diff --git a/.github/workflows/erlang.yml b/.github/workflows/erlang.yml
index 3d5bab7..d00548a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/erlang.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/erlang.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ on:
     branches: [master]
   pull_request:
 
+env:
+  FORCE_JAVASCRIPT_ACTIONS_TO_NODE24: true
+
 jobs:
   build:
     runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
@@ -12,8 +15,8 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        otp: ['26.1', '27.1', '28.0']
-        rebar3: ['3.25.0']
+        otp: ['27.3', '28.3']
+        rebar3: ['3.26.0']
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v6
     - uses: erlef/setup-beam@v1
@@ -22,7 +25,7 @@ jobs:
         rebar3-version: ${{matrix.rebar3}}
         version-type: strict
     - name: Cache rebar3 deps and build
-      uses: actions/cache@v4
+      uses: actions/cache@v5
       with:
         path: |
           ~/.cache/rebar3
@@ -39,8 +42,8 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        otp: ['26.1', '27.1', '28.0']
-        rebar3: ['3.25.0']
+        otp: ['27.3', '28.3']
+        rebar3: ['3.26.0']
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v6
     - uses: erlef/setup-beam@v1
@@ -49,7 +52,7 @@ jobs:
         rebar3-version: ${{matrix.rebar3}}
         version-type: strict
     - name: Cache rebar3 deps and build
-      uses: actions/cache@v4
+      uses: actions/cache@v5
       with:
         path: |
           ~/.cache/rebar3
@@ -65,8 +68,8 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        otp: ['26.1', '27.1', '28.0']
-        rebar3: ['3.25.0']
+        otp: ['27.3', '28.3']
+        rebar3: ['3.26.0']
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v6
     - uses: erlef/setup-beam@v1
@@ -75,7 +78,7 @@ jobs:
         rebar3-version: ${{matrix.rebar3}}
         version-type: strict
     - name: Cache rebar3 deps and build
-      uses: actions/cache@v4
+      uses: actions/cache@v5
       with:
         path: |
           ~/.cache/rebar3
@@ -91,8 +94,8 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        otp: ['26.1', '27.1', '28.0']
-        rebar3: ['3.25.0']
+        otp: ['27.3', '28.3']
+        rebar3: ['3.26.0']
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v6
     - uses: erlef/setup-beam@v1
@@ -101,7 +104,7 @@ jobs:
         rebar3-version: ${{matrix.rebar3}}
         version-type: strict
     - name: Cache rebar3 deps and build
-      uses: actions/cache@v4
+      uses: actions/cache@v5
       with:
         path: |
           ~/.cache/rebar3
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 5f6f3dd..fe7f1c0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ jobs:
   release:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
diff --git a/guides/configuration.md b/guides/configuration.md
index 6b14eee..8d92b8b 100644
--- a/guides/configuration.md
+++ b/guides/configuration.md
@@ -41,18 +41,18 @@ These parameters can be specified in your *main* application (Eg the one you've
 
 | Key | Description | Value |
 |-----|-------------|-------|
-| `json_lib` | JSON lib to use. Read more in the subsection *Configure json lib* | `atom()` |
-| `watchers` | Watchers are external programs that will run together with Nova. Watchers are defined as list of tuples where the tuples is in format `{Command, ArgumentList}` (Like `[{my_app, "npm", ["run", "watch"], #{workdir => "priv/assets/js/my-app"}}]`) | `[{string(), string()}] | [{atom(), string(), map()}] | [{atom(), string(), list(), map()}]` |
+| `json_lib` | JSON lib to use. Defaults to the Erlang/OTP `json` module. Read more in the subsection *Configure json lib* | `atom()` |
+| `watchers` | Watchers are external programs that will run together with Nova. Watchers are defined as list of tuples where the tuples is in format `{Command, ArgumentList}` (Like `[{my_app, "npm", ["run", "watch"], #{workdir => "priv/assets/js/my-app"}}]`) | `[{string(), string()}] | [{atom(), string(), list(), map()}]` |
 
 
 
 ### Configure json_lib
 
-One can configure which json library to use for encoding/decoding json structures. The module defined for this should expose two different functions:
+By default Nova uses the Erlang/OTP `json` module (available since OTP 27). You can configure a custom JSON library for use with other BEAM languages (Gleam, LFE, etc.). The module must expose two functions:
 
-`encode(Structure) -> binary() | iolist()`
+`encode(Term) -> iodata()`
 
-`decode(JsonString) -> {ok, Structure}`
+`decode(Binary) -> Term` (raises on error)
 
 
 ## Handling errors in Nova
diff --git a/rebar.config b/rebar.config
index 62a190b..f5884f1 100644
--- a/rebar.config
+++ b/rebar.config
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@
         {cowboy, "2.13.0"},
         {erlydtl, "0.14.0"},
         {jhn_stdlib, "5.4.0"},
-        {routing_tree, "1.0.11"},
-        {thoas, "1.2.1"}
+        {routing_tree, "1.0.11"}
        ]}.
 
