diff --git a/write_json.cpp b/write_json.cpp
index 74c5ed3..b8f6ddb 100644
--- a/write_json.cpp
+++ b/write_json.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,168 @@
 #include "write_json.hpp"
 #include "milo/dtoa_milo.h"
 
+enum json_write_tok {
+	JSON_WRITE_HASH,
+	JSON_WRITE_HASH_KEY,
+	JSON_WRITE_HASH_VALUE,
+	JSON_WRITE_ARRAY,
+	JSON_WRITE_ARRAY_ELEMENT,
+	JSON_WRITE_TOP,
+};
+
+struct json_write_state {
+	std::vector<json_write_tok> state;
+
+	~json_write_state() {
+		if (state.size() > 0) {
+			if (state.size() != 1 || state[0] != JSON_WRITE_TOP) {
+				fprintf(stderr, "JSON not closed at end\n");
+				exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+};
+
+static void json_adjust(FILE *f, json_write_state &state) {
+	if (state.state.size() == 0) {
+		state.state.push_back(JSON_WRITE_TOP);
+	} else if (state.state[state.state.size() - 1] == JSON_WRITE_TOP) {
+		fprintf(f, "\n");
+		state.state[state.state.size() - 1] = JSON_WRITE_TOP;
+	} else if (state.state[state.state.size() - 1] == JSON_WRITE_HASH) {
+		fprintf(f, " ");
+		state.state[state.state.size() - 1] = JSON_WRITE_HASH_KEY;
+	} else if (state.state[state.state.size() - 1] == JSON_WRITE_HASH_KEY) {
+		fprintf(f, ": ");
+		state.state[state.state.size() - 1] = JSON_WRITE_HASH_VALUE;
+	} else if (state.state[state.state.size() - 1] == JSON_WRITE_HASH_VALUE) {
+		fprintf(f, ", ");
+		state.state[state.state.size() - 1] = JSON_WRITE_HASH_KEY;
+	} else if (state.state[state.state.size() - 1] == JSON_WRITE_ARRAY) {
+		fprintf(f, " ");
+		state.state[state.state.size() - 1] = JSON_WRITE_ARRAY_ELEMENT;
+	} else if (state.state[state.state.size() - 1] == JSON_WRITE_ARRAY_ELEMENT) {
+		fprintf(f, ", ");
+		state.state[state.state.size() - 1] = JSON_WRITE_ARRAY_ELEMENT;
+	} else {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Impossible JSON state\n");
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+}
+
+void json_write_array(FILE *f, json_write_state &state) {
+	json_adjust(f, state);
+	fprintf(f, "[");
+
+	state.state.push_back(JSON_WRITE_ARRAY);
+}
+
+void json_end_array(FILE *f, json_write_state &state) {
+	if (state.state.size() == 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "End JSON array at top level\n");
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+
+	json_write_tok tok = state.state[state.state.size() - 1];
+	state.state.pop_back();
+
+	if (tok == JSON_WRITE_ARRAY || tok == JSON_WRITE_ARRAY_ELEMENT) {
+		fprintf(f, " ]");
+	} else {
+		fprintf(stderr, "End JSON array with unexpected state\n");
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+}
+
+void json_write_hash(FILE *f, json_write_state &state) {
+	json_adjust(f, state);
+	fprintf(f, "{");
+
+	state.state.push_back(JSON_WRITE_HASH);
+}
+
+void json_end_hash(FILE *f, json_write_state &state) {
+	if (state.state.size() == 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "End JSON hash at top level\n");
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+
+	json_write_tok tok = state.state[state.state.size() - 1];
+	state.state.pop_back();
+
+	if (tok == JSON_WRITE_HASH) {
+		fprintf(f, "  }");  // Preserve accidental extra space from before
+	} else if (tok == JSON_WRITE_HASH_VALUE) {
+		fprintf(f, " }");
+	} else {
+		fprintf(stderr, "End JSON hash with unexpected state\n");
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+}
+
+void json_write_string(FILE *f, std::string const &s, json_write_state &state) {
+	json_adjust(f, state);
+
+	putc('"', f);
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < s.size(); i++) {
+		if (s[i] == '\\' || s[i] == '"') {
+			fprintf(f, "\\%c", s[i]);
+		} else if ((unsigned char) s[i] < ' ') {
+			fprintf(f, "\\u%04x", s[i]);
+		} else {
+			putc(s[i], f);
+		}
+	}
+	putc('"', f);
+}
+
+void json_write_number(FILE *f, double d, json_write_state &state) {
+	json_adjust(f, state);
+
+	fputs(milo::dtoa_milo(d).c_str(), f);
+}
+
+// Just to avoid changing expected output format
+void json_write_float(FILE *f, double d, json_write_state &state) {
+	json_adjust(f, state);
+
+	fprintf(f, "%f", d);
+}
+
+void json_write_unsigned(FILE *f, unsigned long long v, json_write_state &state) {
+	json_adjust(f, state);
+
+	fprintf(f, "%llu", v);
+}
+
+void json_write_signed(FILE *f, long long v, json_write_state &state) {
+	json_adjust(f, state);
+
+	fprintf(f, "%lld", v);
+}
+
+void json_write_stringified(FILE *f, std::string const &s, json_write_state &state) {
+	json_adjust(f, state);
+
+	fputs(s.c_str(), f);
+}
+
+void json_write_bool(FILE *f, bool b, json_write_state &state) {
+	json_adjust(f, state);
+
+	if (b) {
+		fputs("true", f);
+	} else {
+		fputs("false", f);
+	}
+}
+
+void json_write_null(FILE *f, json_write_state &state) {
+	json_adjust(f, state);
+
+	fputs("null", f);
+}
+
 struct lonlat {
 	int op;
 	double lon;
@@ -26,84 +188,68 @@ struct lonlat {
 };
 
