diff --git a/Build.PL b/Build.PL
index 267b845..dd679c6 100644
--- a/Build.PL
+++ b/Build.PL
@@ -66,11 +66,10 @@ my $build =  $class->new
       dist_author => 'Mark A. Jensen',
       license => 'perl',
       requires => {
-	'JSON' => 2.0,
-	'JSON::XS' => 2.0,
-	'JSON::ize' => 0.202,
+	'JSON::MaybeXS' => '1.003003',
 	'HOP::Stream' => 0,
 	'URI::Escape' => 3.3,
+	'HTTP::Tiny' => 0,
 	'LWP::UserAgent' => 6.04,
 	'LWP::Protocol::https' => 6.06,
 	'Exception::Class' => 1.3,
@@ -95,7 +94,6 @@ my $build =  $class->new
 	'Test::NoWarnings' => 0,
 	'Mock::Quick' => 0,
 	'List::MoreUtils' => 0,
-	'Mojo::Exception' => 0,
 	'Neo4j::Driver' => '0.26',  # cypher_params v2
 	experimental => 0,
 	'IPC::Run' => 0,
@@ -104,6 +102,7 @@ my $build =  $class->new
        },
       build_recommends => {
 	 'Test::Pod' => 1.0,
+	#'Mojo::Exception' => 0,
 	 'Mojo::UserAgent' => 0,
 	 'HTTP::Thin' => 0,
 	},
diff --git a/Changes b/Changes
index b0c9c98..fd73469 100644
--- a/Changes
+++ b/Changes
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 Revision history for Perl module REST::Neo4p
 
+0.4011 DEVELOPMENT
+    - Drop dependencies on JSON, JSON::XS, JSON::ize
+    - Avoid deprecation warnings for smartmatch on Perl v5.38 and v5.40
+    - Fix test suite failing on old Perl versions
+
 0.4010 NOT RELEASED
     - Fix an issue that prevented the use of the Bolt protocol
       with REST::Neo4p via Neo4j::Driver 1.02 or newer
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p.pm
index 46f5c8c..ce19e61 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p.pm
@@ -2,11 +2,10 @@ use v5.10;
 package REST::Neo4p;
 use Carp qw(croak carp);
 use lib '../../lib';
-use JSON;
+use JSON::MaybeXS ();
 use URI;
 use URI::Escape;
 use HTTP::Tiny;
-use JSON::ize;
 use Neo4j::Driver 0.26;
 use REST::Neo4p::Agent;
 use REST::Neo4p::Node;
@@ -17,7 +16,7 @@ use strict;
 use warnings;
 
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 
 our $CREATE_AUTO_ACCESSORS = 0;
@@ -25,7 +24,7 @@ our @HANDLES;
 our $HANDLE = 0;
 our $AGENT_MODULE = $ENV{REST_NEO4P_AGENT_MODULE} || 'LWP::UserAgent';
 
-my $json = JSON->new->allow_nonref(1)->utf8;
+my $json = JSON::MaybeXS->new->allow_nonref(1)->utf8;
 
 $HANDLES[0]->{_q_endpoint} = 'cypher';
 
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent.pm
index e73bf22..6ea2f44 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent.pm
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use v5.10;
 package REST::Neo4p::Agent;
 use REST::Neo4p::Exceptions;
-use JSON;
+use JSON::MaybeXS ();
 use File::Temp;
 use Carp qw(croak carp);
 use strict;
@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@ use warnings;
 our @ISA;
 our $VERSION;
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Agent::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Agent::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 
 our $AUTOLOAD;
 our $JOB_CHUNK = 1024;
-our $JSON = JSON->new()->allow_nonref(1)->utf8;
+our $JSON = JSON::MaybeXS->new()->allow_nonref(1)->utf8;
 our $RQ_RETRIES = 3;
 our $RETRY_WAIT = 5;
 sub new {
@@ -208,6 +208,7 @@ sub AUTOLOAD {
 sub __do_request {
   my $self = shift;
   my ($rq, $action, @args) = @_;
+  no if $^V ge v5.37, warnings => 'deprecated::smartmatch';
   use experimental qw/smartmatch/;
   $self->{_errmsg} = $self->{_location} = $self->{_raw_response} = $self->{_decoded_content} = undef;
   my $resp;
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent/HTTP/Thin.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent/HTTP/Thin.pm
index dea2cc6..cbe80cd 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent/HTTP/Thin.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent/HTTP/Thin.pm
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use strict;
 use warnings;
 
