diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..caefad87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+ext/json/ext/parser/parser.c linguist-generated=true
+java/src/json/ext/Parser.java linguist-generated=true
diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6778b049
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+version: 2
+updates:
+  - package-ecosystem: 'github-actions'
+    directory: '/'
+    schedule:
+      interval: 'daily'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 27171b90..d4c98195 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ jobs:
         - { os: windows-latest, ruby: jruby-head }
 
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: Set up Ruby
         uses: ruby/setup-ruby-pkgs@v1
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
 
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: Set up Ruby
         uses: ruby/setup-ruby-pkgs@v1
diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index f40572e8..f9efe041 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Changes
 
+### 2024-11-14 (2.8.2)
+
+* `JSON.load_file` explictly read the file as UTF-8.
+
 ### 2024-11-06 (2.8.1)
 
 * Fix the java packages to include the extension.
diff --git a/benchmark/parser.rb b/benchmark/parser.rb
index 6952f3c3..bacb8e9e 100644
--- a/benchmark/parser.rb
+++ b/benchmark/parser.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ def benchmark_parsing(name, json_output)
   Benchmark.ips do |x|
     x.report("json")      { JSON.parse(json_output) } if RUN[:json]
     x.report("oj")        { Oj.load(json_output) } if RUN[:oj]
-    x.report("Oj::Parser") { Oj::Parser.usual.parse(json_output) } if RUN[:oj]
+    x.report("Oj::Parser") { Oj::Parser.new(:usual).parse(json_output) } if RUN[:oj]
     x.report("rapidjson") { RapidJSON.parse(json_output) } if RUN[:rapidjson]
     x.compare!(order: :baseline)
   end
@@ -28,10 +28,6 @@ def benchmark_parsing(name, json_output)
 
 # NB: Notes are based on ruby 3.3.4 (2024-07-09 revision be1089c8ec) +YJIT [arm64-darwin23]
 
-# Oj::Parser is significanly faster (~1.3x) on the next 3 micro-benchmarks in large part because its
-# cache is persisted across calls. That's not something we can do with the current API, we'd
-# need to expose a stateful API as well, but that's no really desirable.
-# Other than that we're faster than regular `Oj.load` by a good margin (between 1.3x and 2.4x).
 benchmark_parsing "small nested array", JSON.dump([[1,2,3,4,5]]*10)
 benchmark_parsing "small hash", JSON.dump({ "username" => "jhawthorn", "id" => 123, "event" => "wrote json serializer" })
 benchmark_parsing "test from oj", <<JSON
diff --git a/ext/json/ext/parser/parser.c b/ext/json/ext/parser/parser.c
index a5c918fa..b6252556 100644
--- a/ext/json/ext/parser/parser.c
+++ b/ext/json/ext/parser/parser.c
@@ -394,6 +394,7 @@ typedef struct JSON_ParserStruct {
     VALUE decimal_class;
     VALUE match_string;
     FBuffer fbuffer;
+    int in_array;
     int max_nesting;
     bool allow_nan;
     bool allow_trailing_comma;
@@ -422,8 +423,7 @@ static const rb_data_type_t JSON_Parser_type;
 static char *JSON_parse_string(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result);
 static char *JSON_parse_object(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result, int current_nesting);
 static char *JSON_parse_value(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result, int current_nesting);
-static char *JSON_parse_integer(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result);
-static char *JSON_parse_float(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result);
+static char *JSON_parse_number(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result);
 static char *JSON_parse_array(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result, int current_nesting);
 
 
@@ -1077,7 +1077,7 @@ enum {JSON_value_error = 0};
 enum {JSON_value_en_main = 1};
 
 
-#line 666 "parser.rl"
+#line 664 "parser.rl"
 
 
 static char *JSON_parse_value(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result, int current_nesting)
@@ -1090,7 +1090,7 @@ static char *JSON_parse_value(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *resul
 	cs = JSON_value_start;
 	}
 
-#line 673 "parser.rl"
+#line 671 "parser.rl"
 
