diff --git a/IceHUD.lua b/IceHUD.lua
index ecd5ff0..3498619 100644
--- a/IceHUD.lua
+++ b/IceHUD.lua
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@ local SML = LibStub("LibSharedMedia-3.0")
 local ACR = LibStub("AceConfigRegistry-3.0")
 local ConfigDialog = LibStub("AceConfigDialog-3.0")
 local icon = LibStub("LibDBIcon-1.0", true)
-local AceGUI = LibStub("AceGUI-3.0")
-local AceSerializer = LibStub("AceSerializer-3.0", 1)
 
 local pendingModuleLoads = {}
 local bReadyToRegisterModules = false
@@ -92,6 +90,43 @@ end
 
 IceHUD.deepcopy = deepcopy
 
+function IceHUD:removeDefaults(db, defaults, blocker)
+	-- remove all metatables from the db, so we don't accidentally create new sub-tables through them
+	setmetatable(db, nil)
+	-- loop through the defaults and remove their content
+	for k,v in pairs(defaults) do
+		if type(v) == "table" and type(db[k]) == "table" then
+			-- if a blocker was set, dive into it, to allow multi-level defaults
+			self:removeDefaults(db[k], v, blocker and blocker[k])
+			if next(db[k]) == nil then
+				db[k] = nil
+			end
+		else
+			-- check if the current value matches the default, and that its not blocked by another defaults table
+			if db[k] == defaults[k] and (not blocker or blocker[k] == nil) then
+				db[k] = nil
+			end
+		end
+	end
+end
+
+function IceHUD:populateDefaults(db, defaults, blocker)
+	-- remove all metatables from the db, so we don't accidentally create new sub-tables through them
+	setmetatable(db, nil)
+	-- loop through the defaults and add their content
+	for k,v in pairs(defaults) do
+		if type(v) == "table" and type(db[k]) == "table" then
+			-- if a blocker was set, dive into it, to allow multi-level defaults
+			self:populateDefaults(db[k], v, blocker and blocker[k])
+		else
+			-- check if the current value matches the default, and that its not blocked by another defaults table
+			if db[k] == nil then
+				db[k] = defaults[k]
+			end
+		end
+	end
+end
+
 IceHUD.Location = "Interface\\AddOns\\IceHUD"
 
 StaticPopupDialogs["ICEHUD_CUSTOM_BAR_CREATED"] =
diff --git a/IceHUD.toc b/IceHUD.toc
index 3331599..c4223eb 100644
--- a/IceHUD.toc
+++ b/IceHUD.toc
@@ -100,5 +100,8 @@ modules\ArcaneCharges.lua
 modules\RollTheBones.lua
 
 #@do-not-package@
+IceHUD_Options\Json.lua
+IceHUD_Options\JsonDecode.lua
+IceHUD_Options\JsonEncode.lua
 IceHUD_Options\Options.lua
 #@end-do-not-package@
diff --git a/IceHUD_Options/IceHUD_Options.toc b/IceHUD_Options/IceHUD_Options.toc
index 0831299..93a5a49 100644
--- a/IceHUD_Options/IceHUD_Options.toc
+++ b/IceHUD_Options/IceHUD_Options.toc
@@ -11,4 +11,7 @@
 ## Dependencies: IceHUD
 ## LoadOnDemand: 1
 
+Json.lua
+JsonDecode.lua
+JsonEncode.lua
 Options.lua
diff --git a/IceHUD_Options/Json.lua b/IceHUD_Options/Json.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..26e59e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/IceHUD_Options/Json.lua
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+IceHUD.json = {}
diff --git a/IceHUD_Options/JsonDecode.lua b/IceHUD_Options/JsonDecode.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8be6a16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/IceHUD_Options/JsonDecode.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,241 @@
+local parse
+
+local function create_set(...)