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Agent::HTTP::Thin::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Agent::HTTP::Thin::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 
 my $unsafe = "^A-Za-z0-9\-\._~:+?%&=";
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ sub post { shift->_do('POST',@_) }
 sub _do {
   my $self = shift;
   my ($rq, $url, @args) = @_;
+  no if $^V ge v5.37, warnings => 'deprecated::smartmatch';
   use experimental qw/smartmatch/;
 #  if (length($self->{_user}) && length($self->{_pwd})) {
 #    $url =~ s|(https?://)|${1}$$self{_user}:$$self{_pwd}@|;
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent/LWP/UserAgent.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent/LWP/UserAgent.pm
index 2008413..502b577 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent/LWP/UserAgent.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent/LWP/UserAgent.pm
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use LWP::ConnCache;
 use strict;
 use warnings;
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Agent::LWP::UserAgent::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Agent::LWP::UserAgent::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 sub new {
   my ($class,@args) = @_;
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent/Mojo/UserAgent.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent/Mojo/UserAgent.pm
index 239e3c6..1873176 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent/Mojo/UserAgent.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent/Mojo/UserAgent.pm
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use strict;
 use warnings;
 
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Agent::Mojo::UserAgent::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Agent::Mojo::UserAgent::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 
 our @default_headers;
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ sub post { shift->_do('POST',@_) }
 sub _do {
   my $self = shift;
   my ($rq, $url, @args) = @_;
+  no if $^V ge v5.37, warnings => 'deprecated::smartmatch';
   use experimental qw/smartmatch/;
   my ($tx, $content, $content_file);
   # neo4j wants to redirect .../data to .../data/
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent/Neo4j/Driver.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent/Neo4j/Driver.pm
index 3725a0a..0d4a866 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent/Neo4j/Driver.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Agent/Neo4j/Driver.pm
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ use v5.10;
 use lib '../../../../../lib'; # testing
 use base qw/REST::Neo4p::Agent/;
 use Neo4j::Driver 0.26;
-use JSON::ize;
 use REST::Neo4p::Agent::Neo4j::DriverActions;
 use REST::Neo4p::Exceptions;
 use Try::Tiny;
@@ -14,7 +13,7 @@ use HTTP::Response;
 use strict;
 use warnings;
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Agent::Neo4j::Driver::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Agent::Neo4j::Driver::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 my $WARN_ON_ERROR;
 
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Batch.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Batch.pm
index 08738eb..5ae3296 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Batch.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Batch.pm
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 use v5.10.1;
 package REST::Neo4p::Batch;
 use REST::Neo4p::Exceptions;
-use JSON::XS;
+use JSON::MaybeXS ();
 use REST::Neo4p::ParseStream;
 use HOP::Stream qw/drop head/;
 require REST::Neo4p;
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use warnings;
 no warnings qw(once);
 
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Batch::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Batch::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 
 our @EXPORT = qw(batch);
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ sub batch (&@) {
   $agent->batch_mode(1);
   $coderef->();
   my $tmpfh = $agent->execute_batch_chunk;
-  my $jsonr = JSON::XS->new->utf8;
+  my $jsonr = JSON::MaybeXS->new->utf8;
   my $buf;
   $tmpfh->read($buf, $BUFSIZE);
   $jsonr->incr_parse($buf);
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ sub batch (&@) {
   die "j_parse: expecting BATCH stream" unless ($res->[0] eq 'BATCH');
   my $str = $res->[1]->();
   while (my $obj = drop($str)) {
+    no if $^V ge v5.37, warnings => 'deprecated::smartmatch';
     use experimental qw/smartmatch/;
     $obj = $obj->[1];
     given ($obj) {
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constrain.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constrain.pm
index e070a5f..75289ec 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constrain.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constrain.pm
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ no warnings qw(once redefine);
 
 
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Constrain::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Constrain::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 our @EXPORT = qw(create_constraint drop_constraint constrain relax);
 our @VALIDATE = qw(validate_properties validate_relationship validate_relationship_type);
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constraint.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constraint.pm
index b94948b..f5757dc 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constraint.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constraint.pm
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ package REST::Neo4p::Constraint;
 use base 'Exporter';
 use REST::Neo4p;
 use REST::Neo4p::Exceptions;
-use JSON;
+use JSON::MaybeXS qw(decode_json);
 use Data::Dumper;
 
 use Scalar::Util qw(looks_like_number);
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ our %EXPORT_TAGS = (
   all => [@EXPORT,@EXPORT_OK]
 );
 
