
--- a/lib/json/pure/parser.rb
+++ b/lib/json/pure/parser.rb
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ def parse_string
                 bytes << c[6 * i + 2, 2].to_i(16) << c[6 * i + 4, 2].to_i(16)
                 i += 1
               end
-              JSON.iconv('utf-8', 'utf-16be', bytes)
+              JSON.iconv('utf-8', 'utf-16be', bytes).force_encoding(::Encoding::ASCII_8BIT)
             end
           end
           if string.respond_to?(:force_encoding)
diff --git a/tests/json_parser_test.rb b/tests/json_parser_test.rb
index 00b254fc6..146ff7c04 100644
--- a/tests/json_parser_test.rb
+++ b/tests/json_parser_test.rb
@@ -115,6 +115,10 @@ def test_parse_bigdecimals
     assert_equal(BigDecimal("0.901234567890123456789E1"),JSON.parse('{"foo": 9.01234567890123456789}', decimal_class: BigDecimal)["foo"]      )
   end
 
+  def test_parse_string_mixed_unicode
+    assert_equal(["éé"], JSON.parse("[\"\\u00e9é\"]"))
+  end
+
   if Array.method_defined?(:permutation)
     def test_parse_more_complex_arrays
       a = [ nil, false, true, "foßbar", [ "n€st€d", true ], { "nested" => true, "n€ßt€ð2" => {} }]