diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index aecfd8f76e..20a4920b4f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ visual_studio/jsonfortranlib/
 visual_studio/jsonfortrantest/Debug/
 visual_studio/jsonfortrantest/Release/
 visual_studio/jsonfortrantest/x64
-
+visual_studio/config
+My Advisor Results*
 My Amplifier*
 My Inspector*
 x64/
diff --git a/files/inputs/invalid.json b/files/inputs/invalid.json
index 097356fa15..60def78a88 100644
--- a/files/inputs/invalid.json
+++ b/files/inputs/invalid.json
@@ -10,4 +10,4 @@
     "..\\path\\to\\files\\file1.txt",
     "..\\path\\to\\files\\file2.txt",
     "..\\path\\to\\files\\file3.txt"
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/files/inputs/invalid3.json b/files/inputs/invalid3.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e7b82d6c74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/files/inputs/invalid3.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+"a": "blah\",
+"b": 2
+}
diff --git a/files/inputs/test1.json b/files/inputs/test1.json
index 4915f36aa4..abb957aecc 100644
--- a/files/inputs/test1.json
+++ b/files/inputs/test1.json
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@
 		"..\\path\\to\\files\\file3.txt",
 		"test \u2FA4 \uABCD \uABCD\uABCDtest",
 		"   test  \\u \" blah\\\" test test",
-		"..\\path\\to\\files\\"
+		"..\\path\\to\\files\\",
+		"\\"
 	],
     "a": {
         "b": 1
diff --git a/src/json_file_module.F90 b/src/json_file_module.F90
index cc62dbb320..5c45b13d48 100644
--- a/src/json_file_module.F90
+++ b/src/json_file_module.F90
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ module json_file_module
 
         private
 
-        type(json_core) :: core !! The instance of the [[json_core(type)]] factory used for this file.
+        type(json_core)          :: core         !! The instance of the [[json_core(type)]]
+                                                 !! factory used for this file.
         type(json_value),pointer :: p => null()  !! the JSON structure read from the file
 
     contains
@@ -319,10 +320,17 @@ subroutine json_file_check_for_errors(me,status_ok,error_msg)
     implicit none
 
     class(json_file),intent(inout) :: me
-    logical(LK),intent(out) :: status_ok !! true if there were no errors
-    character(kind=CK,len=:),allocatable,intent(out) :: error_msg !! the error message (if there were errors)
-
+    logical(LK),intent(out),optional :: status_ok !! true if there were no errors
+    character(kind=CK,len=:),allocatable,intent(out),optional :: error_msg !! the error message
+                                                                           !! (if there were errors)
+
+#if defined __GFORTRAN__
+    character(kind=CK,len=:),allocatable :: tmp  !! workaround for gfortran bugs
+    call me%core%check_for_errors(status_ok,tmp)
+    error_msg = tmp
+#else
     call me%core%check_for_errors(status_ok,error_msg)
+#endif
 
     end subroutine json_file_check_for_errors
 !*****************************************************************************************
diff --git a/src/json_string_utilities.F90 b/src/json_string_utilities.F90
index e0c52b168a..2c7423fb9f 100644
--- a/src/json_string_utilities.F90
+++ b/src/json_string_utilities.F90
@@ -433,68 +433,74 @@ end subroutine escape_string
 !  * `\t`        - horizontal tab
 !  * `\uXXXX`    - 4 hexadecimal digits
 
-    subroutine unescape_string(str_in, str_out, error_message)
+    subroutine unescape_string(str, error_message)
 
     implicit none
 
-    character(kind=CK,len=*),intent(in)              :: str_in  !! string as stored in a [[json_value]]
-    character(kind=CK,len=:),allocatable,intent(out) :: str_out !! decoded string
-    character(kind=CK,len=:),allocatable,intent(out) :: error_message !! will be allocated if there was an error
+    character(kind=CK,len=:),allocatable,intent(inout) :: str           !! in: string as stored
+                                                                        !! in a [[json_value]].
+                                                                        !! out: decoded string.
+    character(kind=CK,len=:),allocatable,intent(out)   :: error_message !! will be allocated if
+                                                                        !! there was an error
 
     integer :: i   !! counter
-    integer :: n   !! length of str_in
-    integer :: m   !! length of str_out
+    integer :: n   !! length of `str`
+    integer :: m   !! length of `str_tmp`
     character(kind=CK,len=1) :: c  !! for scanning each character in string
+    character(kind=CK,len=:),allocatable :: str_tmp !! temp decoded string (if the input
+                                                    !! string contains an escape character
+                                                    !! and needs to be decoded).
 