 #line 1096 "parser.c"
 	{
@@ -1150,11 +1150,7 @@ cs = 0;
                 raise_parse_error("unexpected token at '%s'", p);
             }
         }
-        np = JSON_parse_float(json, p, pe, result);
-        if (np != NULL) {
-            {p = (( np))-1;}
-        }
-        np = JSON_parse_integer(json, p, pe, result);
+        np = JSON_parse_number(json, p, pe, result);
         if (np != NULL) {
             {p = (( np))-1;}
         }
@@ -1162,15 +1158,17 @@ cs = 0;
     }
 	goto st29;
 tr7:
-#line 641 "parser.rl"
+#line 637 "parser.rl"
 	{
         char *np;
+        json->in_array++;
         np = JSON_parse_array(json, p, pe, result, current_nesting + 1);
+        json->in_array--;
         if (np == NULL) { p--; {p++; cs = 29; goto _out;} } else {p = (( np))-1;}
     }
 	goto st29;
 tr11:
-#line 647 "parser.rl"
+#line 645 "parser.rl"
 	{
         char *np;
         np =  JSON_parse_object(json, p, pe, result, current_nesting + 1);
@@ -1219,9 +1217,9 @@ cs = 0;
 	if ( ++p == pe )
 		goto _test_eof29;
 case 29:
-#line 653 "parser.rl"
+#line 651 "parser.rl"
 	{ p--; {p++; cs = 29; goto _out;} }
-#line 1225 "parser.c"
+#line 1223 "parser.c"
 	switch( (*p) ) {
 		case 13: goto st29;
 		case 32: goto st29;
@@ -1462,7 +1460,7 @@ case 28:
 	_out: {}
 	}
 
-#line 674 "parser.rl"
+#line 672 "parser.rl"
 
     if (json->freeze) {
         OBJ_FREEZE(*result);
@@ -1477,7 +1475,7 @@ case 28:
 }
 
 
-#line 1481 "parser.c"
+#line 1479 "parser.c"
 enum {JSON_integer_start = 1};
 enum {JSON_integer_first_final = 3};
 enum {JSON_integer_error = 0};
@@ -1485,7 +1483,7 @@ enum {JSON_integer_error = 0};
 enum {JSON_integer_en_main = 1};
 
 
-#line 695 "parser.rl"
+#line 693 "parser.rl"
 
 
 #define MAX_FAST_INTEGER_SIZE 18
@@ -1510,82 +1508,8 @@ static inline VALUE fast_parse_integer(char *p, char *pe)
     return LL2NUM(memo);
 }
 
-static char *JSON_parse_integer(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result)
+static char *JSON_decode_integer(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, VALUE *result)
 {
-    int cs = EVIL;
-
-
-#line 1519 "parser.c"
-	{
-	cs = JSON_integer_start;
-	}
-
-#line 724 "parser.rl"
-    json->memo = p;
-
-#line 1527 "parser.c"
-	{
-	if ( p == pe )
-		goto _test_eof;
-	switch ( cs )
-	{
-case 1:
-	switch( (*p) ) {
-		case 45: goto st2;
-		case 48: goto st3;
-	}
-	if ( 49 <= (*p) && (*p) <= 57 )
-		goto st5;
-	goto st0;
-st0:
-cs = 0;
-	goto _out;
-st2:
-	if ( ++p == pe )
-		goto _test_eof2;
-case 2:
-	if ( (*p) == 48 )
-		goto st3;
-	if ( 49 <= (*p) && (*p) <= 57 )
-		goto st5;
-	goto st0;
-st3:
-	if ( ++p == pe )
-		goto _test_eof3;
-case 3:
-	if ( 48 <= (*p) && (*p) <= 57 )
-		goto st0;
-	goto tr4;
-tr4:
-#line 692 "parser.rl"
-	{ p--; {p++; cs = 4; goto _out;} }
-	goto st4;
-st4:
-	if ( ++p == pe )
-		goto _test_eof4;
-case 4:
-#line 1568 "parser.c"
-	goto st0;
-st5:
-	if ( ++p == pe )
-		goto _test_eof5;
-case 5:
-	if ( 48 <= (*p) && (*p) <= 57 )
-		goto st5;
-	goto tr4;
-	}
-	_test_eof2: cs = 2; goto _test_eof;
-	_test_eof3: cs = 3; goto _test_eof;
-	_test_eof4: cs = 4; goto _test_eof;
-	_test_eof5: cs = 5; goto _test_eof;
-
-	_test_eof: {}
-	_out: {}
-	}
-
-#line 726 "parser.rl"
-
-    if (cs >= JSON_integer_first_final) {
         long len = p - json->memo;
         if (RB_LIKELY(len < MAX_FAST_INTEGER_SIZE)) {
             *result = fast_parse_integer(json->memo, p);
@@ -1596,37 +1520,35 @@ case 5:
             *result = rb_cstr2inum(FBUFFER_PTR(&json->fbuffer), 10);
         }
         return p + 1;
-    } else {
-        return NULL;
-    }
 }
 
