diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/text/json/EJson.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/text/json/EJson.java
index 16250549a..b624cf41b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/text/json/EJson.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/text/json/EJson.java
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import java.util.Map;
 
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.core.JsonGenerator;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.core.JsonParser;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.core.JsonToken;
 
 /**
  * Utility that converts between JSON content and simple java Maps/Lists.
@@ -55,7 +56,17 @@ public class EJson {
   public static Map<String,Object> parseObject(JsonParser parser) throws IOException {
     return EJsonReader.parseObject(parser);
   }
-  
+
+  /**
+   * Parse the json and return as a Map taking a JsonParser and a starting token.
+   * <p>
+   * Used when the first token is checked to see if the value is null prior to calling this.
+   * </p>
+   */
+  public static Map<String,Object> parseObject(JsonParser parser, JsonToken token) throws IOException {
+    return EJsonReader.parseObject(parser, token);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Parse the json and return as a List.
    * @throws IOException 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/text/json/EJsonReader.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/text/json/EJsonReader.java
index c9e8283bb..c644a9266 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/text/json/EJsonReader.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/text/json/EJsonReader.java
@@ -32,6 +32,11 @@ class EJsonReader {
     return (Map<String, Object>) parse(parser);
   }
 
+  @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+  static Map<String, Object> parseObject(JsonParser parser, JsonToken token) throws IOException {
+    return (Map<String, Object>)parse(parser, token);
+  }
+
   @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
   static List<Object> parseList(String json) throws IOException {
     return (List<Object>) parse(json);
@@ -56,7 +61,11 @@ class EJsonReader {
   }
 
   static Object parse(JsonParser parser) throws IOException {
-    return new EJsonReader(parser).parseJson();
+    return parse(parser, null);
+  }
+
+  static Object parse(JsonParser parser, JsonToken token) throws IOException {
+    return new EJsonReader(parser).parseJson(token);
   }
 
   private final JsonParser parser;
@@ -106,28 +115,27 @@ class EJsonReader {
     currentContext.setValueNull();
   }
 
-  private Object parseJson() {
+  private Object parseJson(JsonToken token) throws IOException {
 
-    try {
-      JsonToken token = parser.nextToken();
+    if (token == null) {
+      // no initial token so expect to read START_OBJECT or similar
+      token = parser.nextToken();
       if (JsonToken.VALUE_NULL == token) {
         return null;
       }
-
-      stack = new Stack();
-      // it is a object or array, process the first JsonToken
-      processJsonToken(token);
-
-      // process the rest of the object or array
-      while (depth > 0) {
-        token = parser.nextToken();
-        processJsonToken(token);
-      }
-
-      return currentContext.getValue();
-    } catch (IOException e) {
-      throw new RuntimeException(e);
     }
+
+    stack = new Stack();
+    // it is a object or array, process the first JsonToken
+    processJsonToken(token);
+
+    // process the rest of the object or array
+    while (depth > 0) {
+      token = parser.nextToken();
+      processJsonToken(token);
+    }
+
+    return currentContext.getValue();
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/type/ScalarTypePostgresHstore.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/type/ScalarTypePostgresHstore.java
index d2d9f8709..847f5fc4b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/type/ScalarTypePostgresHstore.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/type/ScalarTypePostgresHstore.java
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ public class ScalarTypePostgresHstore extends ScalarTypeBase<Map> {
     if (value == null) {
       return null;
     }
-    if (value instanceof Map == false) {
+    if (!(value instanceof Map)) {
       throw new RuntimeException("Expecting Hstore to return as Map but got type "+value.getClass());
     }
     return new ModifyAwareMap((Map)value);
@@ -111,12 +111,21 @@ public class ScalarTypePostgresHstore extends ScalarTypeBase<Map> {
 
   @Override
   public void jsonWrite(JsonGenerator ctx, String name, Object value) throws IOException {
-    EJson.write(value, ctx);
+    // write the field name followed by the Map/JSON Object
+    if (value == null) {
+      ctx.writeNullField(name);
+    } else {
+      ctx.writeFieldName(name);
+      EJson.write(value, ctx);
+    }
   }
 
   @Override
   public Object jsonRead(JsonParser ctx, JsonToken event) throws IOException {
-    return EJson.parseObject(ctx);
+    // at this point the BeanProperty has read the START_OBJECT token
+    // to check for a null value. Pass the START_OBJECT token through to
+    // the EJson parsing so that it knows the first token has been read
+    return EJson.parseObject(ctx, event);
   }
   
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/type/ScalarTypePostgresHstoreTest.java b/src/test/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/type/ScalarTypePostgresHstoreTest.java
index b5b8cf3de..fda32cebd 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/type/ScalarTypePostgresHstoreTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/type/ScalarTypePostgresHstoreTest.java
@@ -57,41 +57,54 @@ public class ScalarTypePostgresHstoreTest {
 
   @Test
   public void testJsonWrite() throws Exception {
+
+    assertEquals("{\"key\":null}", generateJson(null));
+
     Map<String,Object> map = new LinkedHashMap<String, Object>();
 
-    assertEquals("{}", generateJson(map));
+    assertEquals("{\"key\":{}}", generateJson(map));
 
     map.put("name", "rob");
-    assertEquals("{\"name\":\"rob\"}", generateJson(map));
+    assertEquals("{\"key\":{\"name\":\"rob\"}}", generateJson(map));
 
     map.put("age", 12);
-    assertEquals("{\"name\":\"rob\",\"age\":12}", generateJson(map));
+    assertEquals("{\"key\":{\"name\":\"rob\",\"age\":12}}", generateJson(map));
   }
 
   @Test
   public void testJsonRead() throws Exception {
 
-    Map<String, Object> map = parse("{\"name\":\"rob\"}");
+    Map<String, Object> map = parseHstore("{\"name\":\"rob\"}");
     assertEquals(1, map.size());
     assertEquals("rob", map.get("name"));
 
-    map = parse("{\"name\":\"rob\",\"age\":12}");
+    map = parseHstore("{\"name\":\"rob\",\"age\":12}");
     assertEquals(2, map.size());
     assertEquals("rob", map.get("name"));
     assertEquals(12L, map.get("age"));
 
   }
 
-  private Map<String,Object> parse(String json) throws IOException {
+  private Map<String,Object> parseHstore(String json) throws IOException {
     JsonParser parser = jsonFactory.createParser(json);
-    return (Map<String,Object>)hstore.jsonRead(parser, JsonToken.FIELD_NAME);
+    // BeanProperty reads the first token checking for null so
+    // simulate that here
+    JsonToken token = parser.nextToken();
+    assertEquals(JsonToken.START_OBJECT, token);
+    return (Map<String,Object>)hstore.jsonRead(parser, token);
   }
 
-  private String generateJson(Map<String, Object> emptyMap) throws IOException {
+  private String generateJson(Map<String, Object> map) throws IOException {
     StringWriter writer = new StringWriter();
     JsonGenerator generator = jsonFactory.createGenerator(writer);
-    hstore.jsonWrite(generator, "name", emptyMap);
+    // wrap in an object to form proper json
+    generator.writeStartObject();
+
+    hstore.jsonWrite(generator, "key", map);
+
+    generator.writeEndObject();
     generator.flush();
+
     return writer.toString();
   }