diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index cc2b9a4..510abc4 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ checksum = "3b3cff922bd51709b605d9ead9aa71031d81447142d828eb4a6eba76fe619f9b"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "powersync_core"
-version = "0.4.3"
+version = "0.4.4"
 dependencies = [
  "bytes",
  "const_format",
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "powersync_loadable"
-version = "0.4.3"
+version = "0.4.4"
 dependencies = [
  "powersync_core",
  "sqlite_nostd",
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "powersync_sqlite"
-version = "0.4.3"
+version = "0.4.4"
 dependencies = [
  "cc",
  "powersync_core",
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "powersync_static"
-version = "0.4.3"
+version = "0.4.4"
 dependencies = [
  "powersync_core",
  "sqlite_nostd",
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ checksum = "0fda2ff0d084019ba4d7c6f371c95d8fd75ce3524c3cb8fb653a3023f6323e64"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "sqlite3"
-version = "0.4.3"
+version = "0.4.4"
 dependencies = [
  "cc",
 ]
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 7bd4057..c9782c2 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ inherits = "release"
 inherits = "wasm"
 
 [workspace.package]
-version = "0.4.3"
+version = "0.4.4"
 edition = "2024"
 authors = ["JourneyApps"]
 keywords = ["sqlite", "powersync"]
@@ -38,4 +38,3 @@ repository = "https://github.com/powersync-ja/powersync-sqlite-core"
 
 [workspace.dependencies]
 sqlite_nostd = { path="./sqlite-rs-embedded/sqlite_nostd" }
-
diff --git a/android/build.gradle.kts b/android/build.gradle.kts
index 14f033a..c9d1043 100644
--- a/android/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/android/build.gradle.kts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ plugins {
 }
 
 group = "com.powersync"
-version = "0.4.3"
+version = "0.4.4"
 description = "PowerSync Core SQLite Extension"
 
 val localRepo = uri("build/repository/")
diff --git a/android/src/prefab/prefab.json b/android/src/prefab/prefab.json
index c934036..08eafd1 100644
--- a/android/src/prefab/prefab.json
+++ b/android/src/prefab/prefab.json
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@
   "name": "powersync_sqlite_core",
   "schema_version": 2,
   "dependencies": [],
-  "version": "0.4.3"
+  "version": "0.4.4"
 }
diff --git a/crates/core/src/constants.rs b/crates/core/src/constants.rs
index 3a9ed3d..7eff17a 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/constants.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/constants.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ pub const FULL_GIT_HASH: &'static str = env!("GIT_HASH");
 // we're testing with the minimum version we claim to support.
 pub const MIN_SQLITE_VERSION_NUMBER: c_int = 3044000;
 
+pub const SUBTYPE_JSON: u32 = 'J' as u32;
+
 pub fn short_git_hash() -> &'static str {
     &FULL_GIT_HASH[..8]
 }
diff --git a/crates/core/src/diff.rs b/crates/core/src/diff.rs
index a32accf..f08efad 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/diff.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/diff.rs
@@ -7,18 +7,20 @@ use sqlite::ResultCode;
 use sqlite_nostd as sqlite;
 use sqlite_nostd::{Connection, Context, Value};
 
-use serde_json as json;
-
+use crate::constants::SUBTYPE_JSON;
 use crate::create_sqlite_text_fn;
 use crate::error::PowerSyncError;
+use serde_json as json;
+use sqlite_nostd::bindings::SQLITE_RESULT_SUBTYPE;
 
 fn powersync_diff_impl(
-    _ctx: *mut sqlite::context,
+    ctx: *mut sqlite::context,
     args: &[*mut sqlite::value],
 ) -> Result<String, PowerSyncError> {
     let data_old = args[0].text();
     let data_new = args[1].text();
 
