diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index a37e726..f11425c 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -62,11 +62,11 @@ project(jsoncpp
         # 2. ./include/json/version.h
         # 3. ./CMakeLists.txt
         # IMPORTANT: also update the PROJECT_SOVERSION!!
-        VERSION 1.9.5 # <major>[.<minor>[.<patch>[.<tweak>]]]
+        VERSION 1.9.6 # <major>[.<minor>[.<patch>[.<tweak>]]]
         LANGUAGES CXX)
 
 message(STATUS "JsonCpp Version: ${PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR}.${PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR}.${PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH}")
-set(PROJECT_SOVERSION 25)
+set(PROJECT_SOVERSION 26)
 
 include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include/PreventInSourceBuilds.cmake)
 include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include/PreventInBuildInstalls.cmake)
diff --git a/include/json/reader.h b/include/json/reader.h
index 38b9360..d745378 100644
--- a/include/json/reader.h
+++ b/include/json/reader.h
@@ -385,6 +385,12 @@ public:
    * \snippet src/lib_json/json_reader.cpp CharReaderBuilderStrictMode
    */
   static void strictMode(Json::Value* settings);
+  /** ECMA-404 mode.
+   * \pre 'settings' != NULL (but Json::null is fine)
+   * \remark Defaults:
+   * \snippet src/lib_json/json_reader.cpp CharReaderBuilderECMA404Mode
+   */
+  static void ecma404Mode(Json::Value* settings);
 };
 
 /** Consume entire stream and use its begin/end.
diff --git a/include/json/version.h b/include/json/version.h
index 9e95411..38faedf 100644
--- a/include/json/version.h
+++ b/include/json/version.h
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@
 // 3. /CMakeLists.txt
 // IMPORTANT: also update the SOVERSION!!
 
-#define JSONCPP_VERSION_STRING "1.9.5"
+#define JSONCPP_VERSION_STRING "1.9.6"
 #define JSONCPP_VERSION_MAJOR 1
 #define JSONCPP_VERSION_MINOR 9
-#define JSONCPP_VERSION_PATCH 5
+#define JSONCPP_VERSION_PATCH 6
 #define JSONCPP_VERSION_QUALIFIER
 #define JSONCPP_VERSION_HEXA                                                   \
   ((JSONCPP_VERSION_MAJOR << 24) | (JSONCPP_VERSION_MINOR << 16) |             \
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index e6ba08c..561b41c 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ project(
   # 2. /include/json/version.h
   # 3. /CMakeLists.txt
   # IMPORTANT: also update the SOVERSION!!
-  version : '1.9.5',
+  version : '1.9.6',
   default_options : [
     'buildtype=release',
     'cpp_std=c++11',
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ jsoncpp_lib = library(
     'src/lib_json/json_value.cpp',
     'src/lib_json/json_writer.cpp',
   ]),
-  soversion : 25,
+  soversion : 26,
   install : true,
   include_directories : jsoncpp_include_directories,
   cpp_args: dll_export_flag)
diff --git a/src/lib_json/json_reader.cpp b/src/lib_json/json_reader.cpp
index 8ef29f0..10c97ae 100644
--- a/src/lib_json/json_reader.cpp
+++ b/src/lib_json/json_reader.cpp
@@ -1961,6 +1961,22 @@ void CharReaderBuilder::setDefaults(Json::Value* settings) {
   (*settings)["skipBom"] = true;
   //! [CharReaderBuilderDefaults]
 }
+// static
+void CharReaderBuilder::ecma404Mode(Json::Value* settings) {
+  //! [CharReaderBuilderECMA404Mode]
+  (*settings)["allowComments"] = false;
+  (*settings)["allowTrailingCommas"] = false;
+  (*settings)["strictRoot"] = false;
+  (*settings)["allowDroppedNullPlaceholders"] = false;
+  (*settings)["allowNumericKeys"] = false;
+  (*settings)["allowSingleQuotes"] = false;
+  (*settings)["stackLimit"] = 1000;
+  (*settings)["failIfExtra"] = true;
+  (*settings)["rejectDupKeys"] = false;
+  (*settings)["allowSpecialFloats"] = false;
+  (*settings)["skipBom"] = false;
+  //! [CharReaderBuilderECMA404Mode]
+}
 
 std::vector<CharReader::StructuredError>
 CharReader::getStructuredErrors() const {