-our $jobj = JSON->new->utf8;
+our $jobj = JSON::MaybeXS->new->utf8;
 $jobj->allow_blessed(1);
 $jobj->convert_blessed(1);
 my $regex_to_json = sub {
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ my $regex_to_json = sub {
 };
 
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Constraint::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Constraint::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 
 # valid constraint types
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constraint/Property.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constraint/Property.pm
index 3bb7b32..8bd6cc5 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constraint/Property.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constraint/Property.pm
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ use strict;
 use warnings;
 
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Constraint::Property::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Constraint::Property::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 
 sub new_from_constraint_hash {
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ use base 'REST::Neo4p::Constraint::Property';
 use strict;
 use warnings;
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Constraint::NodeProperty::VERSION='0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Constraint::NodeProperty::VERSION='0.4011';
 }
 
 sub new {
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ use strict;
 use warnings;
 
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Constraint::RelationshipProperty::VERSION='0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Constraint::RelationshipProperty::VERSION='0.4011';
 }
 # relationship_type is added as a pseudoproperty
 
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constraint/Relationship.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constraint/Relationship.pm
index 9821e61..5dd28ca 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constraint/Relationship.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constraint/Relationship.pm
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ use strict;
 use warnings;
 
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Constraint::Relationship::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Constraint::Relationship::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 
 sub new {
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constraint/RelationshipType.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constraint/RelationshipType.pm
index e2688f3..a7453f4 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constraint/RelationshipType.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Constraint/RelationshipType.pm
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ use strict;
 use warnings;
 
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Constraint::RelationshipType::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Constraint::RelationshipType::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 
 sub new {
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Entity.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Entity.pm
index c160d0f..eeb31dc 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Entity.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Entity.pm
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ use v5.10;
 package REST::Neo4p::Entity;
 use REST::Neo4p::Exceptions;
 use Carp qw(croak carp);
-use JSON;
 use Scalar::Util qw(blessed);
 use URI::Escape;
 use strict;
@@ -11,7 +10,7 @@ use warnings;
 
 # base class for nodes, relationships, indexes...
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Entity::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Entity::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 
 our $ENTITY_TABLE = {};
@@ -465,7 +464,7 @@ use strict;
 use warnings;
 no warnings qw/once/;
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Simple::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Simple::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 
 sub new { $_[1] }
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Exceptions.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Exceptions.pm
index 8889c03..a4f1670 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Exceptions.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Exceptions.pm
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use strict;
 use warnings;
 
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Exceptions::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Exceptions::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 use Exception::Class (
   'REST::Neo4p::Exception',
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Index.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Index.pm
index 838a367..bf4684f 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Index.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Index.pm
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use strict;
 use warnings;
 
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Index::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Index::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 
 my $unsafe = "^A-Za-z0-9\-\._\ ~";
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Node.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Node.pm
index da3eacd..1596bd1 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Node.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Node.pm
@@ -3,12 +3,11 @@ package REST::Neo4p::Node;
 use base 'REST::Neo4p::Entity';
 use REST::Neo4p::Relationship;
 use REST::Neo4p::Exceptions;
-use JSON;
 use Carp qw(croak carp);
 use strict;
 use warnings;
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Node::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Node::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 
 # creation, deletion and property manipulation are delegated
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/ParseStream.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/ParseStream.pm
index 8420702..c65edf0 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/ParseStream.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/ParseStream.pm
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use strict;
 use warnings;
 
