diff --git a/command/config/write/config_write.go b/command/config/write/config_write.go
index 8e0c7f77a..def2175f6 100644
--- a/command/config/write/config_write.go
+++ b/command/config/write/config_write.go
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/command/helpers"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/lib"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/go-multierror"
-	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl"
 	"github.com/mitchellh/cli"
 	"github.com/mitchellh/mapstructure"
 )
@@ -102,7 +101,7 @@ func (c *cmd) Run(args []string) int {
 func parseConfigEntry(data string) (api.ConfigEntry, error) {
 	// parse the data
 	var raw map[string]interface{}
-	if err := hcl.Decode(&raw, data); err != nil {
+	if err := hclDecode(&raw, data); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to decode config entry input: %v", err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/command/config/write/config_write_test.go b/command/config/write/config_write_test.go
index 841be30c3..59d162f4e 100644
--- a/command/config/write/config_write_test.go
+++ b/command/config/write/config_write_test.go
@@ -111,13 +111,13 @@ func TestConfigWrite(t *testing.T) {
 func TestParseConfigEntry(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	for _, tc := range []struct {
-		name      string
-		camel     string
-		snake     string
-		expect    api.ConfigEntry
-		expectErr string
+		name             string
+		camel, camelJSON string
+		snake, snakeJSON string
+		expect           api.ConfigEntry
+		expectJSON       api.ConfigEntry
+		expectErr        string
 	}{
-		// TODO(rb): test json?
 		{
 			name: "proxy-defaults: extra fields or typo",
 			snake: `
@@ -134,6 +134,24 @@ func TestParseConfigEntry(t *testing.T) {
 				  "foo" = 19
 				}
 			`,
+			snakeJSON: `
+			{
+				"kind": "proxy-defaults",
+				"name": "main",
+				"cornfig": {
+					"foo": 19
+				}
+			}
+			`,
+			camelJSON: `
+			{
+				"Kind": "proxy-defaults",
+				"Name": "main",
+				"Cornfig": {
+					"foo": 19
+				}
+			}
+			`,
 			expectErr: `invalid config key "cornfig"`,
 		},
 		{
@@ -166,6 +184,38 @@ func TestParseConfigEntry(t *testing.T) {
 					Mode = "remote"
 				}
 			`,
+			snakeJSON: `
+			{
+				"kind": "proxy-defaults",
+				"name": "main",
+				"config": {
+					"foo": 19,
+					"bar": "abc",
+					"moreconfig": {
+						"moar": "config"
+					}
+				},
+				"mesh_gateway": {
+					"mode": "remote"
+				}
+			}
+			`,
+			camelJSON: `
+			{
+				"Kind": "proxy-defaults",
+				"Name": "main",
+				"Config": {
+					"foo": 19,
+					"bar": "abc",
+					"moreconfig": {
+						"moar": "config"
+					}
+				},
+				"MeshGateway": {
+					"Mode": "remote"
+				}
+			}
+			`,
 			expect: &api.ProxyConfigEntry{
 				Kind: "proxy-defaults",
 				Name: "main",
@@ -180,6 +230,20 @@ func TestParseConfigEntry(t *testing.T) {
 					Mode: api.MeshGatewayModeRemote,
 				},
 			},
+			expectJSON: &api.ProxyConfigEntry{
+				Kind: "proxy-defaults",
+				Name: "main",
+				Config: map[string]interface{}{
+					"foo": float64(19), // json decoding gives float64 instead of int here
+					"bar": "abc",
+					"moreconfig": map[string]interface{}{
+						"moar": "config",
+					},
+				},
+				MeshGateway: api.MeshGatewayConfig{
+					Mode: api.MeshGatewayModeRemote,
+				},
+			},
 		},
 		{
 			name: "service-defaults",
@@ -199,6 +263,26 @@ func TestParseConfigEntry(t *testing.T) {
 					Mode = "remote"
 				}
 			`,
+			snakeJSON: `
+			{
+				"kind": "service-defaults",
+				"name": "main",
+				"protocol": "http",
+				"mesh_gateway": {
+					"mode": "remote"
+				}
+			}
+			`,
+			camelJSON: `
+			{
+				"Kind": "service-defaults",
+				"Name": "main",
+				"Protocol": "http",
+				"MeshGateway": {
+					"Mode": "remote"
+				}
+			}
+			`,
 			expect: &api.ServiceConfigEntry{
 				Kind:     "service-defaults",
 				Name:     "main",
@@ -368,6 +452,180 @@ func TestParseConfigEntry(t *testing.T) {