+    ctx.result_subtype(SUBTYPE_JSON);
     diff_objects(data_old, data_new)
 }
 
@@ -66,7 +68,7 @@ pub fn register(db: *mut sqlite::sqlite3) -> Result<(), ResultCode> {
     db.create_function_v2(
         "powersync_diff",
         2,
-        sqlite::UTF8 | sqlite::DETERMINISTIC,
+        sqlite::UTF8 | sqlite::DETERMINISTIC | SQLITE_RESULT_SUBTYPE,
         None,
         Some(powersync_diff),
         None,
diff --git a/crates/core/src/json_merge.rs b/crates/core/src/json_util.rs
similarity index 68%
rename from crates/core/src/json_merge.rs
rename to crates/core/src/json_util.rs
index 273c88c..f3f3c1e 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/json_merge.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/json_util.rs
@@ -3,19 +3,34 @@ extern crate alloc;
 use alloc::string::{String, ToString};
 use core::ffi::c_int;
 
+use crate::constants::SUBTYPE_JSON;
+use crate::create_sqlite_text_fn;
+use crate::error::PowerSyncError;
 use sqlite::ResultCode;
 use sqlite_nostd as sqlite;
+use sqlite_nostd::bindings::{SQLITE_RESULT_SUBTYPE, SQLITE_SUBTYPE};
 use sqlite_nostd::{Connection, Context, Value};
 
-use crate::create_sqlite_text_fn;
-use crate::error::PowerSyncError;
+extern "C" fn powersync_strip_subtype(
+    ctx: *mut sqlite::context,
+    argc: c_int,
+    argv: *mut *mut sqlite::value,
+) {
+    if argc != 1 {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    let arg = unsafe { *argv };
+    ctx.result_value(arg);
+    ctx.result_subtype(0);
+}
 
 /// Given any number of JSON TEXT arguments, merge them into a single JSON object.
 ///
 /// This assumes each argument is a valid JSON object, with no duplicate keys.
 /// No JSON parsing or validation is performed - this performs simple string concatenation.
 fn powersync_json_merge_impl(
-    _ctx: *mut sqlite::context,
+    ctx: *mut sqlite::context,
     args: &[*mut sqlite::value],
 ) -> Result<String, PowerSyncError> {
     if args.is_empty() {
@@ -42,6 +57,7 @@ fn powersync_json_merge_impl(
 
     // Close the outer brace
     result.push('}');
+    ctx.result_subtype(SUBTYPE_JSON);
     Ok(result)
 }
 
@@ -55,7 +71,7 @@ pub fn register(db: *mut sqlite::sqlite3) -> Result<(), ResultCode> {
     db.create_function_v2(
         "powersync_json_merge",
         -1,
-        sqlite::UTF8 | sqlite::DETERMINISTIC,
+        sqlite::UTF8 | sqlite::DETERMINISTIC | SQLITE_RESULT_SUBTYPE,
         None,
         Some(powersync_json_merge),
         None,
@@ -63,5 +79,16 @@ pub fn register(db: *mut sqlite::sqlite3) -> Result<(), ResultCode> {
         None,
     )?;
 
+    db.create_function_v2(
+        "powersync_strip_subtype",
+        1,
+        sqlite::UTF8 | sqlite::DETERMINISTIC | SQLITE_SUBTYPE | SQLITE_RESULT_SUBTYPE,
+        None,
+        Some(powersync_strip_subtype),
+        None,
+        None,
+        None,
+    )?;
+
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/crates/core/src/lib.rs b/crates/core/src/lib.rs
index 4fe0037..e300a5e 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/lib.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ mod diff;
 mod error;
 mod ext;
 mod fix_data;
-mod json_merge;
+mod json_util;
 mod kv;
 mod macros;
 mod migrations;
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ fn init_extension(db: *mut sqlite::sqlite3) -> Result<(), PowerSyncError> {
     crate::uuid::register(db)?;
     crate::diff::register(db)?;
     crate::fix_data::register(db)?;
-    crate::json_merge::register(db)?;
+    crate::json_util::register(db)?;
     crate::view_admin::register(db)?;
     crate::checkpoint::register(db)?;
     crate::kv::register(db)?;
diff --git a/crates/core/src/sync/interface.rs b/crates/core/src/sync/interface.rs
index ffdb0f7..4e1fcd4 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/sync/interface.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/sync/interface.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 use core::cell::RefCell;
 use core::ffi::{c_int, c_void};
 
