diff --git a/lib/resources/csv.rb b/lib/resources/csv.rb
index d4416adf1e..451ef3ec78 100644
--- a/lib/resources/csv.rb
+++ b/lib/resources/csv.rb
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ def parse(content)
 
       # convert to hash
       csv.to_a.map(&:to_hash)
+    rescue => e
+      raise Inspec::Exceptions::ResourceFailed, "Unable to parse CSV: #{e.message}"
     end
 
     # override the value method from JsonConfig
@@ -45,8 +47,12 @@ def value(key)
       @params.map { |x| x[key.first.to_s] }.compact
     end
 
-    def to_s
-      "Csv #{@path}"
+    private
+
+    # used by JsonConfig to build up a full to_s method
+    # based on whether a file path, content, or command was supplied.
+    def resource_base_name
+      'CSV'
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/resources/ini.rb b/lib/resources/ini.rb
index 4eeea18d04..85d34f3716 100644
--- a/lib/resources/ini.rb
+++ b/lib/resources/ini.rb
@@ -18,8 +18,12 @@ def parse(content)
       SimpleConfig.new(content).params
     end
 
-    def to_s
-      "INI #{@path}"
+    private
+
+    # used by JsonConfig to build up a full to_s method
+    # based on whether a file path, content, or command was supplied.
+    def resource_base_name
+      'INI'
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/resources/json.rb b/lib/resources/json.rb
index 301e5ee16e..95a3330b60 100644
--- a/lib/resources/json.rb
+++ b/lib/resources/json.rb
@@ -26,45 +26,11 @@ class JsonConfig < Inspec.resource(1)
     include ObjectTraverser
 
     # make params readable
-    attr_reader :params
+    attr_reader :params, :raw_content
 
     def initialize(opts)
-      @opts = opts
-      if opts.is_a?(Hash)
-        if opts.key?(:content)
-          @file_content = opts[:content]
-        elsif opts.key?(:command)
-          @command = inspec.command(opts[:command])
-          @file_content = @command.stdout
-        end
-      else
-        @path = opts
-        @file = inspec.file(@opts)
-        @file_content = @file.content
-
-        # check if file is available
-        if !@file.file?
-          skip_resource "Can't find file \"#{@path}\""
-          return @params = {}
-        end
-
-        # check if file is readable
-        if @file_content.nil? && !@file.empty?
-          skip_resource "Can't read file \"#{@path}\""
-          return @params = {}
-        end
-      end
-
-      @params = parse(@file_content)
-    end
-
-    def parse(content)
-      require 'json'
-      JSON.parse(content)
-    end
-
-    def value(key)
-      extract_value(key, @params)
+      @raw_content = load_raw_content(opts)
+      @params = parse(@raw_content)
     end
 
     # Shorthand to retrieve a parameter name via `#its`.
@@ -79,12 +45,65 @@ def method_missing(*keys)
       value(keys)
     end
 
+    def value(key)
+      # uses ObjectTraverser.extract_value to walk the hash looking for the key,
+      # which may be an Array of keys for a nested Hash.
+      extract_value(key, params)
+    end
+
     def to_s
-      if @opts.is_a?(Hash) && @opts.key?(:content)
-        'Json content'
+      "#{resource_base_name} #{@resource_name_supplement || 'content'}"
+    end
+
+    private
+
+    def parse(content)
+      require 'json'
+      JSON.parse(content)
+    rescue => e
+      raise Inspec::Exceptions::ResourceFailed, "Unable to parse JSON: #{e.message}"
+    end
+
+    def load_raw_content(opts)
+      # if the opts isn't a hash, we assume it's a path to a file
+      unless opts.is_a?(Hash)
+        @resource_name_supplement = opts
+        return load_raw_from_file(opts)
+      end
+
+      if opts.key?(:command)
+        @resource_name_supplement = "from command: #{opts[:command]}"
+        load_raw_from_command(opts[:command])
+      elsif opts.key?(:content)
+        opts[:content]
       else
-        "Json #{@path}"
+        raise Inspec::Exceptions::ResourceFailed, 'No JSON content; must specify a file, command, or raw JSON content'
       end
     end
+
+    def load_raw_from_file(path)
+      file = inspec.file(path)
+
+      # these are currently ResourceSkipped to maintain consistency with the resource
+      # pre-refactor (which used skip_resource). These should likely be changed to
+      # ResourceFailed during a major version bump.
+      raise Inspec::Exceptions::ResourceSkipped, "No such file: #{path}" unless file.file?
+      raise Inspec::Exceptions::ResourceSkipped, "File #{path} is empty or is not readable by current user" if file.content.nil? || file.content.empty?
+
+      file.content
+    end
+
+    def load_raw_from_command(command)
+      command_output = inspec.command(command).stdout
+      raise Inspec::Exceptions::ResourceSkipped, "No output from command: #{command}" if command_output.nil? || command_output.empty?
+
+      command_output
+    end
+
+    # for resources the subclass JsonConfig, this allows specification of the resource
+    # base name in each subclass so we can build a good to_s method
+    def resource_base_name
+      'JSON'
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/resources/toml.rb b/lib/resources/toml.rb
index 421f5f97dc..c432ed50f6 100644
--- a/lib/resources/toml.rb
+++ b/lib/resources/toml.rb
@@ -17,10 +17,16 @@ class TomlConfig < JsonConfig
 
     def parse(content)
       Tomlrb.parse(content)
+    rescue => e
+      raise Inspec::Exceptions::ResourceFailed, "Unable to parse TOML: #{e.message}"
     end
 