 					},
 				]
 			`,
+			snakeJSON: `
+			{
+				"kind": "service-router",
+				"name": "main",
+				"routes": [
+					{
+						"match": {
+							"http": {
+								"path_exact": "/foo",
+								"header": [
+									{
+										"name": "debug1",
+										"present": true
+									},
+									{
+										"name": "debug2",
+										"present": false,
+										"invert": true
+									},
+									{
+										"name": "debug3",
+										"exact": "1"
+									},
+									{
+										"name": "debug4",
+										"prefix": "aaa"
+									},
+									{
+										"name": "debug5",
+										"suffix": "bbb"
+									},
+									{
+										"name": "debug6",
+										"regex": "a.*z"
+									}
+								]
+							}
+						},
+						"destination": {
+							"service": "carrot",
+							"service_subset": "kale",
+							"namespace": "leek",
+							"prefix_rewrite": "/alternate",
+							"request_timeout": "99s",
+							"num_retries": 12345,
+							"retry_on_connect_failure": true,
+							"retry_on_status_codes": [
+								401,
+								209
+							]
+						}
+					},
+					{
+						"match": {
+							"http": {
+								"path_prefix": "/foo",
+								"methods": [
+									"GET",
+									"DELETE"
+								],
+								"query_param": [
+									{
+										"name": "hack1",
+										"present": true
+									},
+									{
+										"name": "hack2",
+										"exact": "1"
+									},
+									{
+										"name": "hack3",
+										"regex": "a.*z"
+									}
+								]
+							}
+						}
+					},
+					{
+						"match": {
+							"http": {
+								"path_regex": "/foo"
+							}
+						}
+					}
+				]
+			}
+			`,
+			camelJSON: `
+			{
+				"Kind": "service-router",
+				"Name": "main",
+				"Routes": [
+					{
+						"Match": {
+							"HTTP": {
+								"PathExact": "/foo",
+								"Header": [
+									{
+										"Name": "debug1",
+										"Present": true
+									},
+									{
+										"Name": "debug2",
+										"Present": false,
+										"Invert": true
+									},
+									{
+										"Name": "debug3",
+										"Exact": "1"
+									},
+									{
+										"Name": "debug4",
+										"Prefix": "aaa"
+									},
+									{
+										"Name": "debug5",
+										"Suffix": "bbb"
+									},
+									{
+										"Name": "debug6",
+										"Regex": "a.*z"
+									}
+								]
+							}
+						},
+						"Destination": {
+							"Service": "carrot",
+							"ServiceSubset": "kale",
+							"Namespace": "leek",
+							"PrefixRewrite": "/alternate",
+							"RequestTimeout": "99s",
+							"NumRetries": 12345,
+							"RetryOnConnectFailure": true,
+							"RetryOnStatusCodes": [
+								401,
+								209
+							]
+						}
+					},
+					{
+						"Match": {
+							"HTTP": {
+								"PathPrefix": "/foo",
+								"Methods": [
+									"GET",
+									"DELETE"
+								],
+								"QueryParam": [
+									{
+										"Name": "hack1",
+										"Present": true
+									},
+									{
+										"Name": "hack2",
+										"Exact": "1"
+									},
+									{
+										"Name": "hack3",
+										"Regex": "a.*z"
+									}
+								]
+							}
+						}
+					},
+					{
+						"Match": {
+							"HTTP": {
+								"PathRegex": "/foo"
+							}
+						}
+					}
+				]
+			}
+			`,
 			expect: &api.ServiceRouterConfigEntry{
 				Kind: "service-router",
 				Name: "main",
@@ -455,9 +713,13 @@ func TestParseConfigEntry(t *testing.T) {
 				name = "main"
 				splits = [
 				  {
-					weight        = 99.1
+					weight        = 97.1
 					service_subset = "v1"
 				  },
+				  {
+					weight        = 2
+					service_subset = "v2"
+				  },
 				  {
 					weight    = 0.9
 					service   = "other"
@@ -470,9 +732,13 @@ func TestParseConfigEntry(t *testing.T) {
 				Name = "main"
 				Splits = [
 				  {
-					Weight        = 99.1
+					Weight        = 97.1
 					ServiceSubset = "v1"
 				  },
