diff --git a/src/jsx_common.hrl b/src/jsx_common.hrl
index 65decf6..cd4b981 100644
--- a/src/jsx_common.hrl
+++ b/src/jsx_common.hrl
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 -record(opts, {
     comments = false,
-    escaped_unicode = ascii
+    escaped_unicode = ascii,
+    naked_values = false
 }).
 
 %% whitespace
diff --git a/src/jsx_utf8.erl b/src/jsx_utf8.erl
index 6580807..130db5e 100644
--- a/src/jsx_utf8.erl
+++ b/src/jsx_utf8.erl
@@ -12,23 +12,32 @@ callback(Event, Callbacks) ->
 
 %% this code is mostly autogenerated and mostly ugly. apologies. for more insight on
 %%   Callbacks or Opts, see the comments accompanying callback/2 (in this file) and
-%%   parse_opts/1 (in jsx.erl). Stack is a stack of flags used to track depth. all
-%%   pops, peeks and pushes are inlined. comments are handled in function to get around
-%%   a limitation of erlang's binary matching optimizations, and a function_clause
-%%   error is raised if comments are disallowed to maintain consistency with behaviour
-%%   of other invalid input
+%%   parse_opts/1 (in jsx.erl). Stack is a stack of flags used to track depth and to
+%%   keep track of whether we are returning from a value or a key inside objects. all
+%%   pops, peeks and pushes are inlined. the code that handles naked values and comments
+%%   is not optimized by the compiler for efficient matching, but you shouldn't be using
+%%   naked values or comments anyways, they are horrible and contrary to the spec.
 
 start(<<?start_object/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
     object(Rest, [key|Stack], callback(start_object, Callbacks), Opts);
 start(<<?start_array/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
     array(Rest, [array|Stack], callback(start_array, Callbacks), Opts);
-start(<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
-    case Opts#opts.comments of
-        true ->
-            maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> start(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) end)
-        ; false ->
-            erlang:error(function_clause, [<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts])
-    end;
+start(<<?quote/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when Opts#opts.naked_values == true ->
+    string(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, []);
+start(<<$t/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when Opts#opts.naked_values == true ->
+    tr(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts);
+start(<<$f/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when Opts#opts.naked_values == true ->
+    fa(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts);
+start(<<$n/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when Opts#opts.naked_values == true ->
+    nu(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts);
+start(<<?negative/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when Opts#opts.naked_values == true ->
+    negative(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, "-");
+start(<<?zero/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when Opts#opts.naked_values == true ->
+    zero(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, "0");
+start(<<S/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when ?is_nonzero(S), Opts#opts.naked_values == true ->
+    integer(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, [S]);
+start(<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when Opts#opts.comments == true ->
+    maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> start(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) end);
 start(<<S/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when ?is_whitespace(S) -> 
     start(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts);
 start(<<>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
@@ -43,13 +52,8 @@ maybe_done(<<?comma/utf8, Rest/binary>>, [object|Stack], Callbacks, Opts) ->
     key(Rest, [key|Stack], Callbacks, Opts);
 maybe_done(<<?comma/utf8, Rest/binary>>, [array|_] = Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
     value(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts);
-maybe_done(<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
-    case Opts#opts.comments of
-        true ->
-            maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> maybe_done(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) end)
-        ; false ->
-            erlang:error(function_clause, [<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts])
-    end;
+maybe_done(<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when Opts#opts.comments == true ->
+    maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> maybe_done(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) end);
 maybe_done(<<S/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when ?is_whitespace(S) ->
     maybe_done(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts);
 maybe_done(<<>>, [], Callbacks, _Opts) ->
@@ -62,13 +66,8 @@ object(<<?end_object/utf8, Rest/binary>>, [key|Stack], Callbacks, Opts) ->
     maybe_done(Rest, Stack, callback(end_object, Callbacks), Opts);
 object(<<?quote/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
     string(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, []);
-object(<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
-    case Opts#opts.comments of
-        true ->
-            maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> object(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) end)
-        ; false ->
-            erlang:error(function_clause, [<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts])
-    end;
+object(<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when Opts#opts.comments == true ->
+    maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> object(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) end);
 object(<<S/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when ?is_whitespace(S) ->
     object(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts);
 object(<<>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
@@ -95,13 +94,8 @@ array(<<?zero/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
     zero(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, "0");
 array(<<S/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when ?is_nonzero(S) ->
     integer(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, [S]);
-array(<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
-    case Opts#opts.comments of
-        true ->
-            maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> array(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) end)
-        ; false ->
-            erlang:error(function_clause, [<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts])
-    end;
+array(<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when Opts#opts.comments == true ->
+    maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> array(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) end);
 array(<<S/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when ?is_whitespace(S) -> 
     array(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts);
 array(<<>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
@@ -126,13 +120,8 @@ value(<<?zero/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
     zero(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, "0");
 value(<<S/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when ?is_nonzero(S) ->
     integer(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, [S]);
-value(<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
-    case Opts#opts.comments of
-        true ->
-            maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> value(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) end)
-        ; false ->
-            erlang:error(function_clause, [<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts])
-    end;
+value(<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when Opts#opts.comments == true ->
+    maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> value(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) end);
 value(<<S/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when ?is_whitespace(S) -> 
     value(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts);
 value(<<>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
@@ -141,13 +130,8 @@ value(<<>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
 