+    local res = {}
+    for i = 1, select("#", ...) do
+        res[select(i, ...)] = true
+    end
+    return res
+end
+
+local space_chars  = create_set(" ", "\t", "\r", "\n")
+local delim_chars  = create_set(" ", "\t", "\r", "\n", "]", "}", ",")
+local escape_chars = create_set("\\", "/", '"', "b", "f", "n", "r", "t", "u")
+local literals     = create_set("true", "false", "null")
+
+local literal_map = {
+    ["true"] = true,
+    ["false"] = false,
+    ["null"] = nil,
+}
+
+
+local function next_char(str, idx, set, negate)
+    for i = idx, #str do
+        if set[str:sub(i, i)] ~= negate then
+            return i
+        end
+    end
+    return #str + 1
+end
+
+local function decode_error(str, idx, msg)
+    local line_count = 1
+    local col_count = 1
+    for i = 1, idx - 1 do
+        col_count = col_count + 1
+        if str:sub(i, i) == "\n" then
+            line_count = line_count + 1
+            col_count = 1
+        end
+    end
+
+    return string.format("%s at line %d col %d", msg, line_count, col_count)
+end
+
+local function codepoint_to_utf8(n)
+    -- http://scripts.sil.org/cms/scripts/page.php?site_id=nrsi&id=iws-appendixa
+    local f = math.floor
+    if n <= 0x7f then
+        return string.char(n)
+    elseif n <= 0x7ff then
+        return string.char(f(n / 64) + 192, n % 64 + 128)
+    elseif n <= 0xffff then
+        return string.char(f(n / 4096) + 224, f(n % 4096 / 64) + 128, n % 64 + 128)
+    elseif n <= 0x10ffff then
+        return string.char(f(n / 262144) + 240, f(n % 262144 / 4096) + 128,
+            f(n % 4096 / 64) + 128, n % 64 + 128)
+    end
+    return "", string.format("invalid unicode codepoint '%x'", n)
+end
+
+local function parse_unicode_escape(s)
+    local n1 = tonumber(s:sub(1, 4), 16)
+    local n2 = tonumber(s:sub(7, 10), 16)
+    -- Surrogate pair?
+    if n2 then
+        return codepoint_to_utf8((n1 - 0xd800) * 0x400 + (n2 - 0xdc00) + 0x10000)
+    else
+        return codepoint_to_utf8(n1)
+    end
+end
+
+local function parse_string(str, i)
+    local res = ""
+    local j = i + 1
+    local k = j
+
+    while j <= #str do
+        local x = str:byte(j)
+
+        if x < 32 then
+            return str, j, decode_error(str, j, "control character in string")
+
+        elseif x == 92 then -- `\`: Escape
+            res = res .. str:sub(k, j - 1)
+            j = j + 1
+            local c = str:sub(j, j)
+            if c == "u" then
+                local hex = str:match("^[dD][89aAbB]%x%x\\u%x%x%x%x", j + 1)
+                    or str:match("^%x%x%x%x", j + 1)
+                    or false
+                if hex == false then
+                    return str, j-1, decode_error(str, j - 1, "invalid unicode escape in string")
+                end
+                res = res .. parse_unicode_escape(hex)
+                j = j + #hex
+            else
+                if not escape_chars[c] then
+                    return str, j-1, decode_error(str, j - 1, "invalid escape char '" .. c .. "' in string")
+                end
+                res = res .. escape_char_map_inv[c]
+            end
+            k = j + 1
+
+        elseif x == 34 then -- `"`: End of string
+            res = res .. str:sub(k, j - 1)
+            return res, j + 1
+        end
+
+        j = j + 1
+    end
+
+    return str, i, decode_error(str, i, "expected closing quote for string")
+end
+
+local function parse_number(str, i)
+    local x = next_char(str, i, delim_chars)
+    local s = str:sub(i, x - 1)
+    local n = tonumber(s)
+    if not n then
+        return -1, -1, decode_error(str, i, "invalid number '" .. s .. "'")
+    end
+    return n, x
+end
+
+local function parse_literal(str, i)
+    local x = next_char(str, i, delim_chars)
+    local word = str:sub(i, x - 1)
+    if not literals[word] then
+        return false, -1, decode_error(str, i, "invalid literal '" .. word .. "'")
+    end
+    return literal_map[word], x
+end
+
+local function parse_array(str, i)
+    local res = {}
+    local n = 1
+    i = i + 1
+    while 1 do
+        local x
+        i = next_char(str, i, space_chars, true)
+        -- Empty / end of array?
