diff --git a/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar.hpp b/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar.hpp
index c329eb7f5..fae8ed58a 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar.hpp
@@ -72,7 +72,8 @@ struct feature_grammar : qi::grammar<Iterator, void(FeatureType&), space_type>
     generic_json<Iterator> json_;
     // geoJSON
     qi::rule<Iterator, void(FeatureType&),space_type> start;
-    qi::rule<Iterator, qi::locals<bool>, void(FeatureType&),space_type> feature;
+    qi::rule<Iterator, qi::locals<bool>, void(FeatureType&), space_type> feature;
+    qi::rule<Iterator, void(FeatureType&, bool&), space_type> feature_part;
     qi::rule<Iterator, space_type> feature_type;
     qi::rule<Iterator,void(FeatureType &),space_type> properties;
     qi::rule<Iterator,qi::locals<std::string>, void(FeatureType &),space_type> attributes;
diff --git a/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar_impl.hpp b/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar_impl.hpp
index 88f72ff0d..bdda650cc 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar_impl.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/json/feature_grammar_impl.hpp
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ feature_grammar<Iterator,FeatureType,ErrorHandler>::feature_grammar(mapnik::tran
     qi::_4_type _4;
     qi::_a_type _a;
     qi::_r1_type _r1;
+    qi::_r2_type _r2;
     qi::eps_type eps;
     qi::char_type char_;
     using qi::fail;
@@ -55,16 +56,19 @@ feature_grammar<Iterator,FeatureType,ErrorHandler>::feature_grammar(mapnik::tran
     start = feature(_r1);
 
     feature = eps[_a = false] > lit('{') >
-        (feature_type[_a = true]
-         |
-         (lit("\"geometry\"") > lit(':') > geometry_grammar_[set_geometry(_r1, _1)])
-         |
-         properties(_r1)
-         |
-         json_.key_value) % lit(',')
+        feature_part(_r1, _a) % lit(',')
         > eps(_a) > lit('}')
         ;
 
+    feature_part = feature_type[_r2 = true]
+        |
+        (lit("\"geometry\"") > lit(':') > geometry_grammar_[set_geometry(_r1, _1)])
+        |
+        properties(_r1)
+        |
+        json_.key_value
+        ;
+
     properties = lit("\"properties\"")
         > lit(':') > ((lit('{') > -attributes(_r1) > lit('}')) | lit("null"))
         ;
diff --git a/include/mapnik/json/geometry_grammar.hpp b/include/mapnik/json/geometry_grammar.hpp
index 4b0d1194c..fc0d3a43d 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/json/geometry_grammar.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/json/geometry_grammar.hpp
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ struct geometry_grammar :
     geometry_grammar();
     qi::rule<Iterator, mapnik::geometry::geometry<double>(), space_type> start;
     qi::rule<Iterator, qi::locals<int, mapnik::json::coordinates>, mapnik::geometry::geometry<double>(), space_type> geometry;
+    qi::rule<Iterator, void(int&, mapnik::json::coordinates&, mapnik::geometry::geometry<double>&), space_type> geometry_part;
     qi::rule<Iterator, mapnik::geometry::geometry_collection<double>(), space_type> geometry_collection;
     qi::symbols<char, int> geometry_type_dispatch;
     positions_grammar<Iterator> coordinates;
diff --git a/include/mapnik/json/geometry_grammar_impl.hpp b/include/mapnik/json/geometry_grammar_impl.hpp
index 29ea8461c..171894c78 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/json/geometry_grammar_impl.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/json/geometry_grammar_impl.hpp
@@ -46,21 +46,27 @@ geometry_grammar<Iterator, ErrorHandler>::geometry_grammar()
     qi::_4_type _4;
     qi::_a_type _a;
     qi::_b_type _b;
+    qi::_r1_type _r1;
+    qi::_r2_type _r2;
+    qi::_r3_type _r3;
     qi::eps_type eps;
     using qi::fail;
     using qi::on_error;
     using phoenix::push_back;
 
     start = geometry.alias() | lit("null");
+
     geometry = lit('{')[_a = 0]
-        > (((lit("\"type\"") > lit(':') > geometry_type_dispatch[_a = _1])
-            |
-            (lit("\"coordinates\"") > lit(':') > coordinates[_b = _1])
-            |
-            (lit("\"geometries\"") > lit(':') > lit('[') > geometry_collection[_val = _1] > lit(']'))
-            |
-            json_.key_value) % lit(',')) [create_geometry(_val,_a,_b)]
-        > lit('}')
+        > (geometry_part(_a, _b, _val) % lit(','))[create_geometry(_val, _a, _b)]
+        > lit('}');
+
+    geometry_part = ((lit("\"type\"") > lit(':') > geometry_type_dispatch[_r1 = _1])
+                     |
+                     (lit("\"coordinates\"") > lit(':') > coordinates[_r2 = _1])
+                     |
+                     (lit("\"geometries\"") > lit(':') > lit('[') > geometry_collection[_r3 = _1] > lit(']'))
+                     |
+                     json_.key_value)
         ;
 
     geometry_collection = geometry[push_back(_val, _1)] % lit(',')