diff --git a/jwt.zig b/jwt.zig
index a3eb3cf..1c2c28a 100644
--- a/jwt.zig
+++ b/jwt.zig
@@ -83,18 +83,14 @@ pub fn encodeMessage(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, comptime alg: Algorithm, mess
     return jwt_text.toOwnedSlice();
 }
 
-pub fn validate(comptime P: type, allocator: std.mem.Allocator, comptime alg: Algorithm, tokenText: []const u8, signatureOptions: SignatureOptions) !P {
+pub fn validate(comptime P: type, allocator: std.mem.Allocator, comptime alg: Algorithm, tokenText: []const u8, signatureOptions: SignatureOptions) !std.json.Parsed(P) {
     const message = try validateMessage(allocator, alg, tokenText, signatureOptions);
     defer allocator.free(message);
 
     // 10.  Verify that the resulting octet sequence is a UTF-8-encoded
     //      representation of a completely valid JSON object conforming to
     //      RFC 7159 [RFC7159]; let the JWT Claims Set be this JSON object.
-    return std.json.parseFromSlice(P, allocator, message, .{});
-}
-
-pub fn validateFree(comptime P: type, allocator: std.mem.Allocator, value: P) void {
-    std.json.parseFree(P, allocator, value);
+    return std.json.parseFromSlice(P, allocator, message, .{ .allocate = .alloc_always });
 }
 
 pub fn validateMessage(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, comptime expectedAlg: Algorithm, tokenText: []const u8, signatureOptions: SignatureOptions) ![]const u8 {
@@ -118,13 +114,10 @@ pub fn validateMessage(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, comptime expectedAlg: Algor
 
     // TODO: Make sure the JSON parser confirms everything above
 
-    var parser = std.json.Parser.init(allocator, .alloc_always);
-    defer parser.deinit();
-
     var cty_opt = @as(?[]const u8, null);
     defer if (cty_opt) |cty| allocator.free(cty);
 
-    var jwt_tree = try parser.parse(jose_json);
+    var jwt_tree = try std.json.parseFromSlice(std.json.Value, allocator, jose_json, .{});
     defer jwt_tree.deinit();
 
     // 5.   Verify that the resulting JOSE Header includes only parameters
@@ -132,7 +125,7 @@ pub fn validateMessage(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, comptime expectedAlg: Algor
     //      supported or that are specified as being ignored when not
     //      understood.
 
-    var jwt_root = jwt_tree.root;
+    var jwt_root = jwt_tree.value;
     if (jwt_root != .object) return error.InvalidFormat;
 
     {
@@ -325,8 +318,9 @@ fn test_validate(comptime algorithm: Algorithm, expected: TestValidatePayload, t
     defer std.testing.allocator.free(key);
     try base64url.Decoder.decode(key, key_base64);
 
-    var claims = try validate(TestValidatePayload, std.testing.allocator, algorithm, token, .{ .key = key });
-    defer validateFree(TestValidatePayload, std.testing.allocator, claims);
+    var claims_p = try validate(TestValidatePayload, std.testing.allocator, algorithm, token, .{ .key = key });
+    defer claims_p.deinit();
+    const claims = claims_p.value;
 
     try std.testing.expectEqualSlices(u8, expected.iss, claims.iss);
     try std.testing.expectEqual(expected.exp, claims.exp);
@@ -348,8 +342,9 @@ fn test_generate_then_validate(comptime alg: Algorithm, signatureOptions: Signat
     const token = try encode(std.testing.allocator, alg, payload, signatureOptions);
     defer std.testing.allocator.free(token);
 
-    var decoded = try validate(Payload, std.testing.allocator, alg, token, signatureOptions);
-    defer validateFree(Payload, std.testing.allocator, decoded);
+    var decoded_p = try validate(Payload, std.testing.allocator, alg, token, signatureOptions);
+    defer decoded_p.value;
+    const decoded = decoded_p.value;
 
     try std.testing.expectEqualSlices(u8, payload.sub, decoded.sub);
     try std.testing.expectEqualSlices(u8, payload.name, decoded.name);