diff --git a/pkg/dbal/DbalConsumer.php b/pkg/dbal/DbalConsumer.php
index 202897d63..e3ce55dd2 100644
--- a/pkg/dbal/DbalConsumer.php
+++ b/pkg/dbal/DbalConsumer.php
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 
 use Doctrine\DBAL\Connection;
 use Doctrine\DBAL\Types\Type;
-use Enqueue\Util\JSON;
 use Interop\Queue\InvalidMessageException;
 use Interop\Queue\PsrConsumer;
 use Interop\Queue\PsrMessage;
diff --git a/pkg/dbal/DbalProducer.php b/pkg/dbal/DbalProducer.php
index 971dad852..8fdccbd4c 100644
--- a/pkg/dbal/DbalProducer.php
+++ b/pkg/dbal/DbalProducer.php
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 namespace Enqueue\Dbal;
 
 use Doctrine\DBAL\Types\Type;
-use Enqueue\Util\JSON;
 use Interop\Queue\Exception;
 use Interop\Queue\InvalidDestinationException;
 use Interop\Queue\InvalidMessageException;
diff --git a/pkg/dbal/JSON.php b/pkg/dbal/JSON.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9f3f4728f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/dbal/JSON.php
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Enqueue\Dbal;
+
+class JSON
+{
+    /**
+     * @param string $string
+     *
+     * @throws \InvalidArgumentException
+     *
+     * @return array
+     */
+    public static function decode($string)
+    {
+        if (!is_string($string)) {
+            throw new \InvalidArgumentException(sprintf(
+                'Accept only string argument but got: "%s"',
+                is_object($string) ? get_class($string) : gettype($string)
+            ));
+        }
+
+        // PHP7 fix - empty string and null cause syntax error
+        if (empty($string)) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        $decoded = json_decode($string, true);
+        if (JSON_ERROR_NONE !== json_last_error()) {
+            throw new \InvalidArgumentException(sprintf(
+                'The malformed json given. Error %s and message %s',
+                json_last_error(),
+                json_last_error_msg()
+            ));
+        }
+
+        return $decoded;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param mixed $value
+     *
+     * @return string
+     */
+    public static function encode($value)
+    {
+        $encoded = json_encode($value, JSON_UNESCAPED_UNICODE);
+
+        if (JSON_ERROR_NONE !== json_last_error()) {
+            throw new \InvalidArgumentException(sprintf(
+                'Could not encode value into json. Error %s and message %s',
+                json_last_error(),
+                json_last_error_msg()
+            ));
+        }
+
+        return $encoded;
+    }
+}