+use super::streaming_sync::SyncClient;
+use super::sync_status::DownloadSyncStatus;
+use crate::constants::SUBTYPE_JSON;
+use crate::error::PowerSyncError;
+use crate::schema::Schema;
+use crate::state::DatabaseState;
 use alloc::borrow::Cow;
 use alloc::boxed::Box;
 use alloc::rc::Rc;
@@ -8,16 +14,10 @@ use alloc::sync::Arc;
 use alloc::{string::String, vec::Vec};
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use sqlite::{ResultCode, Value};
+use sqlite_nostd::bindings::SQLITE_RESULT_SUBTYPE;
 use sqlite_nostd::{self as sqlite, ColumnType};
 use sqlite_nostd::{Connection, Context};
 
-use crate::error::PowerSyncError;
-use crate::schema::Schema;
-use crate::state::DatabaseState;
-
-use super::streaming_sync::SyncClient;
-use super::sync_status::DownloadSyncStatus;
-
 /// Payload provided by SDKs when requesting a sync iteration.
 #[derive(Default, Deserialize)]
 pub struct StartSyncStream {
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ pub fn register(db: *mut sqlite::sqlite3, state: Arc<DatabaseState>) -> Result<(
             let formatted =
                 serde_json::to_string(&instructions).map_err(PowerSyncError::internal)?;
             ctx.result_text_transient(&formatted);
+            ctx.result_subtype(SUBTYPE_JSON);
 
             Ok(())
         })();
@@ -206,7 +207,7 @@ pub fn register(db: *mut sqlite::sqlite3, state: Arc<DatabaseState>) -> Result<(
     db.create_function_v2(
         "powersync_control",
         2,
-        sqlite::UTF8 | sqlite::DIRECTONLY,
+        sqlite::UTF8 | sqlite::DIRECTONLY | SQLITE_RESULT_SUBTYPE,
         Some(Box::into_raw(controller).cast()),
         Some(control),
         None,
diff --git a/crates/core/src/views.rs b/crates/core/src/views.rs
index c6a267e..ea16433 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/views.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/views.rs
@@ -415,26 +415,17 @@ fn json_object_fragment<'a>(
     let mut column_names_quoted: Vec<String> = alloc::vec![];
     while let Some(column) = columns.next() {
         let name = &*column.name;
-        let quoted = match &*column.type_name {
-            // We really want the individual columns here to appear as they show up in the database.
-            // For text columns however, it's possible that e.g. NEW.column was created by a JSON
-            // function, meaning that it has a JSON subtype active - causing the json_object() call
-            // we're about to emit to include it as a subobject instead of a string.
-            "TEXT" | "text" => format!(
-                "{:}, concat({:}.{:})",
-                QuotedString(name),
-                prefix,
-                quote_identifier(name)
-            ),
-            _ => format!(
-                "{:}, {:}.{:}",
-                QuotedString(name),
-                prefix,
-                quote_identifier(name)
-            ),
-        };
 
-        column_names_quoted.push(quoted);
+        // We really want the individual columns here to appear as they show up in the database.
+        // For text columns however, it's possible that e.g. NEW.column was created by a JSON
+        // function, meaning that it has a JSON subtype active - causing the json_object() call
+        // we're about to emit to include it as a subobject instead of a string.
+        column_names_quoted.push(format!(
+            "{:}, powersync_strip_subtype({:}.{:})",
+            QuotedString(name),
+            prefix,
+            quote_identifier(name)
+        ));
     }
 
     // SQLITE_MAX_COLUMN - 1 (because of the id column)
diff --git a/dart/test/crud_test.dart b/dart/test/crud_test.dart
index bda2d02..fc9c9e9 100644
--- a/dart/test/crud_test.dart
+++ b/dart/test/crud_test.dart
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ void main() {
       expect(db.select('SELECT * FROM ps_crud'), hasLength(1));
     });
 
-    test('json values are included as text', () {
+    test('preserves values in text column', () {
       db
         ..execute('select powersync_replace_schema(?)', [
           json.encode({
@@ -675,11 +675,44 @@ void main() {
               }
             ]
           })
-        ])
-        ..execute('INSERT INTO items (id, col) VALUES (uuid(), json_object())');
+        ]);
+
+      db.execute('INSERT INTO items (id, col) VALUES (uuid(), json_object())');
+      final [insert] = db.select('SELECT data FROM ps_crud');
+      expect(json.decode(insert['data']), containsPair('data', {'col': '{}'}));
+      db.execute('DELETE FROM ps_crud');
 
