diff --git a/lib/wp/conf.c b/lib/wp/conf.c
index 994700e4..f1db5151 100644
--- a/lib/wp/conf.c
+++ b/lib/wp/conf.c
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ merge_section_cb (void *data, const char *location, const char *section,
       location);
 
   /* Only allow sections to be objects or arrays */
-  json = wp_spa_json_new_from_stringn (str, len);
+  json = wp_spa_json_new_wrap_stringn (str, len);
   if (!wp_spa_json_is_container (json)) {
     wp_warning (
         "skipping section %s from %s as it is not JSON object or array",
diff --git a/lib/wp/json-utils.c b/lib/wp/json-utils.c
index a0515b7c..39f7f628 100644
--- a/lib/wp/json-utils.c
+++ b/lib/wp/json-utils.c
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ match_rules_cb (void *data, const char *location, const char *action,
     const char *str, size_t len)
 {
   struct match_rules_cb_data *cb_data = data;
-  g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) json = wp_spa_json_new_from_stringn (str, len);
+  g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) json = wp_spa_json_new_wrap_stringn (str, len);
   return cb_data->callback (cb_data->data, action, json, cb_data->error) ? 0 : -EPIPE;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/wp/settings.c b/lib/wp/settings.c
index af35be1c..a4f232ff 100644
--- a/lib/wp/settings.c
+++ b/lib/wp/settings.c
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ wp_settings_get (WpSettings *self, const gchar *setting)
     return NULL;
 
   value = wp_properties_get (self->settings, setting);
-  return value ? wp_spa_json_new_from_string (value) : NULL;
+  return value ? wp_spa_json_new_wrap_string (value) : NULL;
 }
 
 enum {
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ on_metadata_changed (WpMetadata *m, guint32 subject,
 
       g_value_set_object (&values[0], self);
       g_value_set_string (&values[1], setting);
-      json = new_value ? wp_spa_json_new_from_string (new_value) : NULL;
+      json = new_value ? wp_spa_json_new_wrap_string (new_value) : NULL;
       g_value_set_boxed (&values[2], json);
 
       g_closure_invoke (cb->closure, NULL, 3, values, NULL);
diff --git a/lib/wp/spa-json.c b/lib/wp/spa-json.c
index 0d971619..0d4d6a6b 100644
--- a/lib/wp/spa-json.c
+++ b/lib/wp/spa-json.c
@@ -184,13 +184,14 @@ wp_spa_json_new (const gchar *data, size_t size)
  *
  * \ingroup wpspajson
  * \param json_str a JSON string
- * \returns a new WpSpaJson that references the data in \a json_str. \a json_str
- *   is not copied, so it needs to stay alive.
+ * \returns a new WpSpaJson; unlike the "wrap" variants, this function copies
+ *    the data in \a json_str, so it does not need to stay alive.
+ * \since 0.5.0
  */
-WpSpaJson *
-wp_spa_json_new_from_string (const gchar *json_str)
+WP_API
+WpSpaJson * wp_spa_json_new_from_string (const gchar *json_str)
 {
-  return wp_spa_json_new_from_stringn(json_str, strlen (json_str));
+  return wp_spa_json_new (json_str, strlen (json_str));
 }
 