+				  {
+					Weight        = 2,
+					ServiceSubset = "v2"
+				  },
 				  {
 					Weight    = 0.9
 					Service   = "other"
@@ -480,14 +746,60 @@ func TestParseConfigEntry(t *testing.T) {
 				  },
 				]
 			`,
+			snakeJSON: `
+			{
+				"kind": "service-splitter",
+				"name": "main",
+				"splits": [
+					{
+						"weight": 97.1,
+						"service_subset": "v1"
+					},
+					{
+						"weight": 2,
+						"service_subset": "v2"
+					},
+					{
+						"weight": 0.9,
+						"service": "other",
+						"namespace": "alt"
+					}
+				]
+			}
+			`,
+			camelJSON: `
+			{
+				"Kind": "service-splitter",
+				"Name": "main",
+				"Splits": [
+					{
+						"Weight": 97.1,
+						"ServiceSubset": "v1"
+					},
+					{
+						"Weight": 2,
+						"ServiceSubset": "v2"
+					},
+					{
+						"Weight": 0.9,
+						"Service": "other",
+						"Namespace": "alt"
+					}
+				]
+			}
+			`,
 			expect: &api.ServiceSplitterConfigEntry{
 				Kind: api.ServiceSplitter,
 				Name: "main",
 				Splits: []api.ServiceSplit{
 					{
-						Weight:        99.1,
+						Weight:        97.1,
 						ServiceSubset: "v1",
 					},
+					{
+						Weight:        2,
+						ServiceSubset: "v2",
+					},
 					{
 						Weight:    0.9,
 						Service:   "other",
@@ -548,6 +860,72 @@ func TestParseConfigEntry(t *testing.T) {
 						Datacenters = ["dc7"]
 					}
 				}`,
+			snakeJSON: `
+			{
+				"kind": "service-resolver",
+				"name": "main",
+				"default_subset": "v1",
+				"connect_timeout": "15s",
+				"subsets": {
+					"v1": {
+						"filter": "Service.Meta.version == v1"
+					},
+					"v2": {
+						"filter": "Service.Meta.version == v2",
+						"only_passing": true
+					}
+				},
+				"failover": {
+					"v2": {
+						"service": "failcopy",
+						"service_subset": "sure",
+						"namespace": "neighbor",
+						"datacenters": [
+							"dc5",
+							"dc14"
+						]
+					},
+					"*": {
+						"datacenters": [
+							"dc7"
+						]
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			`,
+			camelJSON: `
+			{
+				"Kind": "service-resolver",
+				"Name": "main",
+				"DefaultSubset": "v1",
+				"ConnectTimeout": "15s",
+				"Subsets": {
+					"v1": {
+						"Filter": "Service.Meta.version == v1"
+					},
+					"v2": {
+						"Filter": "Service.Meta.version == v2",
+						"OnlyPassing": true
+					}
+				},
+				"Failover": {
+					"v2": {
+						"Service": "failcopy",
+						"ServiceSubset": "sure",
+						"Namespace": "neighbor",
+						"Datacenters": [
+							"dc5",
+							"dc14"
+						]
+					},
+					"*": {
+						"Datacenters": [
+							"dc7"
+						]
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			`,
 			expect: &api.ServiceResolverConfigEntry{
 				Kind:           "service-resolver",
 				Name:           "main",
@@ -597,6 +975,30 @@ func TestParseConfigEntry(t *testing.T) {
 					Datacenter = "dc9"
 				}
 			`,
+			snakeJSON: `
+			{
+				"kind": "service-resolver",
+				"name": "main",
+				"redirect": {
+					"service": "other",
+					"service_subset": "backup",
+					"namespace": "alt",
+					"datacenter": "dc9"
+				}
+			}
+			`,
+			camelJSON: `
+			{
+				"Kind": "service-resolver",
+				"Name": "main",
+				"Redirect": {
+					"Service": "other",
+					"ServiceSubset": "backup",
+					"Namespace": "alt",
+					"Datacenter": "dc9"
+				}
+			}
+			`,
 			expect: &api.ServiceResolverConfigEntry{
 				Kind: "service-resolver",
 				Name: "main",
@@ -618,6 +1020,18 @@ func TestParseConfigEntry(t *testing.T) {
 				Kind = "service-resolver"
 				Name = "main"
 			`,
+			snakeJSON: `
+			{
+				"kind": "service-resolver",
+				"name": "main"
+			}
+			`,
+			camelJSON: `
+			{
+				"Kind": "service-resolver",
+				"Name": "main"
+			}
+			`,
 			expect: &api.ServiceResolverConfigEntry{
 				Kind: "service-resolver",
 				Name: "main",
@@ -626,7 +1040,7 @@ func TestParseConfigEntry(t *testing.T) {
 	} {
 		tc := tc
 
-		testbody := func(t *testing.T, body string) {