 
-#line 1606 "parser.c"
+#line 1527 "parser.c"
 enum {JSON_float_start = 1};
-enum {JSON_float_first_final = 8};
+enum {JSON_float_first_final = 6};
 enum {JSON_float_error = 0};
 
 enum {JSON_float_en_main = 1};
 
 
-#line 755 "parser.rl"
+#line 745 "parser.rl"
 
 
-static char *JSON_parse_float(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result)
+static char *JSON_parse_number(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result)
 {
     int cs = EVIL;
+    bool is_float = false;
 
 
-#line 1622 "parser.c"
+#line 1544 "parser.c"
 	{
 	cs = JSON_float_start;
 	}
 
-#line 762 "parser.rl"
+#line 753 "parser.rl"
     json->memo = p;
 
-#line 1630 "parser.c"
+#line 1552 "parser.c"
 	{
 	if ( p == pe )
 		goto _test_eof;
@@ -1635,10 +1557,10 @@ static char *JSON_parse_float(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *resul
 case 1:
 	switch( (*p) ) {
 		case 45: goto st2;
-		case 48: goto st3;
+		case 48: goto st6;
 	}
 	if ( 49 <= (*p) && (*p) <= 57 )
-		goto st7;
+		goto st10;
 	goto st0;
 st0:
 cs = 0;
@@ -1648,24 +1570,42 @@ cs = 0;
 		goto _test_eof2;
 case 2:
 	if ( (*p) == 48 )
-		goto st3;
+		goto st6;
 	if ( 49 <= (*p) && (*p) <= 57 )
-		goto st7;
+		goto st10;
 	goto st0;
-st3:
+st6:
 	if ( ++p == pe )
-		goto _test_eof3;
-case 3:
+		goto _test_eof6;
+case 6:
 	switch( (*p) ) {
-		case 46: goto st4;
-		case 69: goto st5;
-		case 101: goto st5;
+		case 45: goto st0;
+		case 46: goto tr8;
+		case 69: goto tr9;
+		case 101: goto tr9;
 	}
+	if ( 48 <= (*p) && (*p) <= 57 )
+		goto st0;
+	goto tr7;
+tr7:
+#line 737 "parser.rl"
+	{ p--; {p++; cs = 7; goto _out;} }
+	goto st7;
+st7:
+	if ( ++p == pe )
+		goto _test_eof7;
+case 7:
+#line 1599 "parser.c"
 	goto st0;
-st4:
+tr8:
+#line 738 "parser.rl"
+	{  is_float = true; }
+	goto st3;
+st3:
 	if ( ++p == pe )
-		goto _test_eof4;
-case 4:
+		goto _test_eof3;
+case 3:
+#line 1609 "parser.c"
 	if ( 48 <= (*p) && (*p) <= 57 )
 		goto st8;
 	goto st0;
@@ -1674,87 +1614,86 @@ case 4:
 		goto _test_eof8;
 case 8:
 	switch( (*p) ) {
-		case 69: goto st5;
-		case 101: goto st5;
+		case 69: goto st4;
+		case 101: goto st4;
 	}
 	if ( (*p) > 46 ) {
 		if ( 48 <= (*p) && (*p) <= 57 )
 			goto st8;
 	} else if ( (*p) >= 45 )
 		goto st0;
-	goto tr9;
+	goto tr7;
 tr9:
-#line 749 "parser.rl"
-	{ p--; {p++; cs = 9; goto _out;} }
-	goto st9;
-st9:
-	if ( ++p == pe )
-		goto _test_eof9;
-case 9:
-#line 1695 "parser.c"
-	goto st0;
-st5:
+#line 738 "parser.rl"
+	{  is_float = true; }
+	goto st4;
+st4:
 	if ( ++p == pe )
-		goto _test_eof5;
-case 5:
+		goto _test_eof4;
+case 4:
+#line 1635 "parser.c"
 	switch( (*p) ) {
-		case 43: goto st6;
-		case 45: goto st6;
+		case 43: goto st5;
+		case 45: goto st5;
 	}
 	if ( 48 <= (*p) && (*p) <= 57 )
-		goto st10;
+		goto st9;
 	goto st0;
-st6:
+st5:
 	if ( ++p == pe )
-		goto _test_eof6;
-case 6:
+		goto _test_eof5;
+case 5:
 	if ( 48 <= (*p) && (*p) <= 57 )
-		goto st10;
+		goto st9;
 	goto st0;
-st10:
+st9:
 	if ( ++p == pe )
-		goto _test_eof10;
-case 10:
+		goto _test_eof9;
+case 9:
 	switch( (*p) ) {
 		case 69: goto st0;
 		case 101: goto st0;
 	}
 	if ( (*p) > 46 ) {
 		if ( 48 <= (*p) && (*p) <= 57 )
-			goto st10;
+			goto st9;
 	} else if ( (*p) >= 45 )
 		goto st0;
-	goto tr9;
-st7:
+	goto tr7;
+st10:
 	if ( ++p == pe )
-		goto _test_eof7;
-case 7:
+		goto _test_eof10;
+case 10:
 	switch( (*p) ) {
-		case 46: goto st4;
-		case 69: goto st5;
-		case 101: goto st5;
+		case 45: goto st0;
+		case 46: goto tr8;
+		case 69: goto tr9;
+		case 101: goto tr9;
 	}
 	if ( 48 <= (*p) && (*p) <= 57 )
-		goto st7;
-	goto st0;
+		goto st10;
+	goto tr7;
 	}
 	_test_eof2: cs = 2; goto _test_eof;
+	_test_eof6: cs = 6; goto _test_eof;
+	_test_eof7: cs = 7; goto _test_eof;
 	_test_eof3: cs = 3; goto _test_eof;
-	_test_eof4: cs = 4; goto _test_eof;
 	_test_eof8: cs = 8; goto _test_eof;
-	_test_eof9: cs = 9; goto _test_eof;
+	_test_eof4: cs = 4; goto _test_eof;
 	_test_eof5: cs = 5; goto _test_eof;
-	_test_eof6: cs = 6; goto _test_eof;
+	_test_eof9: cs = 9; goto _test_eof;
 	_test_eof10: cs = 10; goto _test_eof;
-	_test_eof7: cs = 7; goto _test_eof;
 
