diff --git a/doc/docs.md b/doc/docs.md
index bae2078658..a1d6d9fef2 100644
--- a/doc/docs.md
+++ b/doc/docs.md
@@ -3450,7 +3450,12 @@ struct Foo {
 }
 
 struct User {
-	name string
+	// Adding a [required] attribute will make decoding fail, if that
+	// field is not present in the input.
+	// If a field is not [required], but is missing, it will be assumed
+	// to have its default value, like 0 for numbers, or '' for strings,
+	// and decoding will not fail.
+	name string [required]
 	age  int
 	// Use the `skip` attribute to skip certain fields
 	foo Foo [skip]
@@ -3460,7 +3465,7 @@ struct User {
 
 data := '{ "name": "Frodo", "lastName": "Baggins", "age": 25 }'
 user := json.decode(User, data) or {
-	eprintln('Failed to decode json')
+	eprintln('Failed to decode json, error: $err')
 	return
 }
 println(user.name)
diff --git a/vlib/json/json_decode_test.v b/vlib/json/json_decode_test.v
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2c4448fcae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/json/json_decode_test.v
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import json
+
+struct TestTwin {
+	id     int
+	seed   string
+	pubkey string
+}
+
+struct TestTwins {
+mut:
+	twins []TestTwin [required]
+}
+
+fn test_json_decode_fails_to_decode_unrecognised_array_of_dicts() {
+	data := '[{"twins":[{"id":123,"seed":"abcde","pubkey":"xyzasd"},{"id":456,"seed":"dfgdfgdfgd","pubkey":"skjldskljh45sdf"}]}]'
+	json.decode(TestTwins, data) or {
+		assert err.msg == "expected field 'twins' is missing"
+		return
+	}
+	assert false
+}
+
+fn test_json_decode_works_with_a_dict_of_arrays() {
+	data := '{"twins":[{"id":123,"seed":"abcde","pubkey":"xyzasd"},{"id":456,"seed":"dfgdfgdfgd","pubkey":"skjldskljh45sdf"}]}'
+	res := json.decode(TestTwins, data) or {
+		assert false
+		exit(1)
+	}
+	assert res.twins[0].id == 123
+	assert res.twins[0].seed == 'abcde'
+	assert res.twins[0].pubkey == 'xyzasd'
+	assert res.twins[1].id == 456
+	assert res.twins[1].seed == 'dfgdfgdfgd'
+	assert res.twins[1].pubkey == 'skjldskljh45sdf'
+}
diff --git a/vlib/json/json_test.v b/vlib/json/json_test.v
index ec32016029..8191462eeb 100644
--- a/vlib/json/json_test.v
+++ b/vlib/json/json_test.v
@@ -14,15 +14,12 @@ struct Employee {
 	title  JobTitle
 }
 
-fn test_simple() {
+fn test_simple() ? {
 	x := Employee{'Peter', 28, 95000.5, .worker}
 	s := json.encode(x)
 	eprintln('Employee x: $s')
 	assert s == '{"name":"Peter","age":28,"salary":95000.5,"title":2}'
-	y := json.decode(Employee, s) or {
-		assert false
-		Employee{}
-	}
+	y := json.decode(Employee, s) ?
 	eprintln('Employee y: $y')
 	assert y.name == 'Peter'
 	assert y.age == 28
@@ -59,11 +56,11 @@ struct User {
 	pets          string [json: 'pet_animals'; raw]
 }
 
-fn test_parse_user() {
+fn test_parse_user() ? {
 	s := '{"age": 10, "nums": [1,2,3], "type": 1, "lastName": "Johnson", "IsRegistered": true, "pet_animals": {"name": "Bob", "animal": "Dog"}}'
-	u2 := json.decode(User2, s) or { exit(1) }
+	u2 := json.decode(User2, s) ?
 	println(u2)
-	u := json.decode(User, s) or { exit(1) }
+	u := json.decode(User, s) ?
 	println(u)
 	assert u.age == 10
 	assert u.last_name == 'Johnson'
@@ -76,7 +73,7 @@ fn test_parse_user() {
 	assert u.pets == '{"name":"Bob","animal":"Dog"}'
 }
 