+      db.execute('UPDATE items SET col = NULL;');
       final [update] = db.select('SELECT data FROM ps_crud');
-      expect(json.decode(update['data']), containsPair('data', {'col': '{}'}));
+      expect(json.decode(update['data']), containsPair('data', {'col': null}));
+      db.execute('DELETE FROM ps_crud');
+    });
+
+    test('preserves mismatched type', () {
+      db
+        ..execute('select powersync_replace_schema(?)', [
+          json.encode({
+            'tables': [
+              {
+                'name': 'items',
+                'columns': [
+                  {'name': 'col', 'type': 'int'}
+                ],
+              }
+            ]
+          })
+        ])
+        ..execute('insert into items (id, col) values (uuid(), json_object())')
+        ..execute('insert into items (id, col) values (uuid(), null)')
+        ..execute('insert into items (id, col) values (uuid(), ?)',
+            ['not an integer']);
+
+      final data = db.select('SELECT data FROM ps_crud');
+      expect(data.map((row) => jsonDecode(row['data'])), [
+        containsPair('data', {'col': '{}'}),
+        containsPair('data', {}),
+        containsPair('data', {'col': 'not an integer'}),
+      ]);
     });
   });
 }
diff --git a/dart/test/utils/migration_fixtures.dart b/dart/test/utils/migration_fixtures.dart
index 29a338c..972bd21 100644
--- a/dart/test/utils/migration_fixtures.dart
+++ b/dart/test/utils/migration_fixtures.dart
@@ -536,8 +536,8 @@ END
       THEN RAISE (FAIL, 'id should be text')
       END;
       INSERT INTO "ps_data__lists"
-      SELECT NEW.id, json_object('description', concat(NEW."description"));
-      INSERT INTO powersync_crud_(data) VALUES(json_object('op', 'PUT', 'type', 'lists', 'id', NEW.id, 'data', json(powersync_diff('{}', json_object('description', concat(NEW."description"))))));
+      SELECT NEW.id, json_object('description', powersync_strip_subtype(NEW."description"));
+      INSERT INTO powersync_crud_(data) VALUES(json_object('op', 'PUT', 'type', 'lists', 'id', NEW.id, 'data', json(powersync_diff('{}', json_object('description', powersync_strip_subtype(NEW."description"))))));
       INSERT INTO ps_oplog(bucket, op_id, op, row_type, row_id, hash, superseded)
       SELECT '$local',
               1,
@@ -557,9 +557,9 @@ BEGIN
   THEN RAISE (FAIL, 'Cannot update id')
   END;
   UPDATE "ps_data__lists"
-      SET data = json_object('description', concat(NEW."description"))
+      SET data = json_object('description', powersync_strip_subtype(NEW."description"))
       WHERE id = NEW.id;
-  INSERT INTO powersync_crud_(data) VALUES(json_object('op', 'PATCH', 'type', 'lists', 'id', NEW.id, 'data', json(powersync_diff(json_object('description', concat(OLD."description")), json_object('description', concat(NEW."description"))))));
+  INSERT INTO powersync_crud_(data) VALUES(json_object('op', 'PATCH', 'type', 'lists', 'id', NEW.id, 'data', json(powersync_diff(json_object('description', powersync_strip_subtype(OLD."description")), json_object('description', powersync_strip_subtype(NEW."description"))))));
   INSERT INTO ps_oplog(bucket, op_id, op, row_type, row_id, hash, superseded)
   SELECT '$local',
           1,
@@ -598,8 +598,8 @@ END
       WHEN (typeof(NEW.id) != 'text')
       THEN RAISE (FAIL, 'id should be text')
       END;
-      INSERT INTO "ps_data__lists" SELECT NEW.id, json_object('description', concat(NEW."description"));
-      INSERT INTO powersync_crud(op,id,type,data) VALUES ('PUT',NEW.id,'lists',json(powersync_diff('{}', json_object('description', concat(NEW."description")))));
+      INSERT INTO "ps_data__lists" SELECT NEW.id, json_object('description', powersync_strip_subtype(NEW."description"));
+      INSERT INTO powersync_crud(op,id,type,data) VALUES ('PUT',NEW.id,'lists',json(powersync_diff('{}', json_object('description', powersync_strip_subtype(NEW."description")))));
     END
 ;CREATE TRIGGER "ps_view_update_lists"
 INSTEAD OF UPDATE ON "lists"
@@ -610,9 +610,9 @@ BEGIN
   THEN RAISE (FAIL, 'Cannot update id')
   END;
   UPDATE "ps_data__lists"
-      SET data = json_object('description', concat(NEW."description"))
+      SET data = json_object('description', powersync_strip_subtype(NEW."description"))
       WHERE id = NEW.id;
-  INSERT INTO powersync_crud(op,type,id,data,options) VALUES ('PATCH','lists',NEW.id,json(powersync_diff(json_object('description', concat(OLD."description")), json_object('description', concat(NEW."description")))),0);
+  INSERT INTO powersync_crud(op,type,id,data,options) VALUES ('PATCH','lists',NEW.id,json(powersync_diff(json_object('description', powersync_strip_subtype(OLD."description")), json_object('description', powersync_strip_subtype(NEW."description")))),0);
 END
 ''';
 
