diff --git a/clutter/json/json-array.c b/clutter/json/json-array.c
index 83e2e0245..f1e677e61 100644
--- a/clutter/json/json-array.c
+++ b/clutter/json/json-array.c
@@ -343,7 +343,10 @@ json_array_get_string_element (JsonArray *array,
 
   node = g_ptr_array_index (array->elements, index_);
   g_return_val_if_fail (node != NULL, NULL);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (JSON_NODE_TYPE (node) == JSON_NODE_VALUE, NULL);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (JSON_NODE_HOLDS_VALUE (node) || JSON_NODE_HOLDS_NULL (node), NULL);
+
+  if (JSON_NODE_HOLDS_NULL (node))
+    return NULL;
 
   return json_node_get_string (node);
 }
@@ -401,7 +404,10 @@ json_array_get_array_element (JsonArray *array,
 
   node = g_ptr_array_index (array->elements, index_);
   g_return_val_if_fail (node != NULL, NULL);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (JSON_NODE_TYPE (node) == JSON_NODE_ARRAY, NULL);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (JSON_NODE_HOLDS_ARRAY (node) || JSON_NODE_HOLDS_NULL (node), NULL);
+
+  if (JSON_NODE_HOLDS_NULL (node))
+    return NULL;
 
   return json_node_get_array (node);
 }
@@ -431,7 +437,10 @@ json_array_get_object_element (JsonArray *array,
 
   node = g_ptr_array_index (array->elements, index_);
   g_return_val_if_fail (node != NULL, NULL);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (JSON_NODE_TYPE (node) == JSON_NODE_OBJECT, NULL);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (JSON_NODE_HOLDS_OBJECT (node) || JSON_NODE_HOLDS_NULL (node), NULL);
+
+  if (JSON_NODE_HOLDS_NULL (node))
+    return NULL;
 
   return json_node_get_object (node);
 }
@@ -565,8 +574,13 @@ json_array_add_string_element (JsonArray   *array,
   g_return_if_fail (array != NULL);
   g_return_if_fail (value != NULL);
 
-  node = json_node_new (JSON_NODE_VALUE);
-  json_node_set_string (node, value);
+  if (value != NULL)
+    {
+      node = json_node_new (JSON_NODE_VALUE);
+      json_node_set_string (node, value);
+    }
+  else
+    node = json_node_new (JSON_NODE_NULL);
 
   g_ptr_array_add (array->elements, node);
 }
@@ -614,8 +628,13 @@ json_array_add_array_element (JsonArray *array,
   g_return_if_fail (array != NULL);
   g_return_if_fail (value != NULL);
 
-  node = json_node_new (JSON_NODE_ARRAY);
-  json_node_take_array (node, value);
+  if (value != NULL)
+    {
+      node = json_node_new (JSON_NODE_ARRAY);
+      json_node_take_array (node, value);
+    }
+  else
+    node = json_node_new (JSON_NODE_NULL);
 
   g_ptr_array_add (array->elements, node);
 }
@@ -641,8 +660,13 @@ json_array_add_object_element (JsonArray  *array,
   g_return_if_fail (array != NULL);
   g_return_if_fail (value != NULL);
 
-  node = json_node_new (JSON_NODE_OBJECT);
-  json_node_take_object (node, value);
+  if (value != NULL)
+    {
+      node = json_node_new (JSON_NODE_OBJECT);
+      json_node_take_object (node, value);
+    }
+  else
+    node = json_node_new (JSON_NODE_NULL);
 
   g_ptr_array_add (array->elements, node);
 }
diff --git a/clutter/json/json-object.c b/clutter/json/json-object.c
index f3324976b..b60b37b99 100644
--- a/clutter/json/json-object.c
+++ b/clutter/json/json-object.c
@@ -311,8 +311,14 @@ json_object_set_string_member (JsonObject  *object,
   g_return_if_fail (object != NULL);
   g_return_if_fail (member_name != NULL);
 
-  node = json_node_new (JSON_NODE_VALUE);
-  json_node_set_string (node, value);
+  if (value != NULL)
+    {
+      node = json_node_new (JSON_NODE_VALUE);
+      json_node_set_string (node, value);
+    }
+  else
+    node = json_node_new (JSON_NODE_NULL);
+
   object_set_member_internal (object, member_name, node);
 }
 
@@ -366,8 +372,14 @@ json_object_set_array_member (JsonObject  *object,
   g_return_if_fail (object != NULL);
   g_return_if_fail (member_name != NULL);
 
-  node = json_node_new (JSON_NODE_ARRAY);
-  json_node_take_array (node, value);
+  if (value != NULL)
+    {
+      node = json_node_new (JSON_NODE_ARRAY);
+      json_node_take_array (node, value);
+    }
+  else
+    node = json_node_new (JSON_NODE_NULL);
+
   object_set_member_internal (object, member_name, node);
 }
 
@@ -396,8 +408,14 @@ json_object_set_object_member (JsonObject  *object,
   g_return_if_fail (object != NULL);
   g_return_if_fail (member_name != NULL);
 
-  node = json_node_new (JSON_NODE_OBJECT);
-  json_node_take_object (node, value);
+  if (value != NULL)
+    {
+      node = json_node_new (JSON_NODE_OBJECT);
+      json_node_take_object (node, value);
+    }
+  else
+    node = json_node_new (JSON_NODE_NULL);
+
   object_set_member_internal (object, member_name, node);
 }
 
@@ -688,7 +706,10 @@ json_object_get_string_member (JsonObject  *object,
 
   node = object_get_member_internal (object, member_name);
   g_return_val_if_fail (node != NULL, NULL);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (JSON_NODE_TYPE (node) == JSON_NODE_VALUE, NULL);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (JSON_NODE_HOLDS_VALUE (node) || JSON_NODE_HOLDS_NULL (node), NULL);
+
+  if (JSON_NODE_HOLDS_NULL (node))
+    return NULL;
 
   return json_node_get_string (node);
 }
@@ -718,7 +739,10 @@ json_object_get_array_member (JsonObject  *object,
 
   node = object_get_member_internal (object, member_name);
   g_return_val_if_fail (node != NULL, NULL);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (JSON_NODE_TYPE (node) == JSON_NODE_ARRAY, NULL);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (JSON_NODE_HOLDS_ARRAY (node) || JSON_NODE_HOLDS_NULL (node), NULL);
+
+  if (JSON_NODE_HOLDS_NULL (node))
+    return NULL;
 
   return json_node_get_array (node);
 }
@@ -748,7 +772,10 @@ json_object_get_object_member (JsonObject  *object,
 
   node = object_get_member_internal (object, member_name);
   g_return_val_if_fail (node != NULL, NULL);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (JSON_NODE_TYPE (node) == JSON_NODE_OBJECT, NULL);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (JSON_NODE_HOLDS_OBJECT (node) || JSON_NODE_HOLDS_NULL (node), NULL);
+
+  if (JSON_NODE_HOLDS_NULL (node))
+    return NULL;
 
   return json_node_get_object (node);
 }