 void layer_to_geojson(FILE *fp, mvt_layer const &layer, unsigned z, unsigned x, unsigned y, bool comma, bool name, bool zoom, bool dropped, unsigned long long index, long long sequence, long long extent, bool complain) {
+	json_write_state state;
+
 	for (size_t f = 0; f < layer.features.size(); f++) {
 		mvt_feature const &feat = layer.features[f];
 
 		if (comma && f != 0) {
-			fprintf(fp, ",\n");
+			fprintf(fp, ",");
 		}
 
-		fprintf(fp, "{ \"type\": \"Feature\"");
+		json_write_hash(fp, state);
+		json_write_string(fp, "type", state);
+		json_write_string(fp, "Feature", state);
 
 		if (feat.has_id) {
-			fprintf(fp, ", \"id\": %llu", feat.id);
+			json_write_string(fp, "id", state);
+			json_write_unsigned(fp, feat.id, state);
 		}
 
 		if (name || zoom || index != 0 || sequence != 0 || extent != 0) {
-			bool need_comma = false;
-
-			fprintf(fp, ", \"tippecanoe\": { ");
+			json_write_string(fp, "tippecanoe", state);
+			json_write_hash(fp, state);
 
 			if (name) {
-				if (need_comma) {
-					fprintf(fp, ", ");
-				}
-				fprintf(fp, "\"layer\": ");
-				fprintq(fp, layer.name.c_str());
-				need_comma = true;
+				json_write_string(fp, "layer", state);
+				json_write_string(fp, layer.name, state);
 			}
 
 			if (zoom) {
-				if (need_comma) {
-					fprintf(fp, ", ");
-				}
-				fprintf(fp, "\"minzoom\": %u, ", z);
-				fprintf(fp, "\"maxzoom\": %u", z);
-				need_comma = true;
+				json_write_string(fp, "minzoom", state);
+				json_write_unsigned(fp, z, state);
+
+				json_write_string(fp, "maxzoom", state);
+				json_write_unsigned(fp, z, state);
 			}
 
 			if (dropped) {
-				if (need_comma) {
-					fprintf(fp, ", ");
-				}
-				fprintf(fp, "\"dropped\": %s", feat.dropped ? "true" : "false");
-				need_comma = true;
+				json_write_string(fp, "dropped", state);
+				json_write_bool(fp, feat.dropped, state);
 			}
 