 	_test_eof: {}
 	_out: {}
 	}
 
-#line 764 "parser.rl"
+#line 755 "parser.rl"
 
     if (cs >= JSON_float_first_final) {
+        if (!is_float) {
+            return JSON_decode_integer(json, p, result);
+        }
         VALUE mod = Qnil;
         ID method_id = 0;
         if (json->decimal_class) {
@@ -1805,7 +1744,7 @@ case 7:
 
 
 
-#line 1809 "parser.c"
+#line 1748 "parser.c"
 enum {JSON_array_start = 1};
 enum {JSON_array_first_final = 22};
 enum {JSON_array_error = 0};
@@ -1813,7 +1752,7 @@ enum {JSON_array_error = 0};
 enum {JSON_array_en_main = 1};
 
 
-#line 841 "parser.rl"
+#line 835 "parser.rl"
 
 
 static char *JSON_parse_array(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result, int current_nesting)
@@ -1826,14 +1765,14 @@ static char *JSON_parse_array(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *resul
     long stack_head = json->stack->head;
 
 
-#line 1830 "parser.c"
+#line 1769 "parser.c"
 	{
 	cs = JSON_array_start;
 	}
 
-#line 853 "parser.rl"
+#line 847 "parser.rl"
 
-#line 1837 "parser.c"
+#line 1776 "parser.c"
 	{
 	short _widec;
 	if ( p == pe )
@@ -1873,7 +1812,7 @@ case 2:
 		goto st2;
 	goto st0;
 tr2:
-#line 821 "parser.rl"
+#line 815 "parser.rl"
 	{
         VALUE v = Qnil;
         char *np = JSON_parse_value(json, p, pe, &v, current_nesting);
@@ -1888,12 +1827,12 @@ case 2:
 	if ( ++p == pe )
 		goto _test_eof3;
 case 3:
-#line 1892 "parser.c"
+#line 1831 "parser.c"
 	_widec = (*p);
 	if ( 44 <= (*p) && (*p) <= 44 ) {
 		_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 		if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 	}
 	switch( _widec ) {
@@ -1940,14 +1879,14 @@ case 7:
 		goto st3;
 	goto st7;
 tr4:
-#line 833 "parser.rl"
+#line 827 "parser.rl"
 	{ p--; {p++; cs = 22; goto _out;} }
 	goto st22;
 st22:
 	if ( ++p == pe )
 		goto _test_eof22;
 case 22:
-#line 1951 "parser.c"
+#line 1890 "parser.c"
 	goto st0;
 st8:
 	if ( ++p == pe )
@@ -2015,13 +1954,13 @@ case 13:
 			if ( 10 <= (*p) && (*p) <= 10 ) {
 				_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 				if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 			}
 		} else if ( (*p) >= 9 ) {
 			_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 			if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 		}
 	} else if ( (*p) > 13 ) {
@@ -2029,19 +1968,19 @@ case 13:
 			if ( 47 <= (*p) && (*p) <= 47 ) {
 				_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 				if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 			}
 		} else if ( (*p) >= 32 ) {
 			_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 			if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 		}
 	} else {
 		_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 		if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 	}
 	switch( _widec ) {
@@ -2080,13 +2019,13 @@ case 14:
 		if ( 47 <= (*p) && (*p) <= 47 ) {
 			_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 			if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 		}
 	} else if ( (*p) >= 42 ) {
 		_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 		if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 	}
 	switch( _widec ) {
@@ -2105,20 +2044,20 @@ case 15:
 		if ( (*p) <= 41 ) {