 {profiles, [
diff --git a/rebar.lock b/rebar.lock
index e38da47..d5a3247 100644
--- a/rebar.lock
+++ b/rebar.lock
@@ -1,26 +1,23 @@
 {"1.2.0",
 [{<<"cowboy">>,{pkg,<<"cowboy">>,<<"2.13.0">>},0},
- {<<"cowlib">>,{pkg,<<"cowlib">>,<<"2.13.0">>},1},
+ {<<"cowlib">>,{pkg,<<"cowlib">>,<<"2.16.0">>},1},
  {<<"erlydtl">>,{pkg,<<"erlydtl">>,<<"0.14.0">>},0},
  {<<"jhn_stdlib">>,{pkg,<<"jhn_stdlib">>,<<"5.4.0">>},0},
- {<<"ranch">>,{pkg,<<"ranch">>,<<"2.1.0">>},1},
- {<<"routing_tree">>,{pkg,<<"routing_tree">>,<<"1.0.11">>},0},
- {<<"thoas">>,{pkg,<<"thoas">>,<<"1.2.1">>},0}]}.
+ {<<"ranch">>,{pkg,<<"ranch">>,<<"2.2.0">>},1},
+ {<<"routing_tree">>,{pkg,<<"routing_tree">>,<<"1.0.11">>},0}]}.
 [
 {pkg_hash,[
  {<<"cowboy">>, <<"09D770DD5F6A22CC60C071F432CD7CB87776164527F205C5A6B0F24FF6B38990">>},
- {<<"cowlib">>, <<"DB8F7505D8332D98EF50A3EF34B34C1AFDDEC7506E4EE4DD4A3A266285D282CA">>},
+ {<<"cowlib">>, <<"54592074EBBBB92EE4746C8A8846E5605052F29309D3A873468D76CDF932076F">>},
  {<<"erlydtl">>, <<"964B2DC84F8C17ACFAA69C59BA129EF26AC45D2BA898C3C6AD9B5BDC8BA13CED">>},
  {<<"jhn_stdlib">>, <<"FAC6F19B35351278F1CB156E23A5B2A6047A9DD5AB1FD9E1189A7918006DF7ED">>},
- {<<"ranch">>, <<"2261F9ED9574DCFCC444106B9F6DA155E6E540B2F82BA3D42B339B93673B72A3">>},
- {<<"routing_tree">>, <<"72ACEF2095F0EC804F7AFD07EF781DDE5009425A1CA0A28F0706B1DB334A4812">>},
- {<<"thoas">>, <<"19A25F31177A17E74004D4840F66D791D4298C5738790FA2CC73731EB911F195">>}]},
+ {<<"ranch">>, <<"25528F82BC8D7C6152C57666CA99EC716510FE0925CB188172F41CE93117B1B0">>},
+ {<<"routing_tree">>, <<"72ACEF2095F0EC804F7AFD07EF781DDE5009425A1CA0A28F0706B1DB334A4812">>}]},
 {pkg_hash_ext,[
  {<<"cowboy">>, <<"E724D3A70995025D654C1992C7B11DBFEA95205C047D86FF9BF1CDA92DDC5614">>},
- {<<"cowlib">>, <<"E1E1284DC3FC030A64B1AD0D8382AE7E99DA46C3246B815318A4B848873800A4">>},
+ {<<"cowlib">>, <<"7F478D80D66B747344F0EA7708C187645CFCC08B11AA424632F78E25BF05DB51">>},
  {<<"erlydtl">>, <<"D80EC044CD8F58809C19D29AC5605BE09E955040911B644505E31E9DD8143431">>},
  {<<"jhn_stdlib">>, <<"7EABD1B01D2DEFF495BF7C5CA1DBA4D3FA0B84DC3AF03CA85F31D52EBB03C6FC">>},
- {<<"ranch">>, <<"244EE3FA2A6175270D8E1FC59024FD9DBC76294A321057DE8F803B1479E76916">>},
- {<<"routing_tree">>, <<"85982C7AC502892C5179CD2A591331003BACD2D2A71723640BA7D23F45408E6E">>},
- {<<"thoas">>, <<"E38697EDFFD6E91BD12CEA41B155115282630075C2A727E7A6B2947F5408B86A">>}]}
+ {<<"ranch">>, <<"FA0B99A1780C80218A4197A59EA8D3BDAE32FBFF7E88527D7D8A4787EFF4F8E7">>},
