diff --git a/mitmproxy/contentviews/json.py b/mitmproxy/contentviews/json.py
index 15c624add..dbe600aa2 100644
--- a/mitmproxy/contentviews/json.py
+++ b/mitmproxy/contentviews/json.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import re
 import json
 from typing import Optional
 
@@ -9,8 +10,7 @@ def pretty_json(s: bytes) -> Optional[bytes]:
         p = json.loads(s.decode('utf-8'))
     except ValueError:
         return None
-    pretty = json.dumps(p, sort_keys=True, indent=4, ensure_ascii=False)
-    return pretty.encode("utf8", "strict")
+    return p
 
 
 class ViewJSON(base.View):
@@ -21,7 +21,30 @@ class ViewJSON(base.View):
         "application/vnd.api+json"
     ]
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _format(pj):
+        li = []
+        for chunk in json.JSONEncoder(indent=4, sort_keys=True, ensure_ascii=False).iterencode(pj):
+            k = re.split("\\n", chunk)
+            if(len(k) > 1):
+                if(len(k[0]) > 0):
+                    li.append(('text', k[0]))
+                yield li
+                li = []
+                chunk = k[1]
+            else:
+                chunk = k[0]
+            if(re.match('^\s*\".*\"$', chunk)):
+                li.append(('json_string', chunk))
+            elif(re.match('\s*[0-9]+[.]{0,1}[0-9]*', chunk)):
+                li.append(('json_number', chunk))
+            elif(re.match('\s*true|null|false', chunk)):
+                li.append(('json_boolean', chunk))
+            else:
+                li.append(('text', chunk))
+        yield li
+
     def __call__(self, data, **metadata):
         pj = pretty_json(data)
-        if pj:
-            return "JSON", base.format_text(pj)
+        if pj is not None:
+            return "JSON", self._format(pj)
diff --git a/mitmproxy/tools/console/palettes.py b/mitmproxy/tools/console/palettes.py
index 6033ff25b..683afa420 100644
--- a/mitmproxy/tools/console/palettes.py
+++ b/mitmproxy/tools/console/palettes.py
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ class Palette:
         # Hex view
         'offset',
 
+        # JSON view
+        'json_string', 'json_number', 'json_boolean',
+
         # Grid Editor
         'focusfield', 'focusfield_error', 'field_error', 'editfield',
 
@@ -170,6 +173,11 @@ class LowDark(Palette):
         # Hex view
         offset = ('dark cyan', 'default'),
 
+        # JSON view
+        json_string = ('dark blue', 'default'),
+        json_number = ('light magenta', 'default'),
+        json_boolean = ('dark magenta', 'default'),
+
         # Grid Editor
         focusfield = ('black', 'light gray'),
         focusfield_error = ('dark red', 'light gray'),
@@ -270,6 +278,11 @@ class LowLight(Palette):
         # Hex view
         offset = ('dark blue', 'default'),
 
+        # JSON view
+        json_string = ('dark blue', 'default'),
+        json_number = ('light magenta', 'default'),
+        json_boolean = ('dark magenta', 'default'),
+
         # Grid Editor
         focusfield = ('black', 'light gray'),
         focusfield_error = ('dark red', 'light gray'),
@@ -380,6 +393,11 @@ class SolarizedLight(LowLight):
         # Hex view
         offset = (sol_cyan, 'default'),
 
+        # JSON view
+        json_string = (sol_cyan, 'default'),
+        json_number = (sol_blue, 'default'),
+        json_boolean = (sol_magenta, 'default'),
+
         # Grid Editor
         focusfield = (sol_base00, sol_base2),
         focusfield_error = (sol_red, sol_base2),
@@ -454,6 +472,11 @@ class SolarizedDark(LowDark):
         # Hex view
         offset = (sol_cyan, 'default'),
 
+        # JSON view
+        json_string = (sol_cyan, 'default'),
+        json_number = (sol_blue, 'default'),
+        json_boolean = (sol_magenta, 'default'),
+
         # Grid Editor
         focusfield = (sol_base0, sol_base02),
         focusfield_error = (sol_red, sol_base02),
diff --git a/test/mitmproxy/contentviews/test_json.py b/test/mitmproxy/contentviews/test_json.py
index 5e87b5708..3f522b7f9 100644
--- a/test/mitmproxy/contentviews/test_json.py
+++ b/test/mitmproxy/contentviews/test_json.py
@@ -14,3 +14,5 @@ def test_view_json():
     assert v(b"{}")
     assert not v(b"{")
     assert v(b"[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]")
+    assert v(b'{"foo" : 3}')
+    assert v(b'{"foo": true, "nullvalue": null}')