diff --git a/src/iterator.rs b/src/iterator.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..521a15e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/iterator.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+use std::iter::Peekable;
+use std::io;
+
+pub struct LineColIterator<Iter: Iterator<Item=io::Result<u8>>> {
+    rdr: Peekable<Iter>,
+    line: usize,
+    col: usize,
+}
+
+impl<Iter: Iterator<Item=io::Result<u8>>> LineColIterator<Iter> {
+    pub fn new(iter: Iter) -> LineColIterator<Iter> {
+        LineColIterator {
+            line: 1,
+            col: 0,
+            rdr: iter.peekable(),
+        }
+    }
+    fn peek(&mut self) -> Option<u8> {
+        match self.rdr.peek() {
+            None => None,
+            Some(&Ok(c)) => Some(c),
+            Some(&Err(_)) => None,
+        }
+    }
+    pub fn line(&self) -> usize { self.line }
+    pub fn col(&self) -> usize { self.col }
+}
+
+impl<Iter: Iterator<Item=io::Result<u8>>> Iterator for LineColIterator<Iter> {
+    type Item = io::Result<u8>;
+    fn next(&mut self) -> Option<io::Result<u8>> {
+        match self.rdr.next() {
+            None => None,
+            Some(Ok(b'\n')) => {
+                self.line += 1;
+                self.col = 0;
+                Some(Ok(b'\n'))
+            },
+            Some(Ok(c)) => {
+                self.col += 1;
+                Some(Ok(c))
+            },
+            Some(Err(e)) => Some(Err(e)),
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/json/de.rs b/src/json/de.rs
index f1653d33..2e978f2d 100644
--- a/src/json/de.rs
+++ b/src/json/de.rs
@@ -4,12 +4,11 @@ use std::str;
 
 use de;
 use super::error::{Error, ErrorCode};
+use iterator::LineColIterator;
 
-pub struct Deserializer<Iter> {
-    rdr: Iter,
+pub struct Deserializer<Iter: Iterator<Item=io::Result<u8>>> {
+    rdr: LineColIterator<Iter>,
     ch: Option<u8>,
-    line: usize,
-    col: usize,
     str_buf: Vec<u8>,
 }
 
@@ -20,10 +19,8 @@ impl<Iter> Deserializer<Iter>
     #[inline]
     pub fn new(rdr: Iter) -> Result<Deserializer<Iter>, Error> {
         let mut deserializer = Deserializer {
-            rdr: rdr,
+            rdr: LineColIterator::new(rdr),
             ch: None,
-            line: 1,
-            col: 0,
             str_buf: Vec::with_capacity(128),
         };
 
@@ -53,13 +50,6 @@ impl<Iter> Deserializer<Iter>
             None => None,
         };
 
-        if self.ch_is(b'\n') {
-            self.line += 1;
-            self.col = 1;
-        } else {
-            self.col += 1;
-        }
-
         Ok(())
     }
 
@@ -73,7 +63,7 @@ impl<Iter> Deserializer<Iter>
     }
 
     fn error(&mut self, reason: ErrorCode) -> Error {
-        Error::SyntaxError(reason, self.line, self.col)
+        Error::SyntaxError(reason, self.rdr.line(), self.rdr.col())
     }
 
     fn parse_whitespace(&mut self) -> Result<(), Error> {
@@ -476,12 +466,12 @@ impl<Iter> de::Deserializer for Deserializer<Iter>
     }
 }
 
-struct SeqVisitor<'a, Iter: 'a> {
+struct SeqVisitor<'a, Iter: 'a + Iterator<Item=io::Result<u8>>> {
     de: &'a mut Deserializer<Iter>,
     first: bool,
 }
 
-impl<'a, Iter> SeqVisitor<'a, Iter> {
+impl<'a, Iter: Iterator<Item=io::Result<u8>>> SeqVisitor<'a, Iter> {
     fn new(de: &'a mut Deserializer<Iter>) -> Self {
         SeqVisitor {
             de: de,
@@ -533,12 +523,12 @@ impl<'a, Iter> de::SeqVisitor for SeqVisitor<'a, Iter>
     }
 }
 
-struct MapVisitor<'a, Iter: 'a> {
+struct MapVisitor<'a, Iter: 'a + Iterator<Item=io::Result<u8>>> {
     de: &'a mut Deserializer<Iter>,
     first: bool,
 }
 
-impl<'a, Iter> MapVisitor<'a, Iter> {
+impl<'a, Iter: Iterator<Item=io::Result<u8>>> MapVisitor<'a, Iter> {
     fn new(de: &'a mut Deserializer<Iter>) -> Self {
         MapVisitor {
             de: de,
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 5359d69d..cac66ca4 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -16,3 +16,4 @@ pub mod ser;
 pub mod de;
 pub mod json;
 pub mod bytes;
+mod iterator;
diff --git a/tests/test_json.rs b/tests/test_json.rs
index f7e29791..2135f0c5 100644
--- a/tests/test_json.rs
+++ b/tests/test_json.rs
@@ -668,8 +668,8 @@ fn test_parse_err<T>(errors: Vec<(&'static str, Error)>)
 #[test]
 fn test_parse_null() {
     test_parse_err::<()>(vec![
-        ("n", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeIdent, 1, 2)),
-        ("nul", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeIdent, 1, 4)),
+        ("n", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeIdent, 1, 1)),
+        ("nul", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeIdent, 1, 3)),
         ("nulla", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::TrailingCharacters, 1, 5)),
     ]);
 