-#if defined __GFORTRAN__
-    character(kind=CK,len=:),allocatable :: tmp  !! for GFortran bug workaround
-#endif
-
-    if (scan(str_in,backslash)>0) then
+    if (scan(str,backslash)>0) then
 
         !there is at least one escape character, so process this string:
 
-        n = len(str_in)
-        str_out = repeat(space,n) !size the output string (will be trimmed later)
-        m = 0  !counter in str_out
-        i = 0  !counter in str_in
+        n = len(str)
+        str_tmp = repeat(space,n) !size the output string (will be trimmed later)
+        m = 0  !counter in str_tmp
+        i = 0  !counter in str
 
         do
 
             i = i + 1
             if (i>n) exit ! finished
-            c = str_in(i:i) ! get next character in the string
+            c = str(i:i) ! get next character in the string
 
             if (c == backslash) then
 
                 if (i<n) then
 
                     i = i + 1
-                    c = str_in(i:i) !character after the escape
-
-                    if (any(c == [quotation_mark,backslash,slash, &
-                         to_unicode(['b','f','n','r','t'])])) then
-
-                        select case(c)
-                        case (quotation_mark,backslash,slash)
-                            !use d as is
-                        case (CK_'b')
-                             c = bspace
-                        case (CK_'f')
-                             c = formfeed
-                        case (CK_'n')
-                             c = newline
-                        case (CK_'r')
-                             c = carriage_return
-                        case (CK_'t')
-                             c = horizontal_tab
-                        end select
+                    c = str(i:i) !character after the escape
 
+                    select case(c)
+                    case (quotation_mark,backslash,slash)
+                        !use d as is
+                        m = m + 1
+                        str_tmp(m:m) = c
+                    case (CK_'b')
+                        c = bspace
+                        m = m + 1
+                        str_tmp(m:m) = c
+                    case (CK_'f')
+                        c = formfeed
                         m = m + 1
-                        str_out(m:m) = c
+                        str_tmp(m:m) = c
+                    case (CK_'n')
+                        c = newline
+                        m = m + 1
+                        str_tmp(m:m) = c
+                    case (CK_'r')
+                        c = carriage_return
+                        m = m + 1
+                        str_tmp(m:m) = c
+                    case (CK_'t')
+                        c = horizontal_tab
+                        m = m + 1
+                        str_tmp(m:m) = c
 
-                    else if (c == 'u') then !expecting 4 hexadecimal digits after
-                                            !the escape character    [\uXXXX]
+                    case (CK_'u') ! expecting 4 hexadecimal digits after
+                                  ! the escape character    [\uXXXX]
 
                         !for now, we are just returning them as is
                         ![not checking to see if it is a valid hex value]
@@ -504,54 +510,59 @@ subroutine unescape_string(str_in, str_out, error_message)
                         !   \uXXXX
 
                         if (i+4<=n) then
-                            m = m + 1
-                            str_out(m:m+5) = str_in(i-1:i+4)
-                            i = i + 4
-                            m = m + 5
+
+                            ! validate the hex string:
+                            if (valid_json_hex(str(i+1:i+4))) then
+                                m = m + 1
+                                str_tmp(m:m+5) = str(i-1:i+4)
+                                i = i + 4
+                                m = m + 5
+                            else
+                                error_message = 'Error in unescape_string:'//&
+                                                ' Invalid hexadecimal sequence in string "'//&
+                                                trim(str)//'" ['//str(i-1:i+4)//']'
+                                if (allocated(str_tmp)) deallocate(str_tmp)
+                                return
+                            end if
                         else
                             error_message = 'Error in unescape_string:'//&
-                                                 ' Invalid hexadecimal sequence'//&
-                                                 ' in string: '//str_in(i-1:)
-                            if (allocated(str_out)) deallocate(str_out)
+                                            ' Invalid hexadecimal sequence in string "'//&
+                                            trim(str)//'" ['//str(i-1:)//']'
+                            if (allocated(str_tmp)) deallocate(str_tmp)
                             return
                         end if
 