-fn test_encode_decode_time() {
+fn test_encode_decode_time() ? {
 	user := User2{
 		age: 25
 		reg_date: time.new_time(year: 2020, month: 12, day: 22, hour: 7, minute: 23)
@@ -84,10 +81,7 @@ fn test_encode_decode_time() {
 	s := json.encode(user)
 	println(s)
 	assert s.contains('"reg_date":1608621780')
-	user2 := json.decode(User2, s) or {
-		assert false
-		return
-	}
+	user2 := json.decode(User2, s) ?
 	assert user2.reg_date.str() == '2020-12-22 07:23:00'
 	println(user2)
 	println(user2.reg_date)
@@ -146,11 +140,8 @@ struct Country {
 	name   string
 }
 
-fn test_struct_in_struct() {
-	country := json.decode(Country, '{ "name": "UK", "cities": [{"name":"London"}, {"name":"Manchester"}]}') or {
-		assert false
-		exit(1)
-	}
+fn test_struct_in_struct() ? {
+	country := json.decode(Country, '{ "name": "UK", "cities": [{"name":"London"}, {"name":"Manchester"}]}') ?
 	assert country.name == 'UK'
 	assert country.cities.len == 2
 	assert country.cities[0].name == 'London'
@@ -171,20 +162,14 @@ fn test_encode_map() {
 	assert out == expected
 }
 
-fn test_parse_map() {
+fn test_parse_map() ? {
 	expected := map{
 		'one':   1
 		'two':   2
 		'three': 3
 		'four':  4
 	}
-	out := json.decode(map[string]int, '{"one":1,"two":2,"three":3,"four":4}') or {
-		assert false
-		r := map{
-			'': 0
-		}
-		r
-	}
+	out := json.decode(map[string]int, '{"one":1,"two":2,"three":3,"four":4}') ?
 	println(out)
 	assert out == expected
 }
@@ -195,7 +180,7 @@ struct Data {
 	extra     map[string]map[string]int
 }
 
-fn test_nested_type() {
+fn test_nested_type() ? {
 	data_expected := '{"countries":[{"cities":[{"name":"London"},{"name":"Manchester"}],"name":"UK"},{"cities":[{"name":"Donlon"},{"name":"Termanches"}],"name":"KU"}],"users":{"Foo":{"age":10,"nums":[1,2,3],"lastName":"Johnson","IsRegistered":true,"type":0,"pet_animals":"little foo"},"Boo":{"age":20,"nums":[5,3,1],"lastName":"Smith","IsRegistered":false,"type":4,"pet_animals":"little boo"}},"extra":{"2":{"n1":2,"n2":4,"n3":8,"n4":16},"3":{"n1":3,"n2":9,"n3":27,"n4":81}}}'
 	data := Data{
 		countries: [
@@ -244,10 +229,7 @@ fn test_nested_type() {
 	out := json.encode(data)
 	println(out)
 	assert out == data_expected
-	data2 := json.decode(Data, data_expected) or {
-		assert false
-		Data{}
-	}
+	data2 := json.decode(Data, data_expected) ?
 	assert data2.countries.len == data.countries.len
 	for i in 0 .. 1 {
 		assert data2.countries[i].name == data.countries[i].name
@@ -277,11 +259,11 @@ pub:
 	data T
 }
 
-fn test_generic_struct() {
+fn test_generic_struct() ? {
 	foo_int := Foo<int>{'bar', 12}
 	foo_enc := json.encode(foo_int)
 	assert foo_enc == '{"name":"bar","data":12}'
-	foo_dec := json.decode(Foo<int>, foo_enc) or { exit(1) }
+	foo_dec := json.decode(Foo<int>, foo_enc) ?
 	assert foo_dec.name == 'bar'
 	assert foo_dec.data == 12
 }
@@ -315,11 +297,8 @@ struct Message {
 	id ID
 }
 