@@ -636,8 +636,8 @@ END
       WHEN (typeof(NEW.id) != 'text')
       THEN RAISE (FAIL, 'id should be text')
       END;
-      INSERT INTO "ps_data__lists" SELECT NEW.id, json_object('description', concat(NEW."description"));
-      INSERT INTO powersync_crud(op,id,type,data) VALUES ('PUT',NEW.id,'lists',json(powersync_diff('{}', json_object('description', concat(NEW."description")))));
+      INSERT INTO "ps_data__lists" SELECT NEW.id, json_object('description', powersync_strip_subtype(NEW."description"));
+      INSERT INTO powersync_crud(op,id,type,data) VALUES ('PUT',NEW.id,'lists',json(powersync_diff('{}', json_object('description', powersync_strip_subtype(NEW."description")))));
     END
 ;CREATE TRIGGER "ps_view_update_lists"
 INSTEAD OF UPDATE ON "lists"
@@ -648,8 +648,8 @@ BEGIN
   THEN RAISE (FAIL, 'Cannot update id')
   END;
   UPDATE "ps_data__lists"
-      SET data = json_object('description', concat(NEW."description"))
+      SET data = json_object('description', powersync_strip_subtype(NEW."description"))
       WHERE id = NEW.id;
-  INSERT INTO powersync_crud(op,type,id,data,options) VALUES ('PATCH','lists',NEW.id,json(powersync_diff(json_object('description', concat(OLD."description")), json_object('description', concat(NEW."description")))),0);
+  INSERT INTO powersync_crud(op,type,id,data,options) VALUES ('PATCH','lists',NEW.id,json(powersync_diff(json_object('description', powersync_strip_subtype(OLD."description")), json_object('description', powersync_strip_subtype(NEW."description")))),0);
 END
 ''';
diff --git a/powersync-sqlite-core.podspec b/powersync-sqlite-core.podspec
index b7d32e7..8167f8d 100644
--- a/powersync-sqlite-core.podspec
+++ b/powersync-sqlite-core.podspec
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Pod::Spec.new do |s|
   s.name             = 'powersync-sqlite-core'
-  s.version          = '0.4.3'
+  s.version          = '0.4.4'
   s.summary          = 'PowerSync SQLite Extension'
   s.description      = <<-DESC
 PowerSync extension for SQLite.
diff --git a/sqlite-rs-embedded b/sqlite-rs-embedded
index 40c77a0..f4bbd97 160000
--- a/sqlite-rs-embedded
+++ b/sqlite-rs-embedded
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 40c77a011e6143e02f89c922f65594827aac91c3
+Subproject commit f4bbd97a4714e5ab59062a60441978a00e3f87ad
diff --git a/tool/build_xcframework.sh b/tool/build_xcframework.sh
index 2bc2c06..e7e71a0 100755
--- a/tool/build_xcframework.sh
+++ b/tool/build_xcframework.sh
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ TARGETS=(
   aarch64-apple-tvos-sim
   x86_64-apple-tvos
 )
-VERSION=0.4.3
+VERSION=0.4.4
 
 function generatePlist() {
   min_os_version=0