+ {<<"routing_tree">>, <<"85982C7AC502892C5179CD2A591331003BACD2D2A71723640BA7D23F45408E6E">>}]}
 ].
diff --git a/src/controllers/nova_error_controller.erl b/src/controllers/nova_error_controller.erl
index f38598d..dbaf952 100644
--- a/src/controllers/nova_error_controller.erl
+++ b/src/controllers/nova_error_controller.erl
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ not_found(Req) ->
 	  lists:member(<<"text/html">>, AcceptList)} of
         {true, _} ->
             %% Render a json response
-            JsonLib = nova:get_env(json_lib, thoas),
-            Json = JsonLib:encode(#{message => "Resource not found"}),
+            JsonLib = nova:get_env(json_lib, json),
+            Json = JsonLib:encode(#{message => <<"Resource not found">>}),
             {status, 404, #{<<"content-type">> => <<"application/json">>}, Json};
 	{_, true} ->
             %% Just assume HTML
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ server_error(#{crash_info := #{status_code := StatusCode} = CrashInfo} = Req) ->
         true ->
             case cowboy_req:header(<<"accept">>, Req) of
                 <<"application/json">> ->
-                    JsonLib = nova:get_env(json_lib, thoas),
-                    Json = JsonLib:encode(Variables),
+                    JsonLib = nova:get_env(json_lib, json),
+                    Json = JsonLib:encode(ensure_json_safe(Variables)),
                     {status, StatusCode, #{<<"content-type">> => <<"application/json">>}, Json};
                 <<"text/html">> ->
                     {ok, Body} = nova_error_dtl:render(Variables),
@@ -61,10 +61,10 @@ server_error(#{crash_info := #{status_code := StatusCode} = CrashInfo} = Req) ->
     end;
 server_error(#{crash_info := #{class := Class, reason := Reason}} = Req) ->
     Stacktrace = maps:get(stacktrace, Req, []),
-    Variables = #{status => "Internal Server Error",
-                  title => "500 Internal Server Error",
-                  message => "Something internal crashed. Please take a look!",
-                  extra_msg => io_lib:format("Class: ~p<br /> Reason: ~p", [Class, Reason]),
+    Variables = #{status => <<"Internal Server Error">>,
+                  title => <<"500 Internal Server Error">>,
+                  message => <<"Something internal crashed. Please take a look!">>,
+                  extra_msg => iolist_to_binary(io_lib:format("Class: ~p<br /> Reason: ~p", [Class, Reason])),
                   stacktrace => format_stacktrace(Stacktrace)},
 