 			_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 			if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 		}
 	} else if ( (*p) > 42 ) {
 		if ( 43 <= (*p) )
  {			_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 			if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 		}
 	} else {
 		_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 		if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 	}
 	switch( _widec ) {
@@ -2141,13 +2080,13 @@ case 16:
 			if ( 42 <= (*p) && (*p) <= 42 ) {
 				_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 				if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 			}
 		} else {
 			_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 			if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 		}
 	} else if ( (*p) > 46 ) {
@@ -2155,19 +2094,19 @@ case 16:
 			if ( 48 <= (*p) )
  {				_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 				if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 			}
 		} else if ( (*p) >= 47 ) {
 			_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 			if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 		}
 	} else {
 		_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 		if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 	}
 	switch( _widec ) {
@@ -2191,20 +2130,20 @@ case 17:
 		if ( (*p) <= 9 ) {
 			_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 			if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 		}
 	} else if ( (*p) > 10 ) {
 		if ( 11 <= (*p) )
  {			_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 			if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 		}
 	} else {
 		_widec = (short)(128 + ((*p) - -128));
 		if (
-#line 831 "parser.rl"
+#line 825 "parser.rl"
  json->allow_trailing_comma  ) _widec += 256;
 	}
 	switch( _widec ) {
@@ -2276,7 +2215,7 @@ case 21:
 	_out: {}
 	}
 
-#line 854 "parser.rl"
+#line 848 "parser.rl"
 
     if(cs >= JSON_array_first_final) {
         long count = json->stack->head - stack_head;
@@ -2332,7 +2271,7 @@ static VALUE json_string_fastpath(JSON_Parser *json, char *string, char *stringE
 {
     size_t bufferSize = stringEnd - string;
 
-    if (is_name) {
+    if (is_name && json->in_array) {
         VALUE cached_key;
         if (RB_UNLIKELY(symbolize)) {
             cached_key = rsymbol_cache_fetch(&json->name_cache, string, bufferSize);
@@ -2355,7 +2294,7 @@ static VALUE json_string_unescape(JSON_Parser *json, char *string, char *stringE
     int unescape_len;
     char buf[4];
 
-    if (is_name) {
+    if (is_name && json->in_array) {
         VALUE cached_key;
         if (RB_UNLIKELY(symbolize)) {
             cached_key = rsymbol_cache_fetch(&json->name_cache, string, bufferSize);
@@ -2470,7 +2409,7 @@ static VALUE json_string_unescape(JSON_Parser *json, char *string, char *stringE
 }
 
 
-#line 2474 "parser.c"
+#line 2413 "parser.c"
 enum {JSON_string_start = 1};
 enum {JSON_string_first_final = 9};
 enum {JSON_string_error = 0};
@@ -2478,7 +2417,7 @@ enum {JSON_string_error = 0};
 enum {JSON_string_en_main = 1};
 
 
-#line 1077 "parser.rl"
+#line 1071 "parser.rl"
 
 
 static int
@@ -2499,15 +2438,15 @@ static char *JSON_parse_string(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *resu
     VALUE match_string;
 