 			if (index != 0) {
-				if (need_comma) {
-					fprintf(fp, ", ");
-				}
-				fprintf(fp, "\"index\": %llu", index);
-				need_comma = true;
+				json_write_string(fp, "index", state);
+				json_write_unsigned(fp, index, state);
 			}
 
 			if (sequence != 0) {
-				if (need_comma) {
-					fprintf(fp, ", ");
-				}
-				fprintf(fp, "\"sequence\": %lld", sequence);
-				need_comma = true;
+				json_write_string(fp, "sequence", state);
+				json_write_signed(fp, sequence, state);
 			}
 
 			if (extent != 0) {
-				if (need_comma) {
-					fprintf(fp, ", ");
-				}
-				fprintf(fp, "\"extent\": %lld", extent);
-				need_comma = true;
+				json_write_string(fp, "extent", state);
+				json_write_signed(fp, extent, state);
 			}
 
-			fprintf(fp, " }");
+			json_end_hash(fp, state);
 		}
 
-		fprintf(fp, ", \"properties\": { ");
+		json_write_string(fp, "properties", state);
+		json_write_hash(fp, state);
 
 		for (size_t t = 0; t + 1 < feat.tags.size(); t += 2) {
-			if (t != 0) {
-				fprintf(fp, ", ");
-			}
-
 			if (feat.tags[t] >= layer.keys.size()) {
 				fprintf(stderr, "Error: out of bounds feature key (%u in %zu)\n", feat.tags[t], layer.keys.size());
 				exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
@@ -117,33 +263,33 @@ void layer_to_geojson(FILE *fp, mvt_layer const &layer, unsigned z, unsigned x,
 			mvt_value const &val = layer.values[feat.tags[t + 1]];
 
 			if (val.type == mvt_string) {
-				fprintq(fp, key);
-				fprintf(fp, ": ");
-				fprintq(fp, val.string_value.c_str());
+				json_write_string(fp, key, state);
+				json_write_string(fp, val.string_value, state);
 			} else if (val.type == mvt_int) {
-				fprintq(fp, key);
-				fprintf(fp, ": %lld", val.numeric_value.int_value);
+				json_write_string(fp, key, state);
+				json_write_signed(fp, val.numeric_value.int_value, state);
 			} else if (val.type == mvt_double) {
-				fprintq(fp, key);
-				double v = val.numeric_value.double_value;
-				fprintf(fp, ": %s", milo::dtoa_milo(v).c_str());
+				json_write_string(fp, key, state);
+				json_write_number(fp, val.numeric_value.double_value, state);
 			} else if (val.type == mvt_float) {
-				fprintq(fp, key);
-				double v = val.numeric_value.float_value;
-				fprintf(fp, ": %s", milo::dtoa_milo(v).c_str());
+				json_write_string(fp, key, state);
+				json_write_number(fp, val.numeric_value.float_value, state);
 			} else if (val.type == mvt_sint) {
-				fprintq(fp, key);
-				fprintf(fp, ": %lld", val.numeric_value.sint_value);
+				json_write_string(fp, key, state);
+				json_write_signed(fp, val.numeric_value.sint_value, state);
 			} else if (val.type == mvt_uint) {
-				fprintq(fp, key);
-				fprintf(fp, ": %llu", val.numeric_value.uint_value);
+				json_write_string(fp, key, state);
+				json_write_unsigned(fp, val.numeric_value.uint_value, state);
 			} else if (val.type == mvt_bool) {
-				fprintq(fp, key);
-				fprintf(fp, ": %s", val.numeric_value.bool_value ? "true" : "false");
+				json_write_string(fp, key, state);
+				json_write_bool(fp, val.numeric_value.bool_value, state);
 			}
 		}
 
-		fprintf(fp, " }, \"geometry\": { ");
+		json_end_hash(fp, state);
+
+		json_write_string(fp, "geometry", state);
+		json_write_hash(fp, state);
 
 		std::vector<lonlat> ops;
 