@@ -681,9 +681,9 @@ fn test_parse_null() {
 #[test]
 fn test_parse_bool() {
     test_parse_err::<bool>(vec![
-        ("t", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeIdent, 1, 2)),
+        ("t", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeIdent, 1, 1)),
         ("truz", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeIdent, 1, 4)),
-        ("f", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeIdent, 1, 2)),
+        ("f", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeIdent, 1, 1)),
         ("faz", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeIdent, 1, 3)),
         ("truea", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::TrailingCharacters, 1, 5)),
         ("falsea", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::TrailingCharacters, 1, 6)),
@@ -702,11 +702,11 @@ fn test_parse_number_errors() {
     test_parse_err::<f64>(vec![
         ("+", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeValue, 1, 1)),
         (".", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeValue, 1, 1)),
-        ("-", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::InvalidNumber, 1, 2)),
+        ("-", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::InvalidNumber, 1, 1)),
         ("00", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::InvalidNumber, 1, 2)),
-        ("1.", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::InvalidNumber, 1, 3)),
-        ("1e", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::InvalidNumber, 1, 3)),
-        ("1e+", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::InvalidNumber, 1, 4)),
+        ("1.", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::InvalidNumber, 1, 2)),
+        ("1e", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::InvalidNumber, 1, 2)),
+        ("1e+", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::InvalidNumber, 1, 3)),
         ("1a", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::TrailingCharacters, 1, 2)),
     ]);
 }
@@ -745,8 +745,8 @@ fn test_parse_f64() {
 #[test]
 fn test_parse_string() {
     test_parse_err::<String>(vec![
-        ("\"", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingString, 1, 2)),
-        ("\"lol", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingString, 1, 5)),
+        ("\"", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingString, 1, 1)),
+        ("\"lol", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingString, 1, 4)),
         ("\"lol\"a", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::TrailingCharacters, 1, 6)),
     ]);
 
@@ -767,10 +767,10 @@ fn test_parse_string() {
 #[test]
 fn test_parse_list() {
     test_parse_err::<Vec<f64>>(vec![
-        ("[", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingValue, 1, 2)),
-        ("[ ", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingValue, 1, 3)),
-        ("[1", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingList,  1, 3)),
-        ("[1,", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingValue, 1, 4)),
+        ("[", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingValue, 1, 1)),
+        ("[ ", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingValue, 1, 2)),
+        ("[1", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingList,  1, 2)),
+        ("[1,", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingValue, 1, 3)),
         ("[1,]", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeValue, 1, 4)),
         ("[1 2]", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedListCommaOrEnd, 1, 4)),
         ("[]a", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::TrailingCharacters, 1, 3)),
@@ -819,17 +819,17 @@ fn test_parse_list() {
 #[test]
 fn test_parse_object() {
     test_parse_err::<BTreeMap<String, u32>>(vec![
-        ("{", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingValue, 1, 2)),
-        ("{ ", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingValue, 1, 3)),
+        ("{", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingValue, 1, 1)),
+        ("{ ", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingValue, 1, 2)),
         ("{1", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::KeyMustBeAString, 1, 2)),
-        ("{ \"a\"", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingObject, 1, 6)),
-        ("{\"a\"", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingObject, 1, 5)),
-        ("{\"a\" ", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingObject, 1, 6)),
+        ("{ \"a\"", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingObject, 1, 5)),
+        ("{\"a\"", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingObject, 1, 4)),
+        ("{\"a\" ", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingObject, 1, 5)),
         ("{\"a\" 1", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedColon, 1, 6)),
-        ("{\"a\":", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingValue, 1, 6)),
-        ("{\"a\":1", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingObject, 1, 7)),
+        ("{\"a\":", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingValue, 1, 5)),
+        ("{\"a\":1", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingObject, 1, 6)),
         ("{\"a\":1 1", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedObjectCommaOrEnd, 1, 8)),
-        ("{\"a\":1,", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingValue, 1, 8)),
+        ("{\"a\":1,", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingValue, 1, 7)),
         ("{}a", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::TrailingCharacters, 1, 3)),
     ]);
 
@@ -870,8 +870,8 @@ fn test_parse_object() {
 #[test]
 fn test_parse_struct() {
     test_parse_err::<Outer>(vec![
-        ("5", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeValue, 1, 2)),
-        ("\"hello\"", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeValue, 1, 8)),
+        ("5", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeValue, 1, 1)),
+        ("\"hello\"", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeValue, 1, 7)),
         ("{\"inner\": true}", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeValue, 1, 15)),
     ]);
 
@@ -933,7 +933,7 @@ fn test_parse_option() {
 fn test_parse_enum_errors() {
     test_parse_err::<Animal>(vec![
         ("{}", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeValue, 1, 2)),
-        ("{\"Dog\":", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingValue, 1, 8)),
+        ("{\"Dog\":", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingValue, 1, 7)),
         ("{\"Dog\":}", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeValue, 1, 8)),
         ("{\"unknown\":[]}", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::UnknownField("unknown".to_string()), 1, 11)),
         ("{\"Dog\":{}}", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::ExpectedSomeValue, 1, 9)),
@@ -994,7 +994,7 @@ fn test_parse_trailing_whitespace() {
 #[test]
 fn test_multiline_errors() {
     test_parse_err::<BTreeMap<String, String>>(vec![
-        ("{\n  \"foo\":\n \"bar\"", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingObject, 3, 8)),
+        ("{\n  \"foo\":\n \"bar\"", Error::SyntaxError(ErrorCode::EOFWhileParsingObject, 3, 6)),
     ]);
 }