 
-#line 2503 "parser.c"
+#line 2442 "parser.c"
 	{
 	cs = JSON_string_start;
 	}
 
-#line 1097 "parser.rl"
+#line 1091 "parser.rl"
     json->memo = p;
 
-#line 2511 "parser.c"
+#line 2450 "parser.c"
 	{
 	if ( p == pe )
 		goto _test_eof;
@@ -2532,14 +2471,14 @@ case 2:
 		goto st0;
 	goto st2;
 tr2:
-#line 1059 "parser.rl"
+#line 1053 "parser.rl"
 	{
         *result = json_string_fastpath(json, json->memo + 1, p, json->parsing_name, json->parsing_name || json-> freeze, json->parsing_name && json->symbolize_names);
         {p = (( p + 1))-1;}
         p--;
         {p++; cs = 9; goto _out;}
     }
-#line 1052 "parser.rl"
+#line 1046 "parser.rl"
 	{
         *result = json_string_unescape(json, json->memo + 1, p, json->parsing_name, json->parsing_name || json-> freeze, json->parsing_name && json->symbolize_names);
         {p = (( p + 1))-1;}
@@ -2548,7 +2487,7 @@ case 2:
     }
 	goto st9;
 tr6:
-#line 1052 "parser.rl"
+#line 1046 "parser.rl"
 	{
         *result = json_string_unescape(json, json->memo + 1, p, json->parsing_name, json->parsing_name || json-> freeze, json->parsing_name && json->symbolize_names);
         {p = (( p + 1))-1;}
@@ -2560,7 +2499,7 @@ case 2:
 	if ( ++p == pe )
 		goto _test_eof9;
 case 9:
-#line 2564 "parser.c"
+#line 2503 "parser.c"
 	goto st0;
 st3:
 	if ( ++p == pe )
@@ -2648,7 +2587,7 @@ case 8:
 	_out: {}
 	}
 
-#line 1099 "parser.rl"
+#line 1093 "parser.rl"
 
     if (json->create_additions && RTEST(match_string = json->match_string)) {
           VALUE klass;
@@ -2801,7 +2740,7 @@ static VALUE cParser_initialize(int argc, VALUE *argv, VALUE self)
 }
 
 
-#line 2805 "parser.c"
+#line 2744 "parser.c"
 enum {JSON_start = 1};
 enum {JSON_first_final = 10};
 enum {JSON_error = 0};
@@ -2809,7 +2748,7 @@ enum {JSON_error = 0};
 enum {JSON_en_main = 1};
 
 
-#line 1265 "parser.rl"
+#line 1259 "parser.rl"
 
 
 /*
@@ -2838,16 +2777,16 @@ static VALUE cParser_parse(VALUE self)
     json->stack = &stack;
 
 
-#line 2842 "parser.c"
+#line 2781 "parser.c"
 	{
 	cs = JSON_start;
 	}
 
-#line 1293 "parser.rl"
+#line 1287 "parser.rl"
     p = json->source;
     pe = p + json->len;
 
-#line 2851 "parser.c"
+#line 2790 "parser.c"
 	{
 	if ( p == pe )
 		goto _test_eof;
@@ -2881,7 +2820,7 @@ case 1:
 cs = 0;
 	goto _out;
 tr2:
-#line 1257 "parser.rl"
+#line 1251 "parser.rl"
 	{
         char *np = JSON_parse_value(json, p, pe, &result, 0);
         if (np == NULL) { p--; {p++; cs = 10; goto _out;} } else {p = (( np))-1;}
@@ -2891,7 +2830,7 @@ cs = 0;
 	if ( ++p == pe )
 		goto _test_eof10;
 case 10:
-#line 2895 "parser.c"
+#line 2834 "parser.c"
 	switch( (*p) ) {
 		case 13: goto st10;
 		case 32: goto st10;
@@ -2980,7 +2919,7 @@ case 9:
 	_out: {}
 	}
 
-#line 1296 "parser.rl"
+#line 1290 "parser.rl"
 
     if (json->stack_handle) {
         rvalue_stack_eagerly_release(json->stack_handle);
@@ -3016,16 +2955,16 @@ static VALUE cParser_m_parse(VALUE klass, VALUE source, VALUE opts)
     json->stack = &stack;
 
 
-#line 3020 "parser.c"
+#line 2959 "parser.c"
 	{
 	cs = JSON_start;
 	}
 
-#line 1331 "parser.rl"
+#line 1325 "parser.rl"
     p = json->source;
     pe = p + json->len;
 
