diff --git a/src/de/mod.rs b/src/de/mod.rs
index 02dc6cda..5b426d22 100644
--- a/src/de/mod.rs
+++ b/src/de/mod.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 use std::str;
 
 pub mod impls;
+pub mod value;
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
diff --git a/src/de/value.rs b/src/de/value.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..288ebea7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/de/value.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,413 @@
+use std::collections::{
+    BTreeMap,
+    BTreeSet,
+    HashMap,
+    HashSet,
+    btree_map,
+    btree_set,
+    hash_map,
+    hash_set,
+};
+use std::hash::Hash;
+use std::vec;
+
+use de;
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+pub enum Error {
+    SyntaxError,
+    EndOfStreamError,
+    MissingFieldError(&'static str),
+}
+
+impl de::Error for Error {
+    fn syntax_error() -> Self { Error::SyntaxError }
+    fn end_of_stream_error() -> Self { Error::EndOfStreamError }
+    fn missing_field_error(field: &'static str) -> Self { Error::MissingFieldError(field) }
+}
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+pub trait ValueDeserializer {
+    type Deserializer: de::Deserializer<Error=Error>;
+
+    fn deserializer(self) -> Self::Deserializer;
+}
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+impl ValueDeserializer for () {
+    type Deserializer = UnitDeserializer;
+
+    fn deserializer(self) -> UnitDeserializer {
+        UnitDeserializer
+    }
+}
+
+/// A helper deserializer that deserializes a `()`.
+pub struct UnitDeserializer;
+
+impl de::Deserializer for UnitDeserializer {
+    type Error = Error;
+
+    fn visit<V>(&mut self, mut visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Error>
+        where V: de::Visitor,
+    {
+        visitor.visit_unit()
+    }
+
+    fn visit_option<V>(&mut self, mut visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Error>
+        where V: de::Visitor,
+    {
+        visitor.visit_none()
+    }
+}
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+macro_rules! primitive_deserializer {
+    ($ty:ty, $name:ident, $method:ident) => {
+        pub struct $name(Option<$ty>);
+
+        impl ValueDeserializer for $ty {
+            type Deserializer = $name;
+
+            fn deserializer(self) -> $name {
+                $name(Some(self))
+            }
+        }
+
+        impl de::Deserializer for $name {
+            type Error = Error;
+
+            fn visit<V>(&mut self, mut visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Error>
+                where V: de::Visitor,
+            {
+                match self.0.take() {
+                    Some(v) => visitor.$method(v),
+                    None => Err(de::Error::end_of_stream_error()),
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+primitive_deserializer!(bool, BoolDeserializer, visit_bool);
+primitive_deserializer!(i8, I8Deserializer, visit_i8);
+primitive_deserializer!(i16, I16Deserializer, visit_i16);
+primitive_deserializer!(i32, I32Deserializer, visit_i32);
+primitive_deserializer!(i64, I64Deserializer, visit_i64);
+primitive_deserializer!(isize, IsizeDeserializer, visit_isize);
+primitive_deserializer!(u8, U8Deserializer, visit_u8);
+primitive_deserializer!(u16, U16Deserializer, visit_u16);
+primitive_deserializer!(u32, U32Deserializer, visit_u32);
+primitive_deserializer!(u64, U64Deserializer, visit_u64);
+primitive_deserializer!(usize, UsizeDeserializer, visit_usize);
+primitive_deserializer!(f32, F32Deserializer, visit_f32);
+primitive_deserializer!(f64, F64Deserializer, visit_f64);
+primitive_deserializer!(char, CharDeserializer, visit_char);
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+/// A helper deserializer that deserializes a `&str`.
+pub struct StrDeserializer<'a>(Option<&'a str>);
+
+impl<'a> ValueDeserializer for &'a str {
+    type Deserializer = StrDeserializer<'a>;
+
+    fn deserializer(self) -> StrDeserializer<'a> {
+        StrDeserializer(Some(self))
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'a> de::Deserializer for StrDeserializer<'a> {
+    type Error = Error;
+
+    fn visit<V>(&mut self, mut visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Error>
+        where V: de::Visitor,
+    {
+        match self.0.take() {
+            Some(v) => visitor.visit_str(v),
+            None => Err(de::Error::end_of_stream_error()),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn visit_enum<V>(&mut self, _name: &str, mut visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Error>
+        where V: de::EnumVisitor,
+    {
+        visitor.visit(self)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'a> de::VariantVisitor for StrDeserializer<'a> {
+    type Error = Error;
+
+    fn visit_variant<T>(&mut self) -> Result<T, Error>
+        where T: de::Deserialize,
+    {
+        de::Deserialize::deserialize(self)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_value<V>(&mut self, mut visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Error>
+        where V: de::Visitor,
+    {
+        visitor.visit_unit()
+    }
+}
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+/// A helper deserializer that deserializes a `String`.