 /*!
@@ -199,13 +200,43 @@ wp_spa_json_new_from_string (const gchar *json_str)
  * \ingroup wpspajson
  * \param json_str a JSON string
  * \param len the specific length of the string
+ * \returns a new WpSpaJson; unlike the "wrap" variants, this function copies
+ *    the data in \a json_str, so it does not need to stay alive.
+ * \since 0.5.0
+ */
+WP_API
+WpSpaJson * wp_spa_json_new_from_stringn (const gchar *json_str, size_t len)
+{
+  return wp_spa_json_new (json_str, len);
+}
+
+/*!
+ * \brief Constructs a new WpSpaJson that wraps a JSON string.
+ *
+ * \ingroup wpspajson
+ * \param json_str a JSON string
  * \returns a new WpSpaJson that references the data in \a json_str. \a json_str
  *   is not copied, so it needs to stay alive.
- *
- * \since 0.4.10
+ * \since 0.5.0
  */
 WpSpaJson *
-wp_spa_json_new_from_stringn (const gchar *json_str, size_t len)
+wp_spa_json_new_wrap_string (const gchar *json_str)
+{
+  return wp_spa_json_new_wrap_stringn(json_str, strlen (json_str));
+}
+
+/*!
+ * \brief Constructs a new WpSpaJson that wraps a JSON string with specific length.
+ *
+ * \ingroup wpspajson
+ * \param json_str a JSON string
+ * \param len the specific length of the string
+ * \returns a new WpSpaJson that references the data in \a json_str. \a json_str
+ *   is not copied, so it needs to stay alive.
+ * \since 0.5.0
+ */
+WpSpaJson *
+wp_spa_json_new_wrap_stringn (const gchar *json_str, size_t len)
 {
   WpSpaJson *self = g_slice_new0 (WpSpaJson);
   g_ref_count_init (&self->ref);
diff --git a/lib/wp/spa-json.h b/lib/wp/spa-json.h
index d182c3cf..927ead1f 100644
--- a/lib/wp/spa-json.h
+++ b/lib/wp/spa-json.h
@@ -40,6 +40,12 @@ WpSpaJson * wp_spa_json_new_from_string (const gchar *json_str);
 WP_API
 WpSpaJson * wp_spa_json_new_from_stringn (const gchar *json_str, size_t len);
 
+WP_API
+WpSpaJson * wp_spa_json_new_wrap_string (const gchar *json_str);
+
+WP_API
+WpSpaJson * wp_spa_json_new_wrap_stringn (const gchar *json_str, size_t len);
+
 WP_API
 WpSpaJson * wp_spa_json_new_wrap (struct spa_json *json);
 
diff --git a/modules/module-default-nodes-api.c b/modules/module-default-nodes-api.c
index f7e7fc4b..642db9fb 100644
--- a/modules/module-default-nodes-api.c
+++ b/modules/module-default-nodes-api.c
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ on_metadata_changed (WpMetadata *m, guint32 subject,
     if (!g_strcmp0 (key, DEFAULT_KEY[i])) {
 
       if (value && !g_strcmp0 (type, "Spa:String:JSON")) {
-        g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) json = wp_spa_json_new_from_string (value);
+        g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) json = wp_spa_json_new_wrap_string (value);
         wp_spa_json_object_get (json, "name", "s", &new_value, NULL);
       }
 
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ on_metadata_changed (WpMetadata *m, guint32 subject,
     } else if (!g_strcmp0 (key, DEFAULT_CONFIG_KEY[i])) {
 
       if (value && !g_strcmp0 (type, "Spa:String:JSON")) {
-        g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) json = wp_spa_json_new_from_string (value);
+        g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) json = wp_spa_json_new_wrap_string (value);
         wp_spa_json_object_get (json, "name", "s", &new_value, NULL);
       }
 
diff --git a/modules/module-settings.c b/modules/module-settings.c
index 10dbeebf..35858e06 100644
--- a/modules/module-settings.c
+++ b/modules/module-settings.c
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ is_persistent_settings_enabled (WpProperties *settings) {
   if (!val_str)
     return FALSE;
 
-  val = wp_spa_json_new_from_string (val_str);
+  val = wp_spa_json_new_wrap_string (val_str);
   if (val && !wp_spa_json_parse_boolean (val, &res))
     wp_warning ("Could not parse " PERSISTENT_SETTING " in main configuration");
 
diff --git a/src/tools/wpexec.c b/src/tools/wpexec.c
index 4a7950e0..fdf4d1cf 100644
--- a/src/tools/wpexec.c
+++ b/src/tools/wpexec.c
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ parse_exec_script_arg (const gchar *option_name, const gchar *value,
   /* the second argument is a json object with script arguments */
   if (!exec_args) {
     exec_args_s = g_strdup (value);
-    exec_args = wp_spa_json_new_from_string (exec_args_s);
+    exec_args = wp_spa_json_new_wrap_string (exec_args_s);
     if (!exec_args || !wp_spa_json_is_object (exec_args)) {
       g_set_error (error, WP_DOMAIN_DAEMON, WP_EXIT_USAGE,
           "script argument must be a JSON object");
diff --git a/tests/wp/conf.c b/tests/wp/conf.c
index 989083a5..5e0ce44f 100644
--- a/tests/wp/conf.c
+++ b/tests/wp/conf.c
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ test_conf_basic (TestConfFixture *f, gconstpointer data)
 
