diff --git a/modules/database/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbYacc.y b/modules/database/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbYacc.y
index 80b031fac..cc563bcfd 100644
--- a/modules/database/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbYacc.y
+++ b/modules/database/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbYacc.y
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ static int yyAbort = 0;
 
 %token jsonNULL jsonTRUE jsonFALSE
 %token <Str> jsonNUMBER jsonSTRING jsonBARE
-%type <Str> json_value json_object json_array
-%type <Str> json_members json_pair json_elements json_string
+%type <Str> json_value json_string json_object json_array
+%type <Str> json_members json_pair json_key json_elements
 
 %%
 
@@ -299,13 +299,24 @@ json_members: json_pair
     if (dbStaticDebug>2) printf("json %s\n", $$);
 };
 
-json_pair: json_string ':' json_value
+json_pair: json_key ':' json_value
 {
     $$ = dbmfStrcat3($1, ":", $3);
     dbmfFree($1); dbmfFree($3);
     if (dbStaticDebug>2) printf("json %s\n", $$);
 };
 
+json_key: jsonSTRING
+    | jsonBARE
+{
+    /* A key containing any of these characters must be quoted for YAJL */
+    if (strcspn($1, "+-.") < strlen($1)) {
+        $$ = dbmfStrcat3("\"", $1, "\"");
+        dbmfFree($1);
+    }
+    if (dbStaticDebug>2) printf("json %s\n", $$);
+};
+
 json_string: jsonSTRING
     | jsonBARE
 {
diff --git a/modules/database/test/ioc/db/dbPutLinkTest.c b/modules/database/test/ioc/db/dbPutLinkTest.c
index 5158e3c91..830d37f6c 100644
--- a/modules/database/test/ioc/db/dbPutLinkTest.c
+++ b/modules/database/test/ioc/db/dbPutLinkTest.c
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ typedef struct {
 } testHWDataT;
 
 static const testHWDataT testHWData[] = {
-    {"rJSON_LINK", JSON_LINK, "{\"x\":true}", {0}, "{\"x\":true}"},
+    {"rJSON_LINK", JSON_LINK, "{x:true}", {0}, "{x:true}"},
     {"rVME_IO", VME_IO, "#C100 S101 @parm VME_IO", {100, 101}, "parm VME_IO"},
     {"rCAMAC_IO", CAMAC_IO, "#B11 C12 N13 A14 F15 @parm CAMAC_IO", {11, 12, 13, 14, 15}, "parm CAMAC_IO"},
     {"rAB_IO", AB_IO, "#L21 A22 C23 S24 @parm AB_IO", {21, 22, 23, 24}, "parm AB_IO"},
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@ void testJLink(void)
     testdbPutFieldOk("j2.PROC", DBF_LONG, 1);
     testdbPutFieldOk("j3.PROC", DBF_LONG, 1);
 
-    testdbGetFieldEqual("j1.INP", DBF_STRING, "{\"z\":{\"good\":1}}");
+    testdbGetFieldEqual("j1.INP", DBF_STRING, "{z:{good:1}}");
     testdbGetFieldEqual("j1.VAL", DBF_LONG, 1);
     testdbGetFieldEqual("j2.VAL", DBF_LONG, 2);
     testdbGetFieldEqual("j3.VAL", DBF_LONG, 3);
diff --git a/modules/database/test/ioc/db/dbStaticTest.db b/modules/database/test/ioc/db/dbStaticTest.db
index 75e981f1a..bc25d1a23 100644
--- a/modules/database/test/ioc/db/dbStaticTest.db
+++ b/modules/database/test/ioc/db/dbStaticTest.db
@@ -81,4 +81,7 @@ record(x, "t1") {
     field(F64, -Infinity)
     field(F32, Nan)
     field(F64, Nan)
+
+    info(i1, {x:0, +x:1, -x:2, .x:3})
+    info(i2, Bare-word_string)
 }
diff --git a/modules/database/test/std/rec/linkRetargetLinkTest.c b/modules/database/test/std/rec/linkRetargetLinkTest.c
index bf98bc1f9..dab000167 100644
--- a/modules/database/test/std/rec/linkRetargetLinkTest.c
+++ b/modules/database/test/std/rec/linkRetargetLinkTest.c
@@ -75,18 +75,18 @@ static void testRetargetJLink(void)
 
     testdbGetFieldEqual("rec:j1", DBF_DOUBLE, 10.0);
     /* minimal args */
-    testLongStrEq("rec:j1.INP$", "{\"calc\":{\"expr\":\"A+5\",\"args\":5}}");
+    testLongStrEq("rec:j1.INP$", "{calc:{expr:\"A+5\",args:5}}");
 
     /* with [] */
     testPutLongStr("rec:j1.INP$", "{\"calc\":{\"expr\":\"A+5\",\"args\":[7]}}");
     testdbPutFieldOk("rec:j1.PROC", DBF_LONG, 1);
 
     /* with const */
-    testPutLongStr("rec:j1.INP$", "{\"calc\":{\"expr\":\"A+5\",\"args\":[{\"const\":7}]}}");
+    testPutLongStr("rec:j1.INP$", "{calc:{expr:\"A+5\",args:[{const:7}]}}");
     testdbPutFieldOk("rec:j1.PROC", DBF_LONG, 1);
 
     testdbGetFieldEqual("rec:j1", DBF_DOUBLE, 12.0);
-    testLongStrEq("rec:j1.INP$", "{\"calc\":{\"expr\":\"A+5\",\"args\":[{\"const\":7}]}}");
+    testLongStrEq("rec:j1.INP$", "{calc:{expr:\"A+5\",args:[{const:7}]}}");
 }
 
 MAIN(linkRetargetLinkTest)