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::ParseStream::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::ParseStream::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 
 our @EXPORT = qw/j_parse/;# j_parse_object j_parse_array /;
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ sub j_parse {
   elsif ($j->incr_text =~ s/^\s*{\s*//) {
     # object
     my $type;
+    no if $^V ge v5.37, warnings => 'deprecated::smartmatch';
     use experimental 'smartmatch';
     given ($j->incr_text) {
       when (/^\s*"commit"/i) {
@@ -122,7 +123,6 @@ sub j_parse_object {
     my $done;
     unless ($current eq 'PENDING') {
       my $m;
-      use experimental 'smartmatch';
       eval {
 	$j->incr_text =~ m/^(?:(\s*"([^"]+)"\s*:\s*)|(\s*}\s*))/; # look ahead
 	$m = $2||$3;
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ sub j_parse_object {
       }
       $key = $m;
     }
+    no if $^V ge v5.37, warnings => 'deprecated::smartmatch';
     use experimental 'smartmatch';
     given ($key) {
       when ('columns') {
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Path.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Path.pm
index 4b525ec..fcf81cc 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Path.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Path.pm
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use Scalar::Util qw(blessed);
 use strict;
 use warnings;
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Path::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Path::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 
 sub new {
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Query.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Query.pm
index 570af08..0c8b825 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Query.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Query.pm
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use v5.10;
 package REST::Neo4p::Query;
 use REST::Neo4p::Path;
 use REST::Neo4p::Exceptions;
-use JSON::XS;
+use JSON::MaybeXS ();
 use REST::Neo4p::ParseStream;
 use HOP::Stream qw/drop/;
 use Scalar::Util qw(blessed);
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ use warnings;
 no warnings qw(once);
 
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Query::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Query::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 
 our $BUFSIZE = 50000;
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ sub _wrap_statement_result {
 
 sub _parse_response {
   my $self = shift;
-  my $jsonr = JSON::XS->new->utf8;
+  my $jsonr = JSON::MaybeXS->new->utf8;
   my ($buf,$res,$str,$rowstr,$obj);
   my $row_count;
   $self->tmpf->read($buf, $BUFSIZE);
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Relationship.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Relationship.pm
index fc67df4..a4f4ac9 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Relationship.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Relationship.pm
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use Carp qw(croak carp);
 use strict;
 use warnings;
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Relationship::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Relationship::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 
 sub new {
diff --git a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Schema.pm b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Schema.pm
index afff68f..50885e9 100644
--- a/lib/REST/Neo4p/Schema.pm
+++ b/lib/REST/Neo4p/Schema.pm
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use strict;
 use warnings;
 
 BEGIN {
-  $REST::Neo4p::Schema::VERSION = '0.4010';
+  $REST::Neo4p::Schema::VERSION = '0.4011';
 }
 
 #require 'REST::Neo4p';
diff --git a/t/0011_parse.t b/t/0011_parse.t
index 74e2b01..e9fba71 100644
--- a/t/0011_parse.t
+++ b/t/0011_parse.t
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use File::Spec;
 #use Devel::Leak;
 use lib '../lib';
 use REST::Neo4p::ParseStream;
-use JSON::XS;
+use JSON::MaybeXS ();
 use HOP::Stream qw/head tail drop/;
 use experimental;
 use strict;
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use warnings;
 
 my $TESTDIR = (-d 't' ? 't' : '.');
 my $CHUNK = 10000;
-my $j = JSON::XS->new;
+my $j = JSON::MaybeXS->new;
 
 open my $f, File::Spec->catfile($TESTDIR,'samples','qry-response.txt') or die $!;
 open my $g, File::Spec->catfile($TESTDIR, 'samples', 'batch-response.txt') or die $!;
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ isa_ok($str, 'HOP::Stream');
 my ($ct,$newct);
 
 while (my $obj = drop($str)) {
+  no if $^V ge v5.37, warnings => 'deprecated::smartmatch';
   use experimental 'smartmatch';
   is $obj->[0],'ARELT', "is array elt";
   given ($obj->[1]) {
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ is $j->incr_text,'', "All text consumed";
  undef $res;
  undef $str;
 
-$j = JSON::XS->new();
+$j = JSON::MaybeXS->new();
 read ($f, $buf,$CHUNK) or die $!;
 $j->incr_parse($buf);
 ok $res = j_parse($j), "parsing qry response";
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ isa_ok($ar,'HOP::Stream');
 ok $obj = drop($str), 'get paused stream entry';
 is_deeply $obj, [qw/data DATA_STREAM/], 'paused for data stream';
 while (my $obj = drop($ar)) {
+  no if $^V ge v5.37, warnings => 'deprecated::smartmatch';
   use experimental 'smartmatch';
   is $obj->[0],'ARELT', "is array elt";
   given ($obj->[1]) {
@@ -108,7 +110,7 @@ is $j->incr_text,'', 'all text consumed';
 
 
 
