diff --git a/src/openseadragon.js b/src/openseadragon.js
index d8520766..6eb8d09a 100644
--- a/src/openseadragon.js
+++ b/src/openseadragon.js
@@ -2208,6 +2208,24 @@ window.OpenSeadragon = window.OpenSeadragon || function( options ){
             return $.parseXml( string );
         },
 
+        /**
+         * Parses a JSON string into a Javascript object.
+         * @function
+         * @param {String} string
+         * @returns {Object}
+         */
+        parseJSON: function(string) {
+            if (window.JSON && window.JSON.parse) {
+                $.parseJSON = window.JSON.parse;
+            } else {
+                // Should only be used by IE8 in non standards mode
+                $.parseJSON = function(string) {
+                    /*jshint evil:true*/
+                    return eval('(' + string + ')');
+                };
+            }
+            return $.parseJSON(string);
+        },
 
         /**
          * Reports whether the image format is supported for tiling in this
diff --git a/src/tilesource.js b/src/tilesource.js
index 48d5bf10..65841d25 100644
--- a/src/tilesource.js
+++ b/src/tilesource.js
@@ -613,8 +613,7 @@ function processResponse( xhr ){
             data = xhr.responseText;
         }
     }else if( responseText.match(/\s*[\{\[].*/) ){
-        /*jshint evil:true*/
-        data = eval( '('+responseText+')' );
+        data = $.parseJSON(responseText);
     }else{
         data = responseText;
     }
diff --git a/src/viewer.js b/src/viewer.js
index 01560f01..b0ee7757 100644
--- a/src/viewer.js
+++ b/src/viewer.js
@@ -1996,8 +1996,7 @@ function getTileSourceImplementation( viewer, tileSource, successCallback,
         if ( tileSource.match( /\s*<.*/ ) ) {
             tileSource = $.parseXml( tileSource );
         } else if ( tileSource.match( /\s*[\{\[].*/ ) ) {
-            /*jshint evil:true*/
-            tileSource = eval( '(' + tileSource + ')' );
+            tileSource = $.parseJSON(tileSource);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/test/modules/formats.js b/test/modules/formats.js
index 3c0f0610..2cef3576 100644
--- a/test/modules/formats.js
+++ b/test/modules/formats.js
@@ -14,14 +14,18 @@
     var viewer = null;
 
     // ----------
-    var testOpen = function(name) {
+    var testOpenUrl = function(relativeUrl) {
+        testOpen('/test/data/' + relativeUrl);
+    };
+
+    var testOpen = function(tileSource) {
         $(document).ready(function() {
             var timeWatcher = Util.timeWatcher(7000);
 
             viewer = OpenSeadragon({
                 id:            'example',
                 prefixUrl:     '/build/openseadragon/images/',
-                tileSources:   '/test/data/' + name
+                tileSources:   tileSource
             });
 
             ok(viewer, 'Viewer exists');
@@ -52,62 +56,90 @@
 
     // ----------
     asyncTest('DZI', function() {
-        testOpen('testpattern.dzi');
+        testOpenUrl('testpattern.dzi');
     });
 
     // ----------
     asyncTest('DZI JSONp', function() {
-        testOpen('testpattern.js');
+        testOpenUrl('testpattern.js');
     });
 
     // ----------
     asyncTest('DZI XML', function() {
-        testOpen('testpattern.xml');
+        testOpenUrl('testpattern.xml');
     });
 
     // ----------
     asyncTest('DZI XML with query parameter', function() {
-        testOpen('testpattern.xml?param=value');
+        testOpenUrl('testpattern.xml?param=value');
     });
 
      // ----------
     asyncTest('IIIF 1.0 JSON', function() {
-        testOpen('iiif_1_0_files/info.json');
+        testOpenUrl('iiif_1_0_files/info.json');
     });
 
     // ----------
     asyncTest('IIIF 1.0 XML', function() {
-        testOpen('iiif_1_0_files/info.xml');
+        testOpenUrl('iiif_1_0_files/info.xml');
     });
 
     // ----------
     asyncTest('IIIF 1.1 JSON', function() {
-        testOpen('iiif_1_1_tiled/info.json');
+        testOpenUrl('iiif_1_1_tiled/info.json');
     });
 
     // ----------
     asyncTest('IIIF No Tiles, Less than 256', function() {
-        testOpen('iiif_1_1_no_tiles_255/info.json');
+        testOpenUrl('iiif_1_1_no_tiles_255/info.json');
     });
 
     // ----------
     asyncTest('IIIF No Tiles, Bet. 256 and 512', function() {
-        testOpen('iiif_1_1_no_tiles_384/info.json');
+        testOpenUrl('iiif_1_1_no_tiles_384/info.json');
     });
 
     // ----------
     asyncTest('IIIF No Tiles, Bet. 512 and 1024', function() {
-        testOpen('iiif_1_1_no_tiles_768/info.json');
+        testOpenUrl('iiif_1_1_no_tiles_768/info.json');
     });
 
     // ----------
     asyncTest('IIIF No Tiles, Larger than 1024', function() {
-        testOpen('iiif_1_1_no_tiles_1048/info.json');
+        testOpenUrl('iiif_1_1_no_tiles_1048/info.json');
     });
 
     // ----------
     asyncTest('IIIF 2.0 JSON', function() {
-        testOpen('iiif_2_0_tiled/info.json');
+        testOpenUrl('iiif_2_0_tiled/info.json');
+    });
+
+    // ----------
+    asyncTest('IIIF 2.0 JSON String', function() {
+        testOpen(
+            '{' +
+            '  "@context": "http://iiif.io/api/image/2/context.json",' +
+            '  "@id": "http://localhost:8000/test/data/iiif_2_0_tiled",' +
+            '  "protocol": "http://iiif.io/api/image",' +
+            '  "height": 1024,' +
+            '  "width": 775,' +
+            '  "tiles" : [{"width":256, "scaleFactors":[1,2,4,8]}],' +
+            '  "profile": ["http://iiif.io/api/image/2/level1.json",' +
+            '    {' +
+            '      "qualities": [' +
+            '        "native",' +
+            '        "bitonal",' +
+            '        "grey",' +
+            '        "color"' +
+            '      ],' +
+            '      "formats": [' +
+            '        "jpg",' +
+            '        "png",' +
+            '        "gif"' +
+            '      ]' +
+            '    }' +
+            '  ]' +
+            '}');
     });
 
 })();