-fn test_decode_alias_struct() {
-	msg := json.decode(Message, '{"id": "118499178790780929"}') or {
-		assert false
-		Message{}
-	}
+fn test_decode_alias_struct() ? {
+	msg := json.decode(Message, '{"id": "118499178790780929"}') ?
 	// hacky way of comparing aliased strings
 	assert msg.id.str() == '118499178790780929'
 }
@@ -336,29 +315,20 @@ struct List {
 	items []string
 }
 
-fn test_list() {
-	list := json.decode(List, '{"id": 1, "items": ["1", "2"]}') or {
-		println('error')
-		return
-	}
+fn test_list() ? {
+	list := json.decode(List, '{"id": 1, "items": ["1", "2"]}') ?
 	assert list.id == 1
 	assert list.items == ['1', '2']
 }
 
-fn test_list_no_id() {
-	list := json.decode(List, '{"items": ["1", "2"]}') or {
-		println('error')
-		return
-	}
+fn test_list_no_id() ? {
+	list := json.decode(List, '{"items": ["1", "2"]}') ?
 	assert list.id == 0
 	assert list.items == ['1', '2']
 }
 
-fn test_list_no_items() {
-	list := json.decode(List, '{"id": 1}') or {
-		println('error')
-		return
-	}
+fn test_list_no_items() ? {
+	list := json.decode(List, '{"id": 1}') ?
 	assert list.id == 1
 	assert list.items == []
 }
@@ -369,8 +339,8 @@ struct Info {
 	maps  map[string]string
 }
 