+		testbody := func(t *testing.T, body string, expect api.ConfigEntry) {
 			t.Helper()
 			got, err := parseConfigEntry(body)
 			if tc.expectErr != "" {
@@ -635,16 +1049,34 @@ func TestParseConfigEntry(t *testing.T) {
 				requireContainsLower(t, err.Error(), tc.expectErr)
 			} else {
 				require.NoError(t, err)
-				require.Equal(t, tc.expect, got)
+				require.Equal(t, expect, got)
 			}
 		}
 
-		t.Run(tc.name+" (snake case)", func(t *testing.T) {
-			testbody(t, tc.snake)
+		t.Run(tc.name+" (hcl snake case)", func(t *testing.T) {
+			testbody(t, tc.snake, tc.expect)
 		})
-		t.Run(tc.name+" (camel case)", func(t *testing.T) {
-			testbody(t, tc.camel)
+		t.Run(tc.name+" (hcl camel case)", func(t *testing.T) {
+			testbody(t, tc.camel, tc.expect)
 		})
+		if tc.snakeJSON != "" {
+			t.Run(tc.name+" (json snake case)", func(t *testing.T) {
+				if tc.expectJSON != nil {
+					testbody(t, tc.snakeJSON, tc.expectJSON)
+				} else {
+					testbody(t, tc.snakeJSON, tc.expect)
+				}
+			})
+		}
+		if tc.camelJSON != "" {
+			t.Run(tc.name+" (json camel case)", func(t *testing.T) {
+				if tc.expectJSON != nil {
+					testbody(t, tc.camelJSON, tc.expectJSON)
+				} else {
+					testbody(t, tc.camelJSON, tc.expect)
+				}
+			})
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/command/config/write/decode_shim.go b/command/config/write/decode_shim.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c0ac6bf7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/command/config/write/decode_shim.go
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+package write
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"unicode"
+	"unicode/utf8"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl"
+)
+
+// hclDecode is a modified version of hcl.Decode just for the super general
+// purposes here. There's some strange bug in how hcl.Decode decodes json where
+//
+// { "sub" : { "v1" : { "field" : "value1" }, "v2" : { "field" : "value2" } } }
+//
+// hcl.Decode-s into:
+//
+// map[string]interface {}{
+// 	"sub":[]map[string]interface {}{
+// 		map[string]interface {}{
+// 			"v1":[]map[string]interface {}{
+// 				map[string]interface {}{
+// 					"field":"value1"
+// 				}
+// 			}
+// 		},
+// 		map[string]interface {}{
+// 			"v2":[]map[string]interface {}{
+// 				map[string]interface {}{
+// 					"field":"value2"
+// 				}
+// 			}
+// 		}
+// 	}
+// }
+//
+// but json.Unmarshal-s into the more expected:
+//
+// map[string]interface {}{
+// 	"sub":map[string]interface {}{
+// 		"v1":map[string]interface {}{
+// 			"field":"value1"
+// 		},
+// 		"v2":map[string]interface {}{
+// 			"field":"value2"
+// 		}
+// 	}
+// }
+//
+// The strange part is that the following HCL:
+//
+// sub { "v1" = { field = "value1" }, "v2" = { field = "value2" } }
+//
+// hcl.Decode-s into:
+//
+// map[string]interface {}{
+// 	"sub":[]map[string]interface {}{
+// 		map[string]interface {}{
+// 			"v1":[]map[string]interface {}{
+// 				map[string]interface {}{
+// 					"field":"value1"
+// 				}
+// 			},
+// 			"v2":[]map[string]interface {}{
+// 				map[string]interface {}{
+// 					"field":"value2"
+// 				}
+// 			}
+// 		}
+// 	}
+// }
+//
+// Which is the "correct" value assuming you did the patch-slice-of-maps correction.
+//
+// Given that HCLv1 is basically frozen and the HCL part of it is fine instead
+// of trying to track down a weird bug we'll bypass the weird JSON decoder and just use
+// the stdlib one.
+func hclDecode(out interface{}, in string) error {
+	data := []byte(in)
+	if isHCL(data) {
+		return hcl.Decode(out, in)
+	}
+
+	return json.Unmarshal(data, out)
+}
+
+// this is an inlined variant of hcl.lexMode()
+func isHCL(v []byte) bool {
+	var (
+		r      rune
+		w      int
+		offset int
+	)
+
+	for {
+		r, w = utf8.DecodeRune(v[offset:])
+		offset += w
+		if unicode.IsSpace(r) {
+			continue
+		}
+		if r == '{' {
+			return false
+		}
+		break
+	}
+
+	return true
+}