+        if str:sub(i, i) == "]" then
+            i = i + 1
+            break
+        end
+        -- Read token
+        x, i = parse(str, i)
+        res[n] = x
+        n = n + 1
+        -- Next token
+        i = next_char(str, i, space_chars, true)
+        local chr = str:sub(i, i)
+        i = i + 1
+        if chr == "]" then break end
+        if chr ~= "," then return nil, -1, decode_error(str, i, "expected ']' or ','") end
+    end
+    return res, i
+end
+
+local function parse_object(str, i)
+    local res = {}
+    i = i + 1
+    while 1 do
+        local key, val
+        i = next_char(str, i, space_chars, true)
+        -- Empty / end of object?
+        if str:sub(i, i) == "}" then
+            i = i + 1
+            break
+        end
+        -- Read key
+        if str:sub(i, i) ~= '"' then
+            return nil, -1, decode_error(str, i, "expected string for key")
+        end
+        key, i = parse(str, i)
+        -- Read ':' delimiter
+        i = next_char(str, i, space_chars, true)
+        if str:sub(i, i) ~= ":" then
+            return nil, -1, decode_error(str, i, "expected ':' after key")
+        end
+        i = next_char(str, i + 1, space_chars, true)
+        -- Read value
+        val, i = parse(str, i)
+        -- Set
+        res[key] = val
+        -- Next token
+        i = next_char(str, i, space_chars, true)
+        local chr = str:sub(i, i)
+        i = i + 1
+        if chr == "}" then break end
+        if chr ~= "," then return nil, -1, decode_error(str, i, "expected '}' or ','") end
+    end
+    return res, i
+end
+
+local char_func_map = {
+    ['"'] = parse_string,
+    ["0"] = parse_number,
+    ["1"] = parse_number,
+    ["2"] = parse_number,
+    ["3"] = parse_number,
+    ["4"] = parse_number,
+    ["5"] = parse_number,
+    ["6"] = parse_number,
+    ["7"] = parse_number,
+    ["8"] = parse_number,
+    ["9"] = parse_number,
+    ["-"] = parse_number,
+    ["t"] = parse_literal,
+    ["f"] = parse_literal,
+    ["n"] = parse_literal,
+    ["["] = parse_array,
+    ["{"] = parse_object,
+}
+
+
+parse = function(str, idx)
+    local chr = str:sub(idx, idx)
+    local f = char_func_map[chr]
+    if f then
+        return f(str, idx)
+    end
+    return false, -1, decode_error(str, idx, "unexpected character '" .. chr .. "'")
+end
+
+
+function IceHUD.json.decode(str)
+    if type(str) ~= "string" then
+        return nil, "expected argument of type string, got " .. type(str)
+    end
+    local res, idx, err = parse(str, next_char(str, 1, space_chars, true))
+    if err ~= nil then
+        return nil, err
+    end
+    idx = next_char(str, idx, space_chars, true)
+    if idx <= #str then
+        return nil, decode_error(str, idx, "trailing garbage")
+    end
+    return res, nil
+end
diff --git a/IceHUD_Options/JsonEncode.lua b/IceHUD_Options/JsonEncode.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0ebe412
--- /dev/null
+++ b/IceHUD_Options/JsonEncode.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+local encode
+
+local escape_char_map = {
+	["\\"] = "\\",
+	["\""] = "\"",
+	["\b"] = "b",
+	["\f"] = "f",
+	["\n"] = "n",
+	["\r"] = "r",
+	["\t"] = "t",
+}
+
+local escape_char_map_inv = { ["/"] = "/" }
+for k, v in pairs(escape_char_map) do
+	escape_char_map_inv[v] = k
+end
+
+
+local function escape_char(c)
+	return "\\" .. (escape_char_map[c] or string.format("u%04x", c:byte()))
+end
+
+local function encode_nil(val)
+	return "null"
+end
+
+local function encode_table(val, stack)
+	local res = {}
+	stack = stack or {}
+
+	-- Circular reference?