-                    else
+                    case default
+
                         !unknown escape character
                         error_message = 'Error in unescape_string:'//&
-                                             ' unknown escape sequence in string "'//&
-                                             trim(str_in)//'" ['//backslash//c//']'
-                        if (allocated(str_out)) deallocate(str_out)
+                                        ' unknown escape sequence in string "'//&
+                                        trim(str)//'" ['//backslash//c//']'
+                        if (allocated(str_tmp)) deallocate(str_tmp)
                         return
-                    end if
+
+                    end select
 
                 else
-                    !an escape character is the last character in
-                    ! the string [this may not be valid syntax,
-                    ! but just keep it]
-                    m = m + 1
-                    str_out(m:m) = c
+                    ! an escape character is the last character in
+                    ! the string. This is an error.
+                    error_message = 'Error in unescape_string:'//&
+                                    ' invalid escape character in string "'//&
+                                    trim(str)//'"'
+                    if (allocated(str_tmp)) deallocate(str_tmp)
+                    return
                 end if
 
             else
                 m = m + 1
-                str_out(m:m) = c
+                str_tmp(m:m) = c
             end if
 
         end do
 
         !trim trailing space:
-#if defined __GFORTRAN__
-        ! workaround for Gfortran 6.1.0 bug
-        tmp = str_out(1:m)
-        str_out = tmp
-#else
-        str_out = str_out(1:m)
-#endif
+        str = str_tmp(1:m)
 
-    else
-        !there are no escape characters, so return as is:
-        str_out = str_in
     end if
 
     end subroutine unescape_string
diff --git a/src/json_value_module.F90 b/src/json_value_module.F90
index 7532c64505..900fc626af 100644
--- a/src/json_value_module.F90
+++ b/src/json_value_module.F90
@@ -1917,7 +1917,7 @@ end subroutine wrap_json_throw_exception
 !  * [[json_failed]]
 !  * [[json_throw_exception]]
 
-    pure subroutine json_check_for_errors(json,status_ok,error_msg)
+    subroutine json_check_for_errors(json,status_ok,error_msg)
 
     implicit none
 
@@ -1927,6 +1927,10 @@ pure subroutine json_check_for_errors(json,status_ok,error_msg)
                                                                            !! (not allocated if
                                                                            !! there were no errors)
 
+#if defined __GFORTRAN__
+    character(kind=CK,len=:),allocatable :: tmp  !! workaround for gfortran bugs
+#endif
+
     if (present(status_ok)) status_ok = .not. json%exception_thrown
 
     if (present(error_msg)) then
@@ -1934,7 +1938,12 @@ pure subroutine json_check_for_errors(json,status_ok,error_msg)
             ! if an exception has been thrown,
             ! then this will always be allocated
             ! [see json_throw_exception]
+#if defined __GFORTRAN__
+            tmp = json%err_message
+            error_msg = tmp
+#else
             error_msg = json%err_message
+#endif
         end if
     end if
 
@@ -8755,9 +8764,6 @@ subroutine json_parse_file(json, file, p, unit)
         ! parse as a value
         call json%parse_value(unit=iunit, str=CK_'', value=p)
 
-        ! close the file if necessary
-        close(unit=iunit, iostat=istat)
-
         ! check for errors:
         if (json%exception_thrown) then
             call json%annotate_invalid_json(iunit,CK_'')
@@ -8773,6 +8779,9 @@ subroutine json_parse_file(json, file, p, unit)
             end if
         end if
 
+        ! close the file:
+        close(unit=iunit, iostat=istat)
+
     else
 
         call json%throw_exception('Error in json_parse_file: Error opening file: '//trim(file))
@@ -8872,8 +8881,8 @@ subroutine annotate_invalid_json(json,iunit,str)
     integer(IK) :: i_nl_prev  !! index of previous newline character
     integer(IK) :: i_nl       !! index of current newline character
 
-    !  If there was an error reading the file, then
-    !   print the line where the error occurred:
+    ! If there was an error reading the file, then
+    ! print the line where the error occurred:
     if (json%exception_thrown) then
 
         !the counters for the current line and the last character read:
@@ -8917,11 +8926,25 @@ subroutine annotate_invalid_json(json,iunit,str)
             line = CK_''
         end if
 
+        ! add a newline for the error display if necessary:
+        line = trim(line)
+        if (len(line)>0) then
+            i = len(line)
+            if (line(i:i)/=newline) line = line//newline
+        else
+            line = line//newline
+        end if
+
         !create the error message:
-        if (allocated(json%err_message)) json%err_message = json%err_message//newline
-        json%err_message = 'line: '//trim(adjustl(line_str))//', '//&
+        if (allocated(json%err_message)) then
+            json%err_message = json%err_message//newline
+        else
+            json%err_message = ''
+        end if
+        json%err_message = json%err_message//&
+                           'line: '//trim(adjustl(line_str))//', '//&
                            'character: '//trim(adjustl(char_str))//newline//&
-                           trim(line)//newline//arrow_str
+                           line//arrow_str
 
         if (allocated(line)) deallocate(line)
 
