diff --git a/aeson-qq.cabal b/aeson-qq.cabal
--- a/aeson-qq.cabal
+++ b/aeson-qq.cabal
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
--- This file has been generated from package.yaml by hpack version 0.18.0.
+cabal-version: 1.12
+
+-- This file has been generated from package.yaml by hpack version 0.34.4.
 --
 -- see: https://github.com/sol/hpack
 
 name:             aeson-qq
-version:          0.8.2
+version:          0.8.4
 synopsis:         JSON quasiquoter for Haskell
 description:      @aeson-qq@ provides a JSON quasiquoter for Haskell.
                   .
@@ -23,7 +25,6 @@
 maintainer:       Simon Hengel <sol@typeful.net>
 category:         JSON
 build-type:       Simple
-cabal-version:    >= 1.10
 
 source-repository head
   type: git
@@ -40,20 +41,22 @@
       Paths_aeson_qq
   default-language: Haskell2010
   build-depends:
-      base >= 4.5 && < 5
-    , base-compat
-    , text
+      aeson >=0.6
     , attoparsec
-    , scientific
-    , vector
-    , aeson >= 0.6
+    , base >=4.5 && <5
+    , base-compat
+    , haskell-src-meta >=0.1.0
     , parsec
+    , scientific
     , template-haskell
-    , haskell-src-meta >= 0.1.0
+    , text
+    , vector
 
 test-suite spec
   type: exitcode-stdio-1.0
   ghc-options: -Wall
+  build-tool-depends:
+      hspec-discover:hspec-discover
   hs-source-dirs:
       src
       test
@@ -64,17 +67,18 @@
       Data.Aeson.QQSpec
       Data.JSON.QQSpec
       Person
+      Paths_aeson_qq
   default-language: Haskell2010
   build-depends:
-      base >= 4.5 && < 5
-    , base-compat
-    , text
+      aeson >=0.6
     , attoparsec
-    , scientific
-    , vector
-    , aeson >= 0.6
+    , base >=4.5 && <5
+    , base-compat
+    , ghc-prim
+    , haskell-src-meta >=0.1.0
+    , hspec
     , parsec
+    , scientific
     , template-haskell
-    , haskell-src-meta >= 0.1.0
-    , hspec
-    , ghc-prim
+    , text
+    , vector
diff --git a/src/Data/Aeson/QQ.hs b/src/Data/Aeson/QQ.hs
--- a/src/Data/Aeson/QQ.hs
+++ b/src/Data/Aeson/QQ.hs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 import Language.Haskell.TH.Quote
 
 import qualified Data.Vector as V
+import Data.String (fromString)
 import qualified Data.Text as T
 import Data.Aeson
 
@@ -46,8 +47,8 @@
       objs2list :: (HashKey, JsonValue) -> ExpQ
       objs2list (key, value) = do
         case key of
-          HashStringKey k -> [|(T.pack k, $(toExp value))|]
-          HashVarKey k -> [|(T.pack $(dyn k), $(toExp value))|]
+          HashStringKey k -> [|(fromString k, $(toExp value))|]
+          HashVarKey k -> [|(fromString $(dyn k), $(toExp value))|]
 toExp (JsonArray arr) = [|Array $ V.fromList $(ListE <$> mapM toExp arr)|]
 toExp (JsonNumber n) = [|Number (fromRational $(return $ LitE $ RationalL (toRational n)))|]
 toExp (JsonBool b) = [|Bool b|]
diff --git a/src/Data/JSON/QQ.hs b/src/Data/JSON/QQ.hs
--- a/src/Data/JSON/QQ.hs
+++ b/src/Data/JSON/QQ.hs
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@
       d <- many digit
       return $ o:d
 
-    convert :: Monad m => String -> m Scientific
+    convert :: String -> Parser Scientific
     convert = either fail return . A.parseOnly (A.scientific <* A.endOfInput) . T.pack
 
 jpObject :: JsonParser