     case nova:get_environment() of
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ server_error(#{crash_info := #{class := Class, reason := Reason}} = Req) ->
             %% We do show a proper error response
             case cowboy_req:header(<<"accept">>, Req) of
                 <<"application/json">> ->
-                    JsonLib = nova:get_env(json_lib, thoas),
+                    JsonLib = nova:get_env(json_lib, json),
                     Json = JsonLib:encode(Variables),
                     {status, 500, #{<<"content-type">> => <<"application/json">>}, Json};
                 <<"text/html">> ->
@@ -123,6 +123,16 @@ format_arity(Arity, _) when is_function(Arity)->
 format_arity(Arity, _) ->
     Arity.
 
+ensure_json_safe(Map) when is_map(Map) ->
+    maps:map(fun(_K, V) -> ensure_json_safe(V) end, Map);
+ensure_json_safe(List) when is_list(List) ->
+    case io_lib:printable_unicode_list(List) of
+        true -> unicode:characters_to_binary(List);
+        false -> [ensure_json_safe(E) || E <- List]
+    end;
+ensure_json_safe(Value) ->
+    Value.
+
 -ifdef(TEST).
 -compile(export_all).
 -endif.
diff --git a/src/nova.app.src b/src/nova.app.src
index 2d02663..458aa28 100644
--- a/src/nova.app.src
+++ b/src/nova.app.src
@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@
                  compiler,
                  erlydtl,
                  jhn_stdlib,
-                 routing_tree,
-                 thoas
+                 routing_tree
                 ]},
   {env,[]},
   {modules,[nova]},
diff --git a/src/nova_basic_handler.erl b/src/nova_basic_handler.erl
index ad44095..3103d06 100644
--- a/src/nova_basic_handler.erl
+++ b/src/nova_basic_handler.erl
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
 handle_json({json, StatusCode, Headers, Req0, JSON}, Callback, _Req) ->
     handle_json({json, StatusCode, Headers, JSON}, Callback, Req0);
 handle_json({json, StatusCode, Headers, JSON}, _Callback, Req) ->
-    JsonLib = nova:get_env(json_lib, thoas),
+    JsonLib = nova:get_env(json_lib, json),
     EncodedJSON = JsonLib:encode(JSON),
     Headers0 = maps:merge(#{<<"content-type">> => <<"application/json">>}, Headers),
     Req0 = cowboy_req:set_resp_headers(Headers0, Req),
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ handle_status({status, Status, ExtraHeaders, JSON, Req0}, Callback, _Req) ->
     handle_status({status, Status, ExtraHeaders, JSON}, Callback, Req0);
 handle_status({status, Status, ExtraHeaders, JSON}, _Callback, Req) when is_map(JSON) ->
     %% We do not need to render a status page since we just return a JSON structure
-    JsonLib = nova:get_env(json_lib, thoas),
+    JsonLib = nova:get_env(json_lib, json),
     Headers0 = maps:merge(#{<<"content-type">> => <<"application/json">>}, ExtraHeaders),
     Req0 = cowboy_req:set_resp_headers(Headers0, Req),
     Req1 = Req0#{resp_status_code => Status},
diff --git a/src/nova_jsonlogger.erl b/src/nova_jsonlogger.erl
index c843331..a0a28b0 100644
--- a/src/nova_jsonlogger.erl
+++ b/src/nova_jsonlogger.erl
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ merge_meta(Msg, Meta0, Config) ->
     maps:merge(Msg, Meta2).
 
 encode(Data, Config) ->
-    JsonLib = nova:get_env(json_lib, thoas),
+    JsonLib = nova:get_env(json_lib, json),
     Json = JsonLib:encode(Data),
     case new_line(Config) of
         true -> [Json, new_line_type(Config)];
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ meta_with(Meta, _ConfigNotPresent) ->
 -include_lib("eunit/include/eunit.hrl").
 
 -define(assertJSONEqual(Expected, Actual),
-    ?assertEqual(thoas:decode(Expected), thoas:decode(Actual))
+    ?assertEqual(json:decode(Expected), json:decode(iolist_to_binary(Actual)))
 ).
 
 format_test() ->
@@ -260,20 +260,20 @@ meta_without_test() ->
         meta => #{secret => xyz}
     },
     ?assertEqual(
-        {ok, #{
+        #{
             <<"answer">> => 42,
             <<"level">> => <<"info">>,
             <<"secret">> => <<"xyz">>
-        }},
-        thoas:decode(format(Error, #{}))
+        },
+        json:decode(iolist_to_binary(format(Error, #{})))
     ),
     Config2 = #{meta_without => [secret]},
     ?assertEqual(
-        {ok, #{
+        #{
             <<"answer">> => 42,
             <<"level">> => <<"info">>
-        }},
-        thoas:decode(format(Error, Config2))
+        },
+        json:decode(iolist_to_binary(format(Error, Config2)))
     ),
     ok.
 
@@ -284,36 +284,34 @@ meta_with_test() ->
         meta => #{secret => xyz}
     },
     ?assertEqual(
-        {ok, #{
+        #{
             <<"answer">> => 42,
             <<"level">> => <<"info">>,
             <<"secret">> => <<"xyz">>
-        }},
-        thoas:decode(format(Error, #{}))
+        },
+        json:decode(iolist_to_binary(format(Error, #{})))
     ),
     Config2 = #{meta_with => [level]},
     ?assertEqual(
-        {ok, #{
+        #{
             <<"answer">> => 42,
             <<"level">> => <<"info">>
-        }},
-        thoas:decode(format(Error, Config2))
+        },
+        json:decode(iolist_to_binary(format(Error, Config2)))
     ),
     ok.
 