@@ -9008,6 +9031,11 @@ subroutine get_current_line_from_file_stream(json,iunit,line)
     iend = json%ipos
     do
         read(iunit,pos=iend,iostat=ios) c
+        if (IS_IOSTAT_END(ios)) then
+            ! account for end of file without linebreak
+            iend=iend-1
+            exit
+        end if
         if (c==newline .or. ios/=0) exit
         iend=iend+1
     end do
@@ -9868,27 +9896,27 @@ end subroutine parse_array
 !  * Jacob Williams : 6/16/2014 : Added hex validation.
 !  * Jacob Williams : 12/3/2015 : Fixed some bugs.
 !  * Jacob Williams : 8/23/2015 : `string` is now returned unescaped.
+!  * Jacob Williams : 7/21/2018 : moved hex validate to [[unescape_string]].
 
     subroutine parse_string(json, unit, str, string)
 
     implicit none
 
     class(json_core),intent(inout)                   :: json
-    integer(IK),intent(in)                           :: unit  !! file unit number (if parsing from a file)
-    character(kind=CK,len=*),intent(in)              :: str   !! JSON string (if parsing from a string)
-    character(kind=CK,len=:),allocatable,intent(out) :: string !! the string (unescaped if necessary)
+    integer(IK),intent(in)                           :: unit   !! file unit number (if
+                                                               !! parsing from a file)
+    character(kind=CK,len=*),intent(in)              :: str    !! JSON string (if parsing
+                                                               !! from a string)
+    character(kind=CK,len=:),allocatable,intent(out) :: string !! the string (unescaped
+                                                               !! if necessary)
 
     logical(LK)              :: eof      !! end of file flag
-    logical(LK)              :: is_hex   !! it is a hex string
     logical(LK)              :: escape   !! for escape string parsing
     character(kind=CK,len=1) :: c        !! character returned by [[pop_char]]
-    character(kind=CK,len=4) :: hex      !! hex string
-    integer(IK)              :: i        !! counter
     integer(IK)              :: ip       !! index to put next character,
                                          !! to speed up by reducing the number
                                          !! of character string reallocations.
-    character(kind=CK,len=:),allocatable :: string_unescaped !! temp variable
-    character(kind=CK,len=:),allocatable :: error_message    !! for string unescaping
+    character(kind=CK,len=:),allocatable :: error_message !! for string unescaping
 
     !at least return a blank string if there is a problem:
     string = repeat(space, chunk_size)
@@ -9896,10 +9924,8 @@ subroutine parse_string(json, unit, str, string)
     if (.not. json%exception_thrown) then
 
         !initialize:
-        ip     = 1
-        is_hex = .false.
         escape = .false.
-        i      = 0
+        ip     = 1
 
         do
 
@@ -9913,8 +9939,6 @@ subroutine parse_string(json, unit, str, string)
 
             else if (c==quotation_mark .and. .not. escape) then  !end of string
 
-                if (is_hex) call json%throw_exception('Error in parse_string:'//&
-                                                 ' incomplete hex string: \u'//trim(hex))
                 exit
 
             else
@@ -9926,34 +9950,13 @@ subroutine parse_string(json, unit, str, string)
                 string(ip:ip) = c
                 ip = ip + 1
 
-                !hex validation:
-                if (is_hex) then  !accumulate the four characters after '\u'
-
-                    i=i+1
-                    hex(i:i) = c
-                    if (i==4) then
-                        if (valid_json_hex(hex)) then
-                            i = 0
-                            hex = CK_''
-                            is_hex = .false.
-                        else
-                            call json%throw_exception('Error in parse_string:'//&
-                                                 ' invalid hex string: \u'//trim(hex))
-                            exit
-                        end if
-                    end if
-
+                ! check for escape character, so we don't
+                ! exit prematurely if escaping a quotation
+                ! character:
+                if (escape) then
+                    escape = .false.
                 else
-
-                    !when the '\u' string is encountered, then
-                    !  start accumulating the hex string (should be the next 4 characters)
-                    if (escape) then
-                        escape = .false.
-                        is_hex = (c==CK_'u')    !the next four characters are the hex string
-                    else
-                        escape = (c==backslash)
-                    end if
-
+                    escape = (c==backslash)
                 end if
 
             end if
@@ -9969,18 +9972,14 @@ subroutine parse_string(json, unit, str, string)
             end if
         end if
 
