diff --git a/features/data.feature b/features/data.feature
index 9bfac1ee..45f5554e 100644
--- a/features/data.feature
+++ b/features/data.feature
@@ -33,6 +33,18 @@ Feature: Data
     And I should see "Jack" in "_site/index.html"
     And I should see "Leon" in "_site/index.html"
 
+  Scenario: autoload *.json files in _data directory
+    Given I have a _data directory
+    And I have a "_data/members.json" file with content:
+      """
+      [{"name": "Jack", "age": 28},{"name": "Leon", "age": 34}]
+      """
+    And I have an "index.html" page that contains "{% for member in site.data.members %}{{member.name}}{% endfor %}"
+    When I run jekyll build
+    Then the "_site/index.html" file should exist
+    And I should see "Jack" in "_site/index.html"
+    And I should see "Leon" in "_site/index.html"
+
   Scenario: autoload *.yml files in _data directory with space in file name
     Given I have a _data directory
     And I have a "_data/team members.yml" file with content:
@@ -62,4 +74,3 @@ Feature: Data
     Then the "_site/index.html" file should exist
     And I should see "Jack" in "_site/index.html"
     And I should see "Leon" in "_site/index.html"
-
diff --git a/test/source/_data/members.json b/test/source/_data/members.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5ca4821f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/source/_data/members.json
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+[
+  {
+    "name": "Jack",
+    "age": 27,
+    "blog": "http://example.com/jack"
+  },
+  {
+    "name": "John",
+    "age": 32,
+    "blog": "http://example.com/john"
+  }
+]
diff --git a/test/test_site.rb b/test/test_site.rb
index c5d78594..94263491 100644
--- a/test/test_site.rb
+++ b/test/test_site.rb
@@ -378,6 +378,16 @@ class TestSite < Test::Unit::TestCase
         assert_equal site.site_payload['site']['data']['languages'], file_content
       end
 
+      should 'auto load json files' do
+        site = Site.new(Jekyll.configuration)
+        site.process
+
+        file_content = SafeYAML.load_file(File.join(source_dir, '_data', 'members.json'))
+
+        assert_equal site.data['members'], file_content
+        assert_equal site.site_payload['site']['data']['members'], file_content
+      end
+
       should "load symlink files in unsafe mode" do
         site = Site.new(Jekyll.configuration.merge({'safe' => false}))
         site.process