-#line 3029 "parser.c"
+#line 2968 "parser.c"
 	{
 	if ( p == pe )
 		goto _test_eof;
@@ -3059,7 +2998,7 @@ case 1:
 cs = 0;
 	goto _out;
 tr2:
-#line 1257 "parser.rl"
+#line 1251 "parser.rl"
 	{
         char *np = JSON_parse_value(json, p, pe, &result, 0);
         if (np == NULL) { p--; {p++; cs = 10; goto _out;} } else {p = (( np))-1;}
@@ -3069,7 +3008,7 @@ cs = 0;
 	if ( ++p == pe )
 		goto _test_eof10;
 case 10:
-#line 3073 "parser.c"
+#line 3012 "parser.c"
 	switch( (*p) ) {
 		case 13: goto st10;
 		case 32: goto st10;
@@ -3158,7 +3097,7 @@ case 9:
 	_out: {}
 	}
 
-#line 1334 "parser.rl"
+#line 1328 "parser.rl"
 
     if (json->stack_handle) {
         rvalue_stack_eagerly_release(json->stack_handle);
diff --git a/ext/json/ext/parser/parser.rl b/ext/json/ext/parser/parser.rl
index 9620b196..eab60b91 100644
--- a/ext/json/ext/parser/parser.rl
+++ b/ext/json/ext/parser/parser.rl
@@ -392,6 +392,7 @@ typedef struct JSON_ParserStruct {
     VALUE decimal_class;
     VALUE match_string;
     FBuffer fbuffer;
+    int in_array;
     int max_nesting;
     bool allow_nan;
     bool allow_trailing_comma;
@@ -420,8 +421,7 @@ static const rb_data_type_t JSON_Parser_type;
 static char *JSON_parse_string(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result);
 static char *JSON_parse_object(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result, int current_nesting);
 static char *JSON_parse_value(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result, int current_nesting);
-static char *JSON_parse_integer(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result);
-static char *JSON_parse_float(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result);
+static char *JSON_parse_number(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result);
 static char *JSON_parse_array(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result, int current_nesting);
 
 
@@ -627,11 +627,7 @@ static char *JSON_parse_object(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *resu
                 raise_parse_error("unexpected token at '%s'", p);
             }
         }
-        np = JSON_parse_float(json, fpc, pe, result);
-        if (np != NULL) {
-            fexec np;
-        }
-        np = JSON_parse_integer(json, fpc, pe, result);
+        np = JSON_parse_number(json, fpc, pe, result);
         if (np != NULL) {
             fexec np;
         }
@@ -640,7 +636,9 @@ static char *JSON_parse_object(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *resu
 
     action parse_array {
         char *np;
+        json->in_array++;
         np = JSON_parse_array(json, fpc, pe, result, current_nesting + 1);
+        json->in_array--;
         if (np == NULL) { fhold; fbreak; } else fexec np;
     }
 
@@ -716,15 +714,8 @@ static inline VALUE fast_parse_integer(char *p, char *pe)
     return LL2NUM(memo);
 }
 
-static char *JSON_parse_integer(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result)
+static char *JSON_decode_integer(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, VALUE *result)
 {
-    int cs = EVIL;
-
-    %% write init;
-    json->memo = p;
-    %% write exec;
-
-    if (cs >= JSON_integer_first_final) {
         long len = p - json->memo;
         if (RB_LIKELY(len < MAX_FAST_INTEGER_SIZE)) {
             *result = fast_parse_integer(json->memo, p);
@@ -735,9 +726,6 @@ static char *JSON_parse_integer(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *res
             *result = rb_cstr2inum(FBUFFER_PTR(&json->fbuffer), 10);
         }
         return p + 1;
-    } else {
-        return NULL;
-    }
 }
 
 %%{
@@ -747,22 +735,28 @@ static char *JSON_parse_integer(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *res
     write data;
 
     action exit { fhold; fbreak; }
+    action isFloat {  is_float = true; }
 
     main := '-'? (
-              (('0' | [1-9][0-9]*) '.' [0-9]+ ([Ee] [+\-]?[0-9]+)?)
-              | (('0' | [1-9][0-9]*) ([Ee] [+\-]?[0-9]+))
-             )  (^[0-9Ee.\-]? @exit );
+              (('0' | [1-9][0-9]*)
+                ((('.' [0-9]+ ([Ee] [+\-]?[0-9]+)?) |
+                 ([Ee] [+\-]?[0-9]+)) > isFloat)?
+              ) (^[0-9Ee.\-]? @exit ));
 }%%
 