 colon(<<?colon/utf8, Rest/binary>>, [key|Stack], Callbacks, Opts) ->
     value(Rest, [object|Stack], Callbacks, Opts);
-colon(<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
-    case Opts#opts.comments of
-        true ->
-            maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> colon(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) end)
-        ; false ->
-            erlang:error(function_clause, [<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts])
-    end;
+colon(<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when Opts#opts.comments == true ->
+    maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> colon(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) end);
 colon(<<S/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when ?is_whitespace(S) ->
     colon(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts);
 colon(<<>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
@@ -156,13 +140,8 @@ colon(<<>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
         
 key(<<?quote/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
     string(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, []);
-key(<<?rsolidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
-    case Opts#opts.comments of
-        true ->
-            maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> key(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) end)
-        ; false ->
-            erlang:error(function_clause, [<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts])
-    end;
+key(<<?rsolidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when Opts#opts.comments == true ->
+    maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> key(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) end);
 key(<<S/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) when ?is_whitespace(S) ->
     key(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts);
 key(<<>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts) ->
@@ -237,6 +216,8 @@ escaped_unicode(<<>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, String, Acc) ->
 %%   being emitted to the callback handler. no processing of numbers is done in
 %%   process, it's left for the user, though there are convenience functions to
 %%   convert them into erlang floats/integers in jsx_utils.erl.
+
+%% TODO: actually write that jsx_utils.erl module mentioned above...
     
 negative(<<"0"/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) ->
     zero(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, "0" ++ Acc);
@@ -258,13 +239,8 @@ zero(<<?decimalpoint/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) ->
     fraction(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, [?decimalpoint] ++ Acc);
 zero(<<S/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) when ?is_whitespace(S) ->
     maybe_done(Rest, Stack, callback({number, lists:reverse(Acc)}, Callbacks), Opts);
-zero(<<?rsolidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) ->
-    case Opts#opts.comments of
-        true ->
-            maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> zero(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) end)
-        ; false ->
-            erlang:error(function_clause, [<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts])
-    end;
+zero(<<?rsolidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) when Opts#opts.comments == true ->
+    maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> zero(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) end);
 zero(<<>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) ->
     fun(Stream) -> zero(Stream, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) end.
     
@@ -289,13 +265,8 @@ integer(<<S/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) when ?is_nonzero(S
     integer(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, [S] ++ Acc);
 integer(<<S/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) when ?is_whitespace(S) ->
     maybe_done(Rest, Stack, callback({number, lists:reverse(Acc)}, Callbacks), Opts);
-integer(<<?rsolidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) ->
-    case Opts#opts.comments of
-        true ->
-            maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> integer(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) end)
-        ; false ->
-            erlang:error(function_clause, [<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts])
-    end;
+integer(<<?rsolidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) when Opts#opts.comments == true ->
+    maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> integer(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) end);
 integer(<<>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) ->
     fun(Stream) -> integer(Stream, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) end.
     
@@ -318,13 +289,8 @@ fraction(<<S/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) when ?is_nonzero(
     fraction(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, [S] ++ Acc);
 fraction(<<S/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) when ?is_whitespace(S) ->
     maybe_done(Rest, Stack, callback({number, lists:reverse(Acc)}, Callbacks), Opts);
-fraction(<<?rsolidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) ->
-    case Opts#opts.comments of
-        true ->
-            maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> fraction(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) end)
-        ; false ->
-            erlang:error(function_clause, [<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts])
-    end;
+fraction(<<?rsolidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) when Opts#opts.comments == true ->
+    maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> fraction(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) end);
 fraction(<<>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) ->
     fun(Stream) -> fraction(Stream, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) end.
     
@@ -357,13 +323,8 @@ exp(<<S/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) when ?is_nonzero(S) ->
     exp(Rest, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, [S] ++ Acc);
 exp(<<S/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) when ?is_whitespace(S) ->
     maybe_done(Rest, Stack, callback({number, lists:reverse(Acc)}, Callbacks), Opts);
-exp(<<?rsolidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) ->
-    case Opts#opts.comments of
-        true ->
-            maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> exp(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) end)
-        ; false ->
-            erlang:error(function_clause, [<<?solidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts])
-    end;
+exp(<<?rsolidus/utf8, Rest/binary>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) when Opts#opts.comments == true ->
+    maybe_comment(Rest, fun(Resume) -> exp(Resume, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) end);
 exp(<<>>, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) ->
     fun(Stream) -> exp(Stream, Stack, Callbacks, Opts, Acc) end.