+pub struct StringDeserializer(Option<String>);
+
+impl ValueDeserializer for String {
+    type Deserializer = StringDeserializer;
+
+    fn deserializer(self) -> StringDeserializer {
+        StringDeserializer(Some(self))
+    }
+}
+
+impl de::Deserializer for StringDeserializer {
+    type Error = Error;
+
+    fn visit<V>(&mut self, mut visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Error>
+        where V: de::Visitor,
+    {
+        match self.0.take() {
+            Some(string) => visitor.visit_string(string),
+            None => Err(de::Error::end_of_stream_error()),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn visit_enum<V>(&mut self, _name: &str, mut visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Error>
+        where V: de::EnumVisitor,
+    {
+        visitor.visit(self)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'a> de::VariantVisitor for StringDeserializer {
+    type Error = Error;
+
+    fn visit_variant<T>(&mut self) -> Result<T, Error>
+        where T: de::Deserialize,
+    {
+        de::Deserialize::deserialize(self)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_value<V>(&mut self, mut visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Error>
+        where V: de::Visitor,
+    {
+        visitor.visit_unit()
+    }
+}
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+pub struct SeqDeserializer<I> {
+    iter: I,
+    len: usize,
+}
+
+impl<I> SeqDeserializer<I> {
+    pub fn new(iter: I, len: usize) -> Self {
+        SeqDeserializer {
+            iter: iter,
+            len: len,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<I, T> de::Deserializer for SeqDeserializer<I>
+    where I: Iterator<Item=T>,
+          T: ValueDeserializer,
+{
+    type Error = Error;
+
+    fn visit<V>(&mut self, mut visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Error>
+        where V: de::Visitor,
+    {
+        visitor.visit_seq(self)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<I, T> de::SeqVisitor for SeqDeserializer<I>
+    where I: Iterator<Item=T>,
+          T: ValueDeserializer,
+{
+    type Error = Error;
+
+    fn visit<V>(&mut self) -> Result<Option<V>, Error>
+        where V: de::Deserialize
+    {
+        match self.iter.next() {
+            Some(value) => {
+                self.len -= 1;
+                let mut de = value.deserializer();
+                Ok(Some(try!(de::Deserialize::deserialize(&mut de))))
+            }
+            None => Ok(None),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn end(&mut self) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        if self.len == 0 {
+            Ok(())
+        } else {
+            Err(de::Error::end_of_stream_error())
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn size_hint(&self) -> (usize, Option<usize>) {
+        (self.len, Some(self.len))
+    }
+}
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+impl<T> ValueDeserializer for Vec<T>
+    where T: ValueDeserializer,
+{
+    type Deserializer = SeqDeserializer<vec::IntoIter<T>>;
+
+    fn deserializer(self) -> SeqDeserializer<vec::IntoIter<T>> {
+        let len = self.len();
+        SeqDeserializer::new(self.into_iter(), len)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> ValueDeserializer for BTreeSet<T>
+    where T: ValueDeserializer + Eq + Ord,
+{
+    type Deserializer = SeqDeserializer<btree_set::IntoIter<T>>;
+
+    fn deserializer(self) -> SeqDeserializer<btree_set::IntoIter<T>> {
+        let len = self.len();
+        SeqDeserializer::new(self.into_iter(), len)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> ValueDeserializer for HashSet<T>
+    where T: ValueDeserializer + Eq + Hash,
+{
+    type Deserializer = SeqDeserializer<hash_set::IntoIter<T>>;
+
+    fn deserializer(self) -> SeqDeserializer<hash_set::IntoIter<T>> {
+        let len = self.len();
+        SeqDeserializer::new(self.into_iter(), len)
+    }
+}
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+pub struct MapDeserializer<I, K, V>
+    where I: Iterator<Item=(K, V)>,
+          K: ValueDeserializer,
+          V: ValueDeserializer,
+{
+    iter: I,
+    value: Option<V>,
+    len: usize,
+}
+
+impl<I, K, V> MapDeserializer<I, K, V>
+    where I: Iterator<Item=(K, V)>,
+          K: ValueDeserializer,
+          V: ValueDeserializer,
+{
+    pub fn new(iter: I, len: usize) -> Self {
+        MapDeserializer {
+            iter: iter,
+            value: None,
+            len: len,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<I, K, V> de::Deserializer for MapDeserializer<I, K, V>