@@ -168,16 +314,30 @@ void layer_to_geojson(FILE *fp, mvt_layer const &layer, unsigned z, unsigned x,
 
 		if (feat.type == VT_POINT) {
 			if (ops.size() == 1) {
-				fprintf(fp, "\"type\": \"Point\", \"coordinates\": [ %f, %f ]", ops[0].lon, ops[0].lat);
+				json_write_string(fp, "type", state);
+				json_write_string(fp, "Point", state);
+
+				json_write_string(fp, "coordinates", state);
+
+				json_write_array(fp, state);
+				json_write_float(fp, ops[0].lon, state);
+				json_write_float(fp, ops[0].lat, state);
+				json_end_array(fp, state);
 			} else {
-				fprintf(fp, "\"type\": \"MultiPoint\", \"coordinates\": [ ");
+				json_write_string(fp, "type", state);
+				json_write_string(fp, "MultiPoint", state);
+
+				json_write_string(fp, "coordinates", state);
+				json_write_array(fp, state);
+
 				for (size_t i = 0; i < ops.size(); i++) {
-					if (i != 0) {
-						fprintf(fp, ", ");
-					}
-					fprintf(fp, "[ %f, %f ]", ops[i].lon, ops[i].lat);
+					json_write_array(fp, state);
+					json_write_float(fp, ops[i].lon, state);
+					json_write_float(fp, ops[i].lat, state);
+					json_end_array(fp, state);
 				}
-				fprintf(fp, " ]");
+
+				json_end_array(fp, state);
 			}
 		} else if (feat.type == VT_LINE) {
 			int movetos = 0;
@@ -188,32 +348,59 @@ void layer_to_geojson(FILE *fp, mvt_layer const &layer, unsigned z, unsigned x,
 			}
 
 			if (movetos < 2) {
-				fprintf(fp, "\"type\": \"LineString\", \"coordinates\": [ ");
+				json_write_string(fp, "type", state);
+				json_write_string(fp, "LineString", state);
+
+				json_write_string(fp, "coordinates", state);
+				json_write_array(fp, state);
+
 				for (size_t i = 0; i < ops.size(); i++) {
-					if (i != 0) {
-						fprintf(fp, ", ");
-					}
-					fprintf(fp, "[ %f, %f ]", ops[i].lon, ops[i].lat);
+					json_write_array(fp, state);
+					json_write_float(fp, ops[i].lon, state);
+					json_write_float(fp, ops[i].lat, state);
+					json_end_array(fp, state);
 				}
-				fprintf(fp, " ]");
+
+				json_end_array(fp, state);
 			} else {
-				fprintf(fp, "\"type\": \"MultiLineString\", \"coordinates\": [ [ ");
-				int state = 0;
+				json_write_string(fp, "type", state);
+				json_write_string(fp, "MultiLineString", state);
+
+				json_write_string(fp, "coordinates", state);
+				json_write_array(fp, state);
+				json_write_array(fp, state);
+
+				int sstate = 0;
 				for (size_t i = 0; i < ops.size(); i++) {
 					if (ops[i].op == VT_MOVETO) {
-						if (state == 0) {
-							fprintf(fp, "[ %f, %f ]", ops[i].lon, ops[i].lat);
-							state = 1;
+						if (sstate == 0) {
+							json_write_array(fp, state);
+							json_write_float(fp, ops[i].lon, state);
+							json_write_float(fp, ops[i].lat, state);
+							json_end_array(fp, state);
+
+							sstate = 1;
 						} else {
-							fprintf(fp, " ], [ ");
-							fprintf(fp, "[ %f, %f ]", ops[i].lon, ops[i].lat);
-							state = 1;
+							json_end_array(fp, state);
+							json_write_array(fp, state);
+
+							json_write_array(fp, state);
+							json_write_float(fp, ops[i].lon, state);
+							json_write_float(fp, ops[i].lat, state);
+							json_end_array(fp, state);
+
+							sstate = 1;
 						}
 					} else {
-						fprintf(fp, ", [ %f, %f ]", ops[i].lon, ops[i].lat);
+						json_write_array(fp, state);
+						json_write_float(fp, ops[i].lon, state);
+						json_write_float(fp, ops[i].lat, state);
+						json_end_array(fp, state);
 					}
 				}
-				fprintf(fp, " ] ]");
+
+				json_end_array(fp, state);
+				json_end_array(fp, state);
 			}
 		} else if (feat.type == VT_POLYGON) {
 			std::vector<std::vector<lonlat> > rings;
@@ -271,12 +458,23 @@ void layer_to_geojson(FILE *fp, mvt_layer const &layer, unsigned z, unsigned x,
 			}
 
