diff --git a/src/tilesource.js b/src/tilesource.js
index d8c16803..26c220b7 100644
--- a/src/tilesource.js
+++ b/src/tilesource.js
@@ -649,7 +649,11 @@ function processResponse( xhr ){
             data = xhr.responseText;
         }
     }else if( responseText.match(/\s*[\{\[].*/) ){
-        data = $.parseJSON(responseText);
+        try{
+          data = $.parseJSON(responseText);
+        } catch(e){
+          data =  responseText;
+        }
     }else{
         data = responseText;
     }
diff --git a/src/viewer.js b/src/viewer.js
index a3a09828..17120ae1 100644
--- a/src/viewer.js
+++ b/src/viewer.js
@@ -2136,6 +2136,7 @@ function _getSafeElemSize (oElement) {
     );
 }
 
+
 /**
  * @function
  * @private
@@ -2151,7 +2152,12 @@ function getTileSourceImplementation( viewer, tileSource, imgOptions, successCal
             tileSource = $.parseXml( tileSource );
         //json should start with "{" or "[" and end with "}" or "]"
         } else if ( tileSource.match(/^\s*[\{\[].*[\}\]]\s*$/ ) ) {
-            tileSource = $.parseJSON(tileSource);
+            try {
+              var tileSourceJ = $.parseJSON(tileSource);
+              tileSource = tileSourceJ;
+            } catch (e) {
+              //tileSource = tileSource;
+            }
         }
     }