diff --git a/src/htsmsg.c b/src/htsmsg.c
index 935c30b6..794b3e03 100644
--- a/src/htsmsg.c
+++ b/src/htsmsg.c
@@ -176,6 +176,16 @@ htsmsg_destroy(htsmsg_t *msg)
   free(msg);
 }
 
+/*
+ *
+ */
+void
+htsmsg_add_bool(htsmsg_t *msg, const char *name, int b)
+{
+  htsmsg_field_t *f = htsmsg_field_add(msg, name, HMF_BOOL, HMF_NAME_ALLOCED);
+  f->hmf_bool = !!b;
+}
+
 /*
  *
  */
@@ -313,6 +323,9 @@ htsmsg_get_s64(htsmsg_t *msg, const char *name, int64_t *s64p)
   case HMF_S64:
     *s64p = f->hmf_s64;
     break;
+  case HMF_BOOL:
+    *s64p = f->hmf_bool;
+    break;
   case HMF_DBL:
     *s64p = f->hmf_dbl;
     break;
@@ -321,6 +334,17 @@ htsmsg_get_s64(htsmsg_t *msg, const char *name, int64_t *s64p)
 }
 
 
+/**
+ *
+ */
+int
+htsmsg_get_bool_or_default(htsmsg_t *msg, const char *name, int def)
+{
+  int64_t s64;
+  return htsmsg_get_s64(msg, name, &s64) ? def : s64;
+}
+
+
 /**
  *
  */
@@ -598,6 +622,10 @@ htsmsg_print0(htsmsg_t *msg, int indent)
       printf("S64) = %" PRId64 "\n", f->hmf_s64);
       break;
 
+    case HMF_BOOL:
+      printf("BOOL) = %s\n", f->hmf_bool ? "true" : "false");
+      break;
+
     case HMF_DBL:
       printf("DBL) = %f\n", f->hmf_dbl);
       break;
@@ -644,6 +672,10 @@ htsmsg_copy_i(htsmsg_t *src, htsmsg_t *dst)
       htsmsg_add_s64(dst, f->hmf_name, f->hmf_s64);
       break;
 
+    case HMF_BOOL:
+      htsmsg_add_bool(dst, f->hmf_name, f->hmf_bool);
+      break;
+
     case HMF_BIN:
       htsmsg_add_bin(dst, f->hmf_name, f->hmf_bin, f->hmf_binsize);
       break;
diff --git a/src/htsmsg.h b/src/htsmsg.h
index 82fb7fda..e2836820 100644
--- a/src/htsmsg.h
+++ b/src/htsmsg.h
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ typedef struct htsmsg {
 #define HMF_BIN  4
 #define HMF_LIST 5
 #define HMF_DBL  6
+#define HMF_BOOL 7
 
 typedef struct htsmsg_field {
   TAILQ_ENTRY(htsmsg_field) hmf_link;
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ typedef struct htsmsg_field {
     } bin;
     htsmsg_t msg;
     double dbl;
+    int bool;
   } u;
 } htsmsg_field_t;
 
@@ -78,6 +80,7 @@ typedef struct htsmsg_field {
 #define hmf_bin     u.bin.data
 #define hmf_binsize u.bin.len
 #define hmf_dbl     u.dbl
+#define hmf_bool    u.bool
 
 #define htsmsg_get_map_by_field(f) \
  ((f)->hmf_type == HMF_MAP ? &(f)->hmf_msg : NULL)
@@ -106,6 +109,8 @@ void htsmsg_field_destroy(htsmsg_t *msg, htsmsg_field_t *f);
  */
 void htsmsg_destroy(htsmsg_t *msg);
 
+void htsmsg_add_bool(htsmsg_t *msg, const char *name, int b);
+
 /**
  * Add an integer field where source is unsigned 32 bit.
  */
@@ -190,6 +195,8 @@ int htsmsg_get_s64(htsmsg_t *msg, const char *name,  int64_t *s64p);
  */
 int64_t htsmsg_get_s64_or_default(htsmsg_t *msg, const char *name, int64_t def);
 
+int htsmsg_get_bool_or_default(htsmsg_t *msg, const char *name, int def);
+
 
 /**
  * Get pointer to a binary field. No copying of data is performed.
diff --git a/src/htsmsg_json.c b/src/htsmsg_json.c
index 3fda47c1..19c85a71 100644
--- a/src/htsmsg_json.c
+++ b/src/htsmsg_json.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ htsmsg_json_write(htsmsg_t *msg, htsbuf_queue_t *hq, int isarray,
   htsmsg_field_t *f;
   char buf[100];
   static const char *indentor = "\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t";
+  const char *s;
 
   htsbuf_append(hq, isarray ? "[" : "{", 1);
 
@@ -69,6 +70,11 @@ htsmsg_json_write(htsmsg_t *msg, htsbuf_queue_t *hq, int isarray,
       htsbuf_append_and_escape_jsonstr(hq, "binary");
       break;
 
+    case HMF_BOOL:
+      s = f->hmf_bool ? "true" : "false";
+      htsbuf_append(hq, s, strlen(s));
+      break;
+
     case HMF_S64:
       snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%" PRId64, f->hmf_s64);
       htsbuf_append(hq, buf, strlen(buf));
@@ -169,7 +175,7 @@ add_double(void *opaque, void *parent, const char *name, double v)
 static void 
 add_bool(void *opaque, void *parent, const char *name, int v)
 {
-  htsmsg_add_u32(parent, name, v);
+  htsmsg_add_bool(parent, name, v);
 }
 
 static void