 			if (outer > 1) {
-				fprintf(fp, "\"type\": \"MultiPolygon\", \"coordinates\": [ [ [ ");
+				json_write_string(fp, "type", state);
+				json_write_string(fp, "MultiPolygon", state);
+
+				json_write_string(fp, "coordinates", state);
+				json_write_array(fp, state);
+				json_write_array(fp, state);
+				json_write_array(fp, state);
 			} else {
-				fprintf(fp, "\"type\": \"Polygon\", \"coordinates\": [ [ ");
+				json_write_string(fp, "type", state);
+				json_write_string(fp, "Polygon", state);
+
+				json_write_string(fp, "coordinates", state);
+				json_write_array(fp, state);
+				json_write_array(fp, state);
 			}
 
-			int state = 0;
+			int sstate = 0;
 			for (size_t i = 0; i < rings.size(); i++) {
 				if (i == 0 && areas[i] < 0) {
 					static bool warned = false;
@@ -292,45 +490,61 @@ void layer_to_geojson(FILE *fp, mvt_layer const &layer, unsigned z, unsigned x,
 				}
 
 				if (areas[i] >= 0) {
-					if (state != 0) {
+					if (sstate != 0) {
 						// new multipolygon
-						fprintf(fp, " ] ], [ [ ");
+						json_end_array(fp, state);
+						json_end_array(fp, state);
+
+						json_write_array(fp, state);
+						json_write_array(fp, state);
 					}
-					state = 1;
+					sstate = 1;
 				}
 
-				if (state == 2) {
+				if (sstate == 2) {
 					// new ring in the same polygon
-					fprintf(fp, " ], [ ");
+					json_end_array(fp, state);
+					json_write_array(fp, state);
 				}
 
 				for (size_t j = 0; j < rings[i].size(); j++) {
 					if (rings[i][j].op != VT_CLOSEPATH) {
-						if (j != 0) {
-							fprintf(fp, ", ");
-						}
-
-						fprintf(fp, "[ %f, %f ]", rings[i][j].lon, rings[i][j].lat);
+						json_write_array(fp, state);
+						json_write_float(fp, rings[i][j].lon, state);
+						json_write_float(fp, rings[i][j].lat, state);
+						json_end_array(fp, state);
 					} else {
-						if (j != 0) {
-							fprintf(fp, ", ");
-						}
-
-						fprintf(fp, "[ %f, %f ]", rings[i][0].lon, rings[i][0].lat);
+						json_write_array(fp, state);
+						json_write_float(fp, rings[i][0].lon, state);
+						json_write_float(fp, rings[i][0].lat, state);
+						json_end_array(fp, state);
 					}
 				}
 
-				state = 2;
+				sstate = 2;
 			}
 
 			if (outer > 1) {
-				fprintf(fp, " ] ] ]");
+				json_end_array(fp, state);
+				json_end_array(fp, state);
+				json_end_array(fp, state);
 			} else {
-				fprintf(fp, " ] ]");
+				json_end_array(fp, state);
+				json_end_array(fp, state);
 			}
 		}
 
-		fprintf(fp, " } }\n");
+		json_end_hash(fp, state);
+		json_end_hash(fp, state);
+
+		if (comma) {
+			fprintf(fp, "\n");
+		}
+	}
+
+	// XXX clean up newlines
+	if (!comma) {
+		fprintf(fp, "\n");
 	}
 }