-$j = JSON::XS->new();
+$j = JSON::MaybeXS->new();
 read($k, $buf,$CHUNK) or die $!;
 $j->incr_parse($buf);
 ok $res = j_parse($j), "parsing txn response";
@@ -134,6 +136,7 @@ while ($r_obj = drop($r_str)) {
   my $ar = $r_obj->[1]->();
   isa_ok($ar,'HOP::Stream');
   while (my $row = drop($ar)) {
+    no if $^V ge v5.37, warnings => 'deprecated::smartmatch';
     use experimental 'smartmatch';
     is $row->[0],'ARELT', "is array elt";
     given ($row->[1]) {
@@ -169,7 +172,7 @@ while (my $item = drop($ar)) {
 }
 
 open $k, File::Spec->catfile($TESTDIR, 'samples','null-txn-response.txt');
-$j = JSON::XS->new();
+$j = JSON::MaybeXS->new();
 read($k, $buf,$CHUNK) or die $!;
 $j->incr_parse($buf);
 ok $res = j_parse($j), "parsing null txn response";
diff --git a/t/0021_rel_zero.t b/t/0021_rel_zero.t
index 25a1107..d0bb46e 100644
--- a/t/0021_rel_zero.t
+++ b/t/0021_rel_zero.t
@@ -27,17 +27,17 @@ my $not_connected = connect($TEST_SERVER,$user,$pass);
 diag "Test server unavailable (".$not_connected->message.") : tests skipped" if $not_connected;
 
 sub skip_diag {
-    diag 'skip' . ( defined $_[0] ? " $_[0]" : '' ) unless $ENV{'HARNESS_IS_VERBOSE'};
+    diag 'skip' . ( defined $_[0] ? " $_[0]" : '' ), $_[1] unless $ENV{'HARNESS_IS_VERBOSE'};
     skip @_;
 }
 
 SKIP : {
-    skip 'no connection to neo4j' if $not_connected;
+    skip 'no connection to neo4j', 8 if $not_connected;
 
     ok my $n0 = REST::Neo4p::Node->new, 'create node 0';
 
     # neo4j stop ; rm -rf /path/to/graph.db ; neo4j start
-    skip_diag '"relationship 0" test: only works on virgin database' unless $n0->id == 0;
+    skip_diag '"relationship 0" test: only works on virgin database', 7 unless $n0->id == 0;
 
     ok my $n1 = REST::Neo4p::Node->new, 'create node 1';
     ok my $r0 = REST::Neo4p::Relationship->new( $n0 => $n1, 'zero' ), 'create reln 0';
diff --git a/t/097_parse_errors.t b/t/097_parse_errors.t
index 250a1db..6b4d66c 100644
--- a/t/097_parse_errors.t
+++ b/t/097_parse_errors.t
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use lib qw{t ../lib};
 use Data::Dumper;
 use REST::Neo4p;
 use ErrJ;
-use JSON;
+use JSON::MaybeXS qw/encode_json/;
 use strict;
 use warnings;
 no warnings qw/once/;
diff --git a/t/jparse_json_v4.t b/t/jparse_json_v4.t
index 1c6991c..87f4207 100644
--- a/t/jparse_json_v4.t
+++ b/t/jparse_json_v4.t
@@ -6,18 +6,17 @@ use Test::Exception;
 use REST::Neo4p::Exceptions;
 use REST::Neo4p::ParseStream;
 use HOP::Stream qw/drop/;
-use JSON;
+use JSON::MaybeXS ();
 use ErrJ;
 use strict;
 
 my $j = $ErrJ::txn_short_resp;
 # $j = $ErrJ::txn_baddata_resp;
 
-my $jsonr = JSON->new->utf8;
+my $jsonr = JSON::MaybeXS->new->utf8;
 my ($ERR,$res,$str,$rowstr,$obj);
 my $ITER;
 my $row_count;
-use experimental 'smartmatch';
 
 $jsonr->incr_parse($j);
 eval { # capture j_parse errors
diff --git a/t/json_utf8.t b/t/json_utf8.t
index 6bbc3b1..d146087 100644
--- a/t/json_utf8.t
+++ b/t/json_utf8.t
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use warnings;
 my @cleanup;
 use_ok('REST::Neo4p');
 
-use 5.012;
+use if $^V ge v5.12, feature => 'unicode_strings';
 use utf8;
 use Data::Dumper;