diff --git a/conf/lex.go b/conf/lex.go
index f3050331bc..5da8a73243 100644
--- a/conf/lex.go
+++ b/conf/lex.go
@@ -343,7 +343,10 @@ func lexKeyStart(lx *lexer) stateFn {
 func lexDubQuotedKey(lx *lexer) stateFn {
 	r := lx.peek()
 	if r == dqStringEnd {
-		lx.emit(itemKey)
+		include := lx.keyCheckKeyword(nil, nil)
+		if include != nil {
+			return include
+		}
 		lx.next()
 		return lexSkip(lx, lexKeyEnd)
 	} else if r == eof {
@@ -361,7 +364,10 @@ func lexDubQuotedKey(lx *lexer) stateFn {
 func lexQuotedKey(lx *lexer) stateFn {
 	r := lx.peek()
 	if r == sqStringEnd {
-		lx.emit(itemKey)
+		include := lx.keyCheckKeyword(nil, nil)
+		if include != nil {
+			return include
+		}
 		lx.next()
 		return lexSkip(lx, lexKeyEnd)
 	} else if r == eof {
@@ -394,7 +400,7 @@ func (lx *lexer) keyCheckKeyword(fallThrough, push stateFn) stateFn {
 // lexIncludeStart will consume the whitespace til the start of the value.
 func lexIncludeStart(lx *lexer) stateFn {
 	r := lx.next()
-	if isWhitespace(r) {
+	if isWhitespace(r) || r == dqStringEnd || r == sqStringEnd || isKeySeparator(r) {
 		return lexSkip(lx, lexIncludeStart)
 	}
 	lx.backup()
@@ -441,7 +447,7 @@ func lexIncludeString(lx *lexer) stateFn {
 		lx.backup()
 		lx.emit(itemInclude)
 		return lx.pop()
-	case r == sqStringEnd:
+	case r == sqStringEnd || r == dqStringEnd:
 		lx.backup()
 		lx.emit(itemInclude)
 		lx.next()
@@ -668,7 +674,10 @@ func lexMapKeyStart(lx *lexer) stateFn {
 func lexMapQuotedKey(lx *lexer) stateFn {
 	r := lx.peek()
 	if r == sqStringEnd {
-		lx.emit(itemKey)
+		include := lx.keyCheckKeyword(nil, lexMapValueEnd)
+		if include != nil {
+			return include
+		}
 		lx.next()
 		return lexSkip(lx, lexMapKeyEnd)
 	}
@@ -680,7 +689,10 @@ func lexMapQuotedKey(lx *lexer) stateFn {
 func lexMapDubQuotedKey(lx *lexer) stateFn {
 	r := lx.peek()
 	if r == dqStringEnd {
-		lx.emit(itemKey)
+		include := lx.keyCheckKeyword(nil, lexMapValueEnd)
+		if include != nil {
+			return include
+		}
 		lx.next()
 		return lexSkip(lx, lexMapKeyEnd)
 	}
diff --git a/conf/parse_test.go b/conf/parse_test.go
index 64e4c6f580..0d5ebe2205 100644
--- a/conf/parse_test.go
+++ b/conf/parse_test.go
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ package conf
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"reflect"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
@@ -328,3 +330,97 @@ func TestIncludeVariablesWithChecks(t *testing.T) {
 	expectKeyVal(t, m, "BOB_PASS", "$2a$11$dZM98SpGeI7dCFFGSpt.JObQcix8YHml4TBUZoge9R1uxnMIln5ly", 3, 1)
 	expectKeyVal(t, m, "CAROL_PASS", "foo", 6, 3)
 }
+
+func TestIncludesJSONSyntax(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpdir, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "includes")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer os.RemoveAll(tmpdir)
+
+	content := `
+        {
+          "debug": true,
+          "include": "simple.json",
+          "cluster": {
+            "include": "cluster.json"
+          }
+        }       
+        `
+	configFile := filepath.Join(tmpdir, "multiple.json")
+	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(configFile, []byte(content), 0666); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	content = `
+        {
+          "listen": "127.0.0.1:4223"
+        }       
+        `
+	include := filepath.Join(tmpdir, "simple.json")
+	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(include, []byte(content), 0666); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	content = `
+        {
+          "routes": [
+            "nats://nats-A:6222",
+            "nats://nats-C:6222",
+            "nats://nats-B:6222"
+          ]
+        }
+        `
+	include = filepath.Join(tmpdir, "cluster.json")
+	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(include, []byte(content), 0666); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	m, err := ParseFile(configFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Received err: %v\n", err)
+	}
+	if m == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Received nil map")
+	}
+
+	ex := map[string]interface{}{
+		"listen": "127.0.0.1:4223",
+		"debug":  true,
+		"cluster": map[string]interface{}{
+			"routes": []interface{}{
+				"nats://nats-A:6222",
+				"nats://nats-C:6222",
+				"nats://nats-B:6222",
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(m, ex) {
+		t.Fatalf("Not Equal:\nReceived: '%+v'\nExpected: '%+v'\n", m, ex)
+	}
+
+	content = `
+        'debug': true
+
+        'include': 'simple.json'
+
+        'cluster': {
+          'include': 'cluster.json'
+        }
+        `
+	configFile = filepath.Join(tmpdir, "multiple.json")
+	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(configFile, []byte(content), 0666); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	m2, err := ParseFile(configFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Received err: %v\n", err)
+	}
+	if m2 == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Received nil map")
+	}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(m2, ex) {
+		t.Fatalf("Not Equal:\nReceived: '%+v'\nExpected: '%+v'\n", m2, ex)
+	}
+}