 newline_test() ->
     ConfigDefault = #{new_line => true},
-    ?assertEqual(
-        [<<"{\"level\":\"alert\",\"text\":\"derp\"}">>, <<"\n">>],
-        format(#{level => alert, msg => {string, "derp"}, meta => #{}}, ConfigDefault)
-    ),
-    ConfigCRLF = #{
-        new_line_type => crlf,
-        new_line => true
-    },
-    ?assertEqual(
-        [<<"{\"level\":\"alert\",\"text\":\"derp\"}">>, <<"\r\n">>],
-        format(#{level => alert, msg => {string, "derp"}, meta => #{}}, ConfigCRLF)
-    ).
+    [JsonDefault, NlDefault] = format(#{level => alert, msg => {string, "derp"}, meta => #{}}, ConfigDefault),
+    ?assertEqual(#{<<"level">> => <<"alert">>, <<"text">> => <<"derp">>},
+                 json:decode(iolist_to_binary(JsonDefault))),
+    ?assertEqual(<<"\n">>, NlDefault),
+
+    ConfigCRLF = #{new_line_type => crlf, new_line => true},
+    [JsonCRLF, NlCRLF] = format(#{level => alert, msg => {string, "derp"}, meta => #{}}, ConfigCRLF),
+    ?assertEqual(#{<<"level">> => <<"alert">>, <<"text">> => <<"derp">>},
+                 json:decode(iolist_to_binary(JsonCRLF))),
+    ?assertEqual(<<"\r\n">>, NlCRLF).
 
 -endif.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/plugins/nova_request_plugin.erl b/src/plugins/nova_request_plugin.erl
index 7421d68..17467e7 100644
--- a/src/plugins/nova_request_plugin.erl
+++ b/src/plugins/nova_request_plugin.erl
@@ -78,15 +78,16 @@ modulate_state(Req = #{headers := #{<<"content-type">> := <<"application/json",
     {stop, Req400, State};
 modulate_state(Req = #{headers := #{<<"content-type">> := <<"application/json", _/binary>>}, body := Body}, [{decode_json_body, true}|Tl], State) ->
     %% Decode the data
-    JsonLib = nova:get_env(json_lib, thoas),
-    case JsonLib:decode(Body) of
-        {ok, JSON} ->
-            modulate_state(Req#{json => JSON}, Tl, State);
-        Error ->
+    JsonLib = nova:get_env(json_lib, json),
+    try JsonLib:decode(Body) of
+        JSON ->
+            modulate_state(Req#{json => JSON}, Tl, State)
+    catch
+        error:Reason ->
             Req400 = cowboy_req:reply(400, Req),
             logger:warning(#{status_code => 400,
                              msg => "Failed to decode json.",
-                             error => Error}),
+                             error => Reason}),
             {stop, Req400, State}
     end;
 modulate_state(#{headers := #{<<"content-type">> := <<"application/x-www-form-urlencoded", _/binary>>}, body := Body} = Req,
diff --git a/test/nova_error_controller_tests.erl b/test/nova_error_controller_tests.erl
index 159b066..fc735b9 100644
--- a/test/nova_error_controller_tests.erl
+++ b/test/nova_error_controller_tests.erl
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ not_found_json_accept_test_() ->
          Req1 = nova_test_helper:with_header(<<"accept">>, <<"application/json">>, Req),
          {status, 404, Headers, Body} = nova_error_controller:not_found(Req1),
          ?assertEqual(<<"application/json">>, maps:get(<<"content-type">>, Headers)),
-         ?assert(is_binary(Body))
+         ?assert(is_list(Body) orelse is_binary(Body))
      end}.
 
 %% When no accept header, defaults to JSON
diff --git a/test/nova_test_helper.erl b/test/nova_test_helper.erl
index bf7ca42..e93948d 100644
--- a/test/nova_test_helper.erl
+++ b/test/nova_test_helper.erl
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ with_header(Name, Value, Req = #{headers := Headers}) ->
 
 -spec with_json_body(map() | binary(), map()) -> map().
 with_json_body(JSON, Req) when is_map(JSON) ->
-    Body = thoas:encode(JSON),
+    JsonLib = nova:get_env(json_lib, json),
+    Body = iolist_to_binary(JsonLib:encode(JSON)),
     with_json_body(Body, Req);
 with_json_body(Body, Req) when is_binary(Body) ->
     Req1 = with_content_type(<<"application/json">>, Req),
@@ -61,7 +62,6 @@ setup_nova_env() ->
     Prev = application:get_env(nova, bootstrap_application),
     application:set_env(nova, bootstrap_application, nova),
     application:set_env(nova, environment, dev),
-    application:set_env(nova, json_lib, thoas),
     Prev.
 
 -spec cleanup_nova_env(undefined | {ok, atom()}) -> ok.