diff --git a/src/json_module.F90 b/src/json_module.F90
index 40db581834..a15ee99fd5 100644
--- a/src/json_module.F90
+++ b/src/json_module.F90
@@ -73,13 +73,32 @@ module json_module
 
     implicit none
 
-    character(kind=json_CK,len=5),protected :: json_fortran_version = '8.2.5'
+    character(kind=json_CK,len=*),parameter,private :: version = '8.2.5'
         !! JSON-Fortran version.
         !!
         !!@note This string should match the one in the `.VERSION` file (which is used
-        !! for the documentation generation.)
+        !!      for the documentation generation.)
 
     public
 
+    contains
+!*****************************************************************************************
+
+!*****************************************************************************************
+!>
+!  Returns the JSON-Fortran version string.
+
+    function json_fortran_version() result(ver) 
+    
+    implicit none 
+
+    character(len=:),allocatable :: ver  !! JSON-Fortran version string
+
+    ver = version
+
+    end function json_fortran_version
+!*****************************************************************************************
+
+!*****************************************************************************************
     end module json_module
 !*****************************************************************************************
diff --git a/src/tests/jf_test_01.F90 b/src/tests/jf_test_01.F90
index 73d067ba8a..534aed7ab2 100644
--- a/src/tests/jf_test_01.F90
+++ b/src/tests/jf_test_01.F90
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ subroutine test_1(error_cnt)
     write(error_unit,'(A)') '================================='
     write(error_unit,'(A)') ''
 
-    write(error_unit,'(A)') 'JSON-Fortran version: '//json_fortran_version
+    write(error_unit,'(A)') 'JSON-Fortran version: '//json_fortran_version()
 
     ! parse the json file:
     write(error_unit,'(A)') ''