+	if stack[val] then error("circular reference") end
+
+	stack[val] = true
+
+	if rawget(val, 1) ~= nil or next(val) == nil then
+		-- Treat as array -- check keys are valid and it is not sparse
+		local n = 0
+		for k in pairs(val) do
+			if type(k) ~= "number" then
+				error("invalid table: mixed or invalid key types")
+			end
+			n = n + 1
+		end
+		if n ~= #val then
+			error("invalid table: sparse array")
+		end
+		-- Encode
+		for i, v in ipairs(val) do
+			table.insert(res, encode(v, stack))
+		end
+		stack[val] = nil
+		return "[" .. table.concat(res, ",") .. "]"
+
+	else
+		-- Treat as an object
+		for k, v in pairs(val) do
+			if type(k) ~= "string" then
+				error("invalid table: mixed or invalid key types")
+			end
+			table.insert(res, encode(k, stack) .. ":" .. encode(v, stack))
+		end
+		stack[val] = nil
+		return "{" .. table.concat(res, ",") .. "}"
+	end
+end
+
+local function encode_string(val)
+	return '"' .. val:gsub('[%z\1-\31\\"]', escape_char) .. '"'
+end
+
+local function encode_number(val)
+	-- Check for NaN, -inf and inf
+	if val ~= val or val <= -math.huge or val >= math.huge then
+		error("unexpected number value '" .. tostring(val) .. "'")
+	end
+	return string.format("%.14g", val)
+end
+
+local type_func_map = {
+	["nil"] = encode_nil,
+	["table"] = encode_table,
+	["string"] = encode_string,
+	["number"] = encode_number,
+	["boolean"] = tostring,
+}
+
+
+encode = function(val, stack)
+	local t = type(val)
+	local f = type_func_map[t]
+	if f then
+		return f(val, stack)
+	end
+	error("unexpected type '" .. t .. "'")
+end
+
+function IceHUD.json.encode(val)
+	return (encode(val))
+end
diff --git a/IceHUD_Options/Options.lua b/IceHUD_Options/Options.lua
index 5b089fe..823be6c 100644
--- a/IceHUD_Options/Options.lua
+++ b/IceHUD_Options/Options.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 local LibDualSpec = LibStub('LibDualSpec-1.0', true)
 local L = LibStub("AceLocale-3.0"):GetLocale("IceHUD", false)
 local icon = LibStub("LibDBIcon-1.0", true)
+local AceGUI = LibStub("AceGUI-3.0")
+local AceSerializer = LibStub("AceSerializer-3.0", 1)
 local lastCustomModule = "Bar"
 
 IceHUD_Options = {}
@@ -757,6 +759,9 @@ function IceHUD_Options:OnLoad()
 	self:GenerateModuleOptions(true)
 	self.options.args.colors.args = IceHUD.IceCore:GetColorOptions()
 	self.options.args.profiles = LibStub("AceDBOptions-3.0"):GetOptionsTable(IceHUD.db)
+	--@debug@
+	IceHUD_Options:SetupProfileImportButtons()
+	--@end-debug@
 
 	-- Add dual-spec support
 	if IceHUD.db ~= nil and LibDualSpec then
@@ -787,14 +792,14 @@ function IceHUD_Options:SetupProfileImportButtons()
 				editbox:SetLabel("Profile")
 				editbox:SetFullWidth(true)
 				editbox:SetFullHeight(true)
-				local profileTable = deepcopy(IceHUD.db.profile)
+				local profileTable = IceHUD.deepcopy(IceHUD.db.profile)
 				IceHUD:removeDefaults(profileTable, IceHUD.IceCore.defaults.profile)
-				editbox:SetText(IceHUD:Serialize(profileTable))
+				editbox:SetText(IceHUD.json.encode(profileTable))
 				editbox:DisableButton(true)
 				frame:AddChild(editbox)
 			end,
 			hidden =
-				-- hello, snooper! this feature doesn't actually work yet, so enabling it won't help you much :)
+				-- hello, snooper! exporting works well enough, but importing is very rough, so enable this at your own peril
 				--[===[@non-debug@
 				true
 				--@end-non-debug@]===]