-    def to_s
-      "TOML #{@path}"
+    private
+
+    # used by JsonConfig to build up a full to_s method
+    # based on whether a file path, content, or command was supplied.
+    def resource_base_name
+      'TOML'
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/resources/xml.rb b/lib/resources/xml.rb
index 284b266ffb..7e3a5d985a 100644
--- a/lib/resources/xml.rb
+++ b/lib/resources/xml.rb
@@ -14,14 +14,20 @@ class XmlConfig < JsonConfig
     def parse(content)
       require 'rexml/document'
       REXML::Document.new(content)
+    rescue => e
+      raise Inspec::Exceptions::ResourceFailed, "Unable to parse XML: #{e.message}"
     end
 
     def value(key)
       REXML::XPath.each(@params, key.first.to_s).map(&:text)
     end
 
-    def to_s
-      "XML #{@path}"
+    private
+
+    # used by JsonConfig to build up a full to_s method
+    # based on whether a file path, content, or command was supplied.
+    def resource_base_name
+      'XML'
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/resources/yaml.rb b/lib/resources/yaml.rb
index dbf2e07c8f..dadc142a10 100644
--- a/lib/resources/yaml.rb
+++ b/lib/resources/yaml.rb
@@ -30,10 +30,16 @@ class YamlConfig < JsonConfig
     # override file load and parse hash from yaml
     def parse(content)
       YAML.load(content)
+    rescue => e
+      raise Inspec::Exceptions::ResourceFailed, "Unable to parse YAML: #{e.message}"
     end
 
-    def to_s
-      "YAML #{@path}"
+    private
+
+    # used by JsonConfig to build up a full to_s method
+    # based on whether a file path, content, or command was supplied.
+    def resource_base_name
+      'YAML'
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/unit/resources/json_test.rb b/test/unit/resources/json_test.rb
index 4b273a1a22..b36a4d13f5 100644
--- a/test/unit/resources/json_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/resources/json_test.rb
@@ -37,7 +37,69 @@
     let (:resource) { load_resource('json', 'nonexistent.json') }
 
     it 'produces an error' do
-      _(resource.resource_exception_message).must_equal 'Can\'t find file "nonexistent.json"'
+      _(resource.resource_exception_message).must_equal 'No such file: nonexistent.json'
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe '#load_raw_from_file' do
+    let(:path)     { '/path/to/file.txt' }
+    let(:resource) { Inspec::Resources::JsonConfig.allocate }
+    let(:inspec)   { mock }
+    let(:file)     { mock }
+
+    before do
+      resource.stubs(:inspec).returns(inspec)
+      inspec.expects(:file).with(path).returns(file)
+    end
+
+    it 'raises an exception when the file does not exist' do
+      file.expects(:file?).returns(false)
+      proc { resource.send(:load_raw_from_file, path) }.must_raise Inspec::Exceptions::ResourceSkipped
+    end
+
+    it 'raises an exception if the file content is nil' do
+      file.expects(:file?).returns(true)
+      file.expects(:content).returns(nil)
+      proc { resource.send(:load_raw_from_file, path) }.must_raise Inspec::Exceptions::ResourceSkipped
+    end
+
+    it 'raises an exception if the file content is empty' do
+      file.expects(:file?).returns(true)
+      file.expects(:content).at_least_once.returns('')
+      proc { resource.send(:load_raw_from_file, path) }.must_raise Inspec::Exceptions::ResourceSkipped
+    end
+
+    it 'returns the file content' do
+      file.expects(:file?).returns(true)
+      file.expects(:content).at_least_once.returns('json goes here')
+      resource.send(:load_raw_from_file, path).must_equal 'json goes here'
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe '#load_raw_from_file' do
+    let(:cmd_str)  { 'curl localhost' }
+    let(:resource) { Inspec::Resources::JsonConfig.allocate }
+    let(:inspec)   { mock }
+    let(:command)  { mock }
+
+    before do
+      resource.stubs(:inspec).returns(inspec)
+      inspec.expects(:command).with(cmd_str).returns(command)
+    end
+
+    it 'raises an exception if command stdout is nil' do
+      command.expects(:stdout).returns(nil)
+      proc { resource.send(:load_raw_from_command, cmd_str) }.must_raise Inspec::Exceptions::ResourceSkipped
+    end
+
+    it 'raises an exception if command stdout is empty' do
+      command.expects(:stdout).returns('')
+      proc { resource.send(:load_raw_from_command, cmd_str) }.must_raise Inspec::Exceptions::ResourceSkipped
+    end
+
+    it 'returns the command output' do
+      command.expects(:stdout).returns('json goes here')
+      resource.send(:load_raw_from_command, cmd_str).must_equal 'json goes here'
     end
   end
 end