-static char *JSON_parse_float(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result)
+static char *JSON_parse_number(JSON_Parser *json, char *p, char *pe, VALUE *result)
 {
     int cs = EVIL;
+    bool is_float = false;
 
     %% write init;
     json->memo = p;
     %% write exec;
 
     if (cs >= JSON_float_first_final) {
+        if (!is_float) {
+            return JSON_decode_integer(json, p, result);
+        }
         VALUE mod = Qnil;
         ID method_id = 0;
         if (json->decimal_class) {
@@ -906,7 +900,7 @@ static VALUE json_string_fastpath(JSON_Parser *json, char *string, char *stringE
 {
     size_t bufferSize = stringEnd - string;
 
-    if (is_name) {
+    if (is_name && json->in_array) {
         VALUE cached_key;
         if (RB_UNLIKELY(symbolize)) {
             cached_key = rsymbol_cache_fetch(&json->name_cache, string, bufferSize);
@@ -929,7 +923,7 @@ static VALUE json_string_unescape(JSON_Parser *json, char *string, char *stringE
     int unescape_len;
     char buf[4];
 
-    if (is_name) {
+    if (is_name && json->in_array) {
         VALUE cached_key;
         if (RB_UNLIKELY(symbolize)) {
             cached_key = rsymbol_cache_fetch(&json->name_cache, string, bufferSize);
diff --git a/lib/json/common.rb b/lib/json/common.rb
index 2269896b..4c6b2e1a 100644
--- a/lib/json/common.rb
+++ b/lib/json/common.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-#frozen_string_literal: true
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
 require 'json/version'
 
 module JSON
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ def [](object, opts = {})
       elsif object.respond_to?(:to_str)
         str = object.to_str
         if str.is_a?(String)
-          return JSON.parse(object.to_str, opts)
+          return JSON.parse(str, opts)
         end
       end
 
@@ -230,8 +231,8 @@ def parse!(source, opts = {})
   #   parse(File.read(path), opts)
   #
   # See method #parse.
-  def load_file(filespec, opts = {})
-    parse(File.read(filespec), opts)
+  def load_file(filespec, opts = nil)
+    parse(File.read(filespec, encoding: Encoding::UTF_8), opts)
   end
 
   # :call-seq:
@@ -242,7 +243,7 @@ def load_file(filespec, opts = {})
   #
   # See method #parse!
   def load_file!(filespec, opts = {})
-    parse!(File.read(filespec), opts)
+    parse!(File.read(filespec, encoding: Encoding::UTF_8), opts)
   end
 
   # :call-seq:
diff --git a/lib/json/version.rb b/lib/json/version.rb
index 52da68dd..d5cfb549 100644
--- a/lib/json/version.rb
+++ b/lib/json/version.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
 module JSON
-  VERSION = '2.8.1'
+  VERSION = '2.8.2'
 end
diff --git a/test/json/json_common_interface_test.rb b/test/json/json_common_interface_test.rb
index 6165cc04..a5d62337 100644
--- a/test/json/json_common_interface_test.rb
+++ b/test/json/json_common_interface_test.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
+
 require_relative 'test_helper'
 require 'stringio'
 require 'tempfile'
@@ -189,8 +190,29 @@ def test_load_file_with_option!
     test_load_file_with_option_shared(:load_file!)
   end
 
+  def test_load_file_with_bad_default_external_encoding
+    data = { "key" => "€" }
+    temp_file_containing(JSON.dump(data)) do |path|
+      loaded_data = with_external_encoding(Encoding::US_ASCII) do
+        JSON.load_file(path)
+      end
+      assert_equal data, loaded_data
+    end
+  end
+
   private
 
+  def with_external_encoding(encoding)
+    verbose = $VERBOSE
+    $VERBOSE = nil
+    previous_encoding = Encoding.default_external
+    Encoding.default_external = encoding
+    yield
+  ensure
+    Encoding.default_external = previous_encoding
+    $VERBOSE = verbose
+  end
+
   def test_load_shared(method_name)
     temp_file_containing(@json) do |filespec|
       assert_equal JSON.public_send(method_name, filespec), @hash