-fn test_decode_null_object() {
-	info := json.decode(Info, '{"id": 22, "items": null, "maps": null}') or { panic(err) }
+fn test_decode_null_object() ? {
+	info := json.decode(Info, '{"id": 22, "items": null, "maps": null}') ?
 	assert info.id == 22
 	assert '$info.items' == '[]'
 	assert '$info.maps' == '{}'
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/c/json.v b/vlib/v/gen/c/json.v
index 5926da18da..cfc480dea5 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/c/json.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/c/json.v
@@ -113,20 +113,34 @@ $enc_fn_dec {
 fn (mut g Gen) gen_struct_enc_dec(type_info ast.TypeInfo, styp string, mut enc strings.Builder, mut dec strings.Builder) {
 	info := type_info as ast.Struct
 	for field in info.fields {
-		if field.attrs.contains('skip') {
-			continue
-		}
 		mut name := field.name
+		mut is_raw := false
+		mut is_skip := false
+		mut is_required := false
 		for attr in field.attrs {
-			if attr.name == 'json' {
-				name = attr.arg
-				break
+			match attr.name {
+				'json' {
+					name = attr.arg
+				}
+				'skip' {
+					is_skip = true
+				}
+				'raw' {
+					is_raw = true
+				}
+				'required' {
+					is_required = true
+				}
+				else {}
 			}
 		}
+		if is_skip {
+			continue
+		}
 		field_type := g.typ(field.typ)
 		field_sym := g.table.get_type_symbol(field.typ)
 		// First generate decoding
-		if field.attrs.contains('raw') {
+		if is_raw {
 			dec.writeln('\tres.${c_name(field.name)} = tos5(cJSON_PrintUnformatted(' +
 				'js_get(root, "$name")));')
 		} else {
@@ -135,35 +149,36 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_struct_enc_dec(type_info ast.TypeInfo, styp string, mut enc s
 			g.gen_json_for_type(field.typ)
 			dec_name := js_dec_name(field_type)
 			if is_js_prim(field_type) {
-				dec.writeln('\tres.${c_name(field.name)} = $dec_name (js_get(root, "$name"));')
+				tmp := g.new_tmp_var()
+				gen_js_get(styp, tmp, name, mut dec, is_required)
+				dec.writeln('\tres.${c_name(field.name)} = $dec_name (jsonroot_$tmp);')
 			} else if field_sym.kind == .enum_ {
-				dec.writeln('\tres.${c_name(field.name)} = json__decode_u64(js_get(root, "$name"));')
+				tmp := g.new_tmp_var()
+				gen_js_get(styp, tmp, name, mut dec, is_required)
+				dec.writeln('\tres.${c_name(field.name)} = json__decode_u64(jsonroot_$tmp);')
 			} else if field_sym.name == 'time.Time' {
 				// time struct requires special treatment
 				// it has to be decoded from a unix timestamp number
-				dec.writeln('\tres.${c_name(field.name)} = time__unix(json__decode_u64(js_get(root, "$name")));')
+				tmp := g.new_tmp_var()
+				gen_js_get(styp, tmp, name, mut dec, is_required)
+				dec.writeln('\tres.${c_name(field.name)} = time__unix(json__decode_u64(jsonroot_$tmp));')
 			} else if field_sym.kind == .alias {
 				alias := field_sym.info as ast.Alias
 				parent_type := g.typ(alias.parent_type)
 				parent_dec_name := js_dec_name(parent_type)
 				if is_js_prim(parent_type) {
-					dec.writeln('\tres.${c_name(field.name)} = $parent_dec_name (js_get(root, "$name"));')
+					tmp := g.new_tmp_var()
+					gen_js_get(styp, tmp, name, mut dec, is_required)
+					dec.writeln('\tres.${c_name(field.name)} = $parent_dec_name (jsonroot_$tmp);')
 				} else {
 					g.gen_json_for_type(field.typ)
 					tmp := g.new_tmp_var()
-					dec.writeln('\tOption_$field_type $tmp = $dec_name (js_get(root,"$name"));')
-					dec.writeln('\tif(${tmp}.state != 0) {')
-					dec.writeln('\t\treturn (Option_$styp){ .state = ${tmp}.state, .err = ${tmp}.err, .data = {0} };')
-					dec.writeln('\t}')
+					gen_js_get_opt(dec_name, field_type, styp, tmp, name, mut dec, is_required)
 					dec.writeln('\tres.${c_name(field.name)} = *($field_type*) ${tmp}.data;')
 				}
 			} else {
-				// dec.writeln(' $dec_name (js_get(root, "$name"), & (res . $field.name));')
 				tmp := g.new_tmp_var()
-				dec.writeln('\tOption_$field_type $tmp = $dec_name (js_get(root,"$name"));')
-				dec.writeln('\tif(${tmp}.state != 0) {')
-				dec.writeln('\t\treturn (Option_$styp){ .state = ${tmp}.state, .err = ${tmp}.err, .data = {0} };')
-				dec.writeln('\t}')
+				gen_js_get_opt(dec_name, field_type, styp, tmp, name, mut dec, is_required)
 				dec.writeln('\tres.${c_name(field.name)} = *($field_type*) ${tmp}.data;')
 			}
 		}
@@ -189,6 +204,23 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_struct_enc_dec(type_info ast.TypeInfo, styp string, mut enc s
 	}
 }
 
+fn gen_js_get(styp string, tmp string, name string, mut dec strings.Builder, is_required bool) {
+	dec.writeln('\tcJSON *jsonroot_$tmp = js_get(root,"$name");')
+	if is_required {
+		dec.writeln('\tif(jsonroot_$tmp == 0) {')
+		dec.writeln('\t\treturn (Option_$styp){ .state = 2, .err = _v_error(_SLIT("expected field \'$name\' is missing")), .data = {0} };')
+		dec.writeln('\t}')
+	}
+}
+
+fn gen_js_get_opt(dec_name string, field_type string, styp string, tmp string, name string, mut dec strings.Builder, is_required bool) {
+	gen_js_get(styp, tmp, name, mut dec, is_required)
+	dec.writeln('\tOption_$field_type $tmp = $dec_name (jsonroot_$tmp);')
+	dec.writeln('\tif(${tmp}.state != 0) {')
+	dec.writeln('\t\treturn (Option_$styp){ .state = ${tmp}.state, .err = ${tmp}.err, .data = {0} };')
+	dec.writeln('\t}')
+}
+
 fn js_enc_name(typ string) string {
 	suffix := if typ.ends_with('*') { typ.replace('*', '') } else { typ }
 	name := 'json__encode_$suffix'