diff --git a/etc/Settings.plist b/etc/Settings.plist
index 64e724a..9e365fb 100644
--- a/etc/Settings.plist
+++ b/etc/Settings.plist
@@ -2,6 +2,16 @@
 <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
 <plist version="1.0">
 <array>
+  <dict>
+    <key>DefaultValue</key>
+    <false/>
+    <key>Key</key>
+    <string>unescape_unicode</string>
+    <key>Title</key>
+    <string>Unescape Unicode</string>
+    <key>Type</key>
+    <string>CheckBox</string>
+  </dict>
   <dict>
     <key>DefaultValue</key>
     <true/>
diff --git a/src/formattedJSON.js b/src/formattedJSON.js
index bdda14e..4d90600 100644
--- a/src/formattedJSON.js
+++ b/src/formattedJSON.js
@@ -10,25 +10,28 @@
         return;
       }
 
-      // attempt to parse the body as JSON
-      try {
-        var obj = JSON.parse( document.body.textContent
-          .split( "\\" ).join( "\\\\" ) // double-up on escape sequences
-          .split( '\\\"' ).join( "\\\\\"" ) // at this point quotes have been unescaped.  re-escape them.
-        );
-      } catch( e ) {
-        // invalid JSON :(
-        return;
-      }
-
-      this.preparePage();
-
       // receive settings from proxy.html
       safari.self.addEventListener( "message", function( e ) {
         if( e.name === "setData" ) {
           var data = e.message;
           settings = data.settings;
 
+          // attempt to parse the body as JSON
+          try {
+            var s = document.body.textContent;
+            if ( settings.unescape_unicode ) {
+              s = JSON.stringify( JSON.parse( s ) );
+            }
+            var obj = JSON.parse( s
+              .split( "\\" ).join( "\\\\" ) // double-up on escape sequences
+              .split( '\\\"' ).join( "\\\\\"" ) // at this point quotes have been unescaped.  re-escape them.
+            );
+          } catch( e ) {
+            // invalid JSON :(
+            return;
+          }
+
+          formatJSON.preparePage();
           formatJSON.addStyle( data.css );
           formatJSON.addToolbar( data.toolbar );
           formatJSON.renderRoot( obj );
diff --git a/src/proxy.html b/src/proxy.html
index 5875835..1620137 100644
--- a/src/proxy.html
+++ b/src/proxy.html
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
           settings: {
             fold_strings: safari.extension.settings.getItem( "fold_strings" ),
             long_string_length: safari.extension.settings.getItem( "long_string_length" ),
+            unescape_unicode: safari.extension.settings.getItem( "unescape_unicode" ),
             sort_keys: safari.extension.settings.getItem( "sort_keys" )
           }
         } );