   /* Fallback */
   {
-    g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) fallback = wp_spa_json_new_from_string ("{key1 = 3");
+    g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) fallback = wp_spa_json_new_wrap_string ("{key1 = 3");
     g_assert_nonnull (fallback);
 
     g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) s = wp_conf_get_section (f->conf,
diff --git a/tests/wp/json-utils.c b/tests/wp/json-utils.c
index 6c56a32a..c96bb601 100644
--- a/tests/wp/json-utils.c
+++ b/tests/wp/json-utils.c
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ test_match_rules_update_properties (void)
       "  }"
       "]";
 
-  g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) rules = wp_spa_json_new_from_stringn (rules_json_string,
+  g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) rules = wp_spa_json_new_wrap_stringn (rules_json_string,
       strlen (rules_json_string));
   g_assert_nonnull (rules);
 
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ test_match_rules (void)
       "  }"
       "]";
 
-  g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) rules = wp_spa_json_new_from_stringn (rules_json_string,
+  g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) rules = wp_spa_json_new_wrap_stringn (rules_json_string,
       strlen (rules_json_string));
   g_assert_nonnull (rules);
 
diff --git a/tests/wp/spa-json.c b/tests/wp/spa-json.c
index 1a89e39b..74423f38 100644
--- a/tests/wp/spa-json.c
+++ b/tests/wp/spa-json.c
@@ -817,7 +817,7 @@ static void
 test_spa_json_nested2 (void)
 {
   const gchar json_str[] = "[[[[1], [2]], [3]], [4]]";
-  g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) json = wp_spa_json_new_from_string (json_str);
+  g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) json = wp_spa_json_new_wrap_string (json_str);
 
   g_assert_true (wp_spa_json_is_array (json));
   g_assert_cmpmem (wp_spa_json_get_data (json), wp_spa_json_get_size (json),
@@ -987,7 +987,7 @@ test_spa_json_nested3 (void)
 {
   const gchar json_str[] =
       "{ test-setting-json3: { key1: \"value\", key2: 2, key3: true } }";
-  g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) json = wp_spa_json_new_from_string (json_str);
+  g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) json = wp_spa_json_new_wrap_string (json_str);
   g_assert_nonnull (json);
   g_assert_true (wp_spa_json_is_object (json));
 
@@ -1023,7 +1023,7 @@ test_spa_json_ownership (void)
 
   {
     const gchar json_str[] = "{\"name\":\"John\", \"age\":30, \"car\":null}";
-    json = wp_spa_json_new_from_string (json_str);
+    json = wp_spa_json_new_wrap_string (json_str);
     g_assert_nonnull (json);
 
     g_assert_false (wp_spa_json_is_unique_owner (json));
@@ -1120,7 +1120,7 @@ test_spa_json_spa_format (void)
   g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) json = NULL;
 
   const gchar json_str[] = "{ name = John age:30, \"car\" null }";
-  json = wp_spa_json_new_from_string (json_str);
+  json = wp_spa_json_new_wrap_string (json_str);
   g_assert_nonnull (json);
 
   g_assert_true (wp_spa_json_is_object (json));
@@ -1202,7 +1202,7 @@ static void
 test_spa_json_to_string (void)
 {
   const gchar json_str[] = "[{\"key0\":\"val0\"}, {\"key1\":\"val1\"}]";
-  g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) json = wp_spa_json_new_from_string (json_str);
+  g_autoptr (WpSpaJson) json = wp_spa_json_new_wrap_string (json_str);
   g_assert_nonnull (json);
 
   {