-        !string is returned unescaped:
-        call unescape_string(string,string_unescaped,error_message)
+        ! string is returned unescaped:
+        ! (this will also validate any hex strings present)
+        call unescape_string(string,error_message)
         if (allocated(error_message)) then
             call json%throw_exception(error_message)
-        else
-            string = string_unescaped
+            deallocate(error_message)  !cleanup
         end if
 
-        !cleanup:
-        if (allocated(error_message))    deallocate(error_message)
-        if (allocated(string_unescaped)) deallocate(string_unescaped)
-
     end if
 
     end subroutine parse_string
diff --git a/src/tests/jf_test_06.F90 b/src/tests/jf_test_06.F90
index def5f64042..23fbab97cb 100644
--- a/src/tests/jf_test_06.F90
+++ b/src/tests/jf_test_06.F90
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
 
 module jf_test_6_mod
 
-    use json_module
+    use json_module, CK => json_CK, LK => json_LK
+    use json_parameters, only: newline
     use, intrinsic :: iso_fortran_env , only: error_unit, output_unit, wp => real64
 
     implicit none
@@ -28,10 +29,14 @@ subroutine test_6(error_cnt)
     integer,intent(out) :: error_cnt
 
     type(json_file) :: json
-    integer :: i
+    integer :: i, j
+    character(kind=CK,len=:),allocatable :: error_msg
+    character(kind=CK,len=:),allocatable :: expected_error_msg
+    logical(LK) :: status_ok
 
-    character(len=*),dimension(2),parameter :: files = ['invalid.json ',&
-                                                        'invalid2.json']
+    character(len=*),dimension(3),parameter :: files = ['invalid.json ',&
+                                                        'invalid2.json',&
+                                                        'invalid3.json']
 
     error_cnt = 0
     call json%initialize()
@@ -46,7 +51,7 @@ subroutine test_6(error_cnt)
     write(error_unit,'(A)') '================================='
     write(error_unit,'(A)') ''
 
-    do i=1,2
+    do i=1,size(files)
 
         ! parse the json file:
         write(error_unit,'(A)') ''
@@ -54,7 +59,31 @@ subroutine test_6(error_cnt)
         write(error_unit,'(A)') ''
         call json%load_file(filename = dir//trim(files(i)))
         if (json%failed()) then
+
+            if (i==1) then
+                call json%check_for_errors(status_ok, error_msg=error_msg)
+                expected_error_msg = CK_'Error in parse_array: Unexpected character encountered when parsing array.'//newline//&
+                                     CK_'line: 13, character: 1'//newline//&
+                                     CK_'}'//newline//'^'
+                if (error_msg /= expected_error_msg) then
+                    ! verify that the expected error string is present
+                    write(error_unit,'(A)') 'Error: unexpected error message string: "'//error_msg//'"'
+                    write(error_unit,'(A)') ''
+                    write(error_unit,*) 'len(error_msg)          = ', len(error_msg)
+                    write(error_unit,*) 'len(expected_error_msg) = ', len(expected_error_msg)
+                    do j = 1, min(len(error_msg), len(expected_error_msg))
+                        if (error_msg(j:j) /= expected_error_msg(j:j)) then
+                            write(error_unit,'(I3,1X,A,A,A,A,A)') j, '"', error_msg(j:j), '" /= "', expected_error_msg(j:j), '"'
+                        else
+                            write(error_unit,'(I3,1X,A,A,A,A,A)') j, '"', error_msg(j:j), '" == "', expected_error_msg(j:j), '"'
+                        end if
+                    end do
+                    error_cnt = error_cnt + 1
+                end if
+            end if
+
             call json%print_error_message(error_unit)
+
         else
             write(error_unit,'(A)') 'An error should have been raised!'
             error_cnt = error_cnt + 1
diff --git a/src/tests/jf_test_10.F90 b/src/tests/jf_test_10.F90
index fefc1b429c..9723bb0c91 100644
--- a/src/tests/jf_test_10.F90
+++ b/src/tests/jf_test_10.F90
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ subroutine test_10(error_cnt)
         error_cnt = error_cnt + 1
     else
         !also make sure the values are correct:
-        if (found .and. size(str_vec)==6 .and. &
+        if (found .and. size(str_vec)==7 .and. &
             str_vec(1)=='..\path\to\files\file1.txt') then
             write(error_unit,'(A)') '...success'
         else
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ subroutine test_10(error_cnt)
         error_cnt = error_cnt + 1
     else
         !also make sure the values are correct:
-        if (found .and. size(str_vec)==6 .and. &
+        if (found .and. size(str_vec)==7 .and. &
             str_vec(1)=='..\path\to\files\file1.txt') then
             write(error_unit,'(A)') '...success'
         else