@@ -803,7 +808,7 @@ function IceHUD_Options:SetupProfileImportButtons()
 				--@end-debug@
 			,
 			disabled =
-				-- hello, snooper! this feature doesn't actually work yet, so enabling it won't help you much :)
+				-- hello, snooper! exporting works well enough, but importing is very rough, so enable this at your own peril
 				--[===[@non-debug@
 				true
 				--@end-non-debug@]===]
@@ -824,11 +829,14 @@ function IceHUD_Options:SetupProfileImportButtons()
 				frame:SetStatusText("Exported profile details")
 				frame:SetLayout("Flow")
 				frame:SetCallback("OnClose", function(widget)
-					local success, newTable = IceHUD:Deserialize(widget.children[1]:GetText())
-					if success then
+					local newTable, err = IceHUD.json.decode(widget.children[1]:GetText())
+					if err ~= nil then
+						print("failed to import profile: "..err)
+					else
+						print("importing profile")
 						IceHUD:PreProfileChanged()
 						IceHUD:populateDefaults(newTable, IceHUD.IceCore.defaults.profile)
-						IceHUD.db.profile = deepcopy(newTable)
+						IceHUD.db.profile = IceHUD.deepcopy(newTable)
 						IceHUD:PostProfileChanged()
 					end
 					AceGUI:Release(widget)
@@ -841,7 +849,7 @@ function IceHUD_Options:SetupProfileImportButtons()
 				frame:AddChild(editbox)
 			end,
 			hidden =
-				-- hello, snooper! this feature doesn't actually work yet, so enabling it won't help you much :)
+				-- hello, snooper! this feature is really rough, so enable it at your own peril
 				--[===[@non-debug@
 				true
 				--@end-non-debug@]===]
@@ -850,7 +858,7 @@ function IceHUD_Options:SetupProfileImportButtons()
 				--@end-debug@
 			,
 			disabled =
-				-- hello, snooper! this feature doesn't actually work yet, so enabling it won't help you much :)
+				-- hello, snooper! this feature is really rough, so enable it at your own peril
 				--[===[@non-debug@
 				true
 				--@end-non-debug@]===]
@@ -862,7 +870,3 @@ function IceHUD_Options:SetupProfileImportButtons()
 		}
 	end
 end
-
---@debug@
-IceHUD_Options:SetupProfileImportButtons()
---@end-debug@
diff --git a/IceHUD_Options/TablePrint.lua b/IceHUD_Options/TablePrint.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f79eadc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/IceHUD_Options/TablePrint.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+local function table_print(tt, indent, done)
+	done = done or {}
+	indent = indent or 0
+	if type(tt) == "table" then
+		local sb = {}
+		for key, value in pairs(tt) do
+			table.insert(sb, string.rep(" ", indent)) -- indent it
+			if type(value) == "table" and not done[value] then
+				done[value] = true
+				table.insert(sb, key .. " = {\n");
+				table.insert(sb, table_print(value, indent + 2, done))
+				table.insert(sb, string.rep(" ", indent)) -- indent it
+				table.insert(sb, "}\n");
+			elseif "number" == type(key) then
+				table.insert(sb, string.format("\"%s\"\n", tostring(value)))
+			else
+				table.insert(sb, string.format(
+					"%s = \"%s\"\n", tostring(key), tostring(value)))
+			end
+		end
+		return table.concat(sb)
+	else
+		return tt .. "\n"
+	end
+end
+
+local function to_string(tbl)
+	if "nil" == type(tbl) then
+		return tostring(nil)
+	elseif "table" == type(tbl) then
+		return table_print(tbl)
+	elseif "string" == type(tbl) then
+		return tbl
+	else
+		return tostring(tbl)
+	end
+end