+    where I: Iterator<Item=(K, V)>,
+          K: ValueDeserializer,
+          V: ValueDeserializer,
+{
+    type Error = Error;
+
+    fn visit<V_>(&mut self, mut visitor: V_) -> Result<V_::Value, Error>
+        where V_: de::Visitor,
+    {
+        visitor.visit_map(self)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<I, K, V> de::MapVisitor for MapDeserializer<I, K, V>
+    where I: Iterator<Item=(K, V)>,
+          K: ValueDeserializer,
+          V: ValueDeserializer,
+{
+    type Error = Error;
+
+    fn visit_key<T>(&mut self) -> Result<Option<T>, Error>
+        where T: de::Deserialize,
+    {
+        match self.iter.next() {
+            Some((key, value)) => {
+                self.len -= 1;
+                self.value = Some(value);
+                let mut de = key.deserializer();
+                Ok(Some(try!(de::Deserialize::deserialize(&mut de))))
+            }
+            None => Ok(None),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn visit_value<T>(&mut self) -> Result<T, Error>
+        where T: de::Deserialize,
+    {
+        match self.value.take() {
+            Some(value) => {
+                let mut de = value.deserializer();
+                de::Deserialize::deserialize(&mut de)
+            }
+            None => Err(de::Error::syntax_error())
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn end(&mut self) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        if self.len == 0 {
+            Ok(())
+        } else {
+            Err(de::Error::end_of_stream_error())
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn size_hint(&self) -> (usize, Option<usize>) {
+        (self.len, Some(self.len))
+    }
+}
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+impl<K, V> ValueDeserializer for BTreeMap<K, V>
+    where K: ValueDeserializer + Eq + Ord,
+          V: ValueDeserializer,
+{
+    type Deserializer = MapDeserializer<btree_map::IntoIter<K, V>, K, V>;
+
+    fn deserializer(self) -> MapDeserializer<btree_map::IntoIter<K, V>, K, V> {
+        let len = self.len();
+        MapDeserializer::new(self.into_iter(), len)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<K, V> ValueDeserializer for HashMap<K, V>
+    where K: ValueDeserializer + Eq + Hash,
+          V: ValueDeserializer,
+{
+    type Deserializer = MapDeserializer<hash_map::IntoIter<K, V>, K, V>;
+
+    fn deserializer(self) -> MapDeserializer<hash_map::IntoIter<K, V>, K, V> {
+        let len = self.len();
+        MapDeserializer::new(self.into_iter(), len)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/json/de.rs b/src/json/de.rs
index ef89807b..5ea8f57c 100644
--- a/src/json/de.rs
+++ b/src/json/de.rs
@@ -603,26 +603,8 @@ impl<'a, Iter> de::MapVisitor for MapVisitor<'a, Iter>
     fn missing_field<V>(&mut self, _field: &'static str) -> Result<V, Error>
         where V: de::Deserialize,
     {
-        // See if the type can deserialize from a unit.
-        struct UnitDeserializer;
-
-        impl de::Deserializer for UnitDeserializer {
-            type Error = Error;
-
-            fn visit<V>(&mut self, mut visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Error>
-                where V: de::Visitor,
-            {
-                visitor.visit_unit()
-            }
-
-            fn visit_option<V>(&mut self, mut visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Error>
-                where V: de::Visitor,
-            {
-                visitor.visit_none()
-            }
-        }
-
-        Ok(try!(de::Deserialize::deserialize(&mut UnitDeserializer)))
+        let mut de = de::value::ValueDeserializer::deserializer(());
+        Ok(try!(de::Deserialize::deserialize(&mut de)))
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/json/error.rs b/src/json/error.rs
index 63601666..53a9b0e1 100644
--- a/src/json/error.rs
+++ b/src/json/error.rs
@@ -145,6 +145,22 @@ impl error::FromError<io::Error> for Error {
     }
 }
 
+impl error::FromError<de::value::Error> for Error {
+    fn from_error(error: de::value::Error) -> Error {
+        match error {
+            de::value::Error::SyntaxError => {
+                de::Error::syntax_error()
+            }
+            de::value::Error::EndOfStreamError => {
+                de::Error::end_of_stream_error()
+            }
+            de::value::Error::MissingFieldError(field) => {
+                de::Error::missing_field_error(field)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 impl de::Error for Error {
     fn syntax_error() -> Error {
         Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeValue, 0, 0)