diff --git a/src/examples/media-session/default-nodes.c b/src/examples/media-session/default-nodes.c
index a9700861b..7876d529c 100644
--- a/src/examples/media-session/default-nodes.c
+++ b/src/examples/media-session/default-nodes.c
@@ -194,28 +194,27 @@ static const struct pw_metadata_events metadata_events = {
 static void session_create(void *data, struct sm_object *object)
 {
 	struct impl *impl = data;
-	const struct spa_dict_item *it;
+	const struct spa_dict_item *item;
 
 	if (strcmp(object->type, PW_TYPE_INTERFACE_Node) != 0)
 		return;
 
-	spa_dict_for_each(it, &impl->properties->dict) {
-		struct spa_json json[2];
-		int len;
+	spa_dict_for_each(item, &impl->properties->dict) {
+		struct spa_json it[2];
 		const char *value;
-		char name [1024] = "\0";
+		char name [1024] = "\0", key[128];
 		struct find_data d;
 
-		spa_json_init(&json[0], it->value, strlen(it->value));
-		if (spa_json_enter_object(&json[0], &json[1]) <= 0)
+		spa_json_init(&it[0], item->value, strlen(item->value));
+		if (spa_json_enter_object(&it[0], &it[1]) <= 0)
 			continue;
 
-		while ((len = spa_json_next(&json[1], &value)) > 0) {
-			if (strncmp(value, "\"name\"", len) == 0) {
-				if (spa_json_get_string(&json[1], name, sizeof(name)) <= 0)
+		while (spa_json_get_string(&it[1], key, sizeof(key)-1) > 0) {
+			if (strcmp(key, "name") == 0) {
+				if (spa_json_get_string(&it[1], name, sizeof(name)) <= 0)
 					continue;
 			} else {
-				if (spa_json_next(&json[1], &value) <= 0)
+				if (spa_json_next(&it[1], &value) <= 0)
 					break;
 			}
 		}
@@ -224,9 +223,9 @@ static void session_create(void *data, struct sm_object *object)
 			char val[16];
 			snprintf(val, sizeof(val)-1, "%u", d.id);
 			pw_log_info("found %s with id:%s restore as %s",
-					name, val, it->key);
+					name, val, item->key);
 			pw_metadata_set_property(impl->session->metadata,
-				PW_ID_CORE, it->key, SPA_TYPE_INFO_BASE"Id", val);
+				PW_ID_CORE, item->key, SPA_TYPE_INFO_BASE"Id", val);
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/examples/media-session/default-profile.c b/src/examples/media-session/default-profile.c
index 2218fdcbe..a06ec61af 100644
--- a/src/examples/media-session/default-profile.c
+++ b/src/examples/media-session/default-profile.c
@@ -208,8 +208,7 @@ static int find_saved_profile(struct device *dev, struct profile *pr)
 	struct spa_json it[2];
 	struct impl *impl = dev->impl;
 	const char *json, *value;
-	int len;
-	char name[1024] = "\0";
+	char name[1024] = "\0", key[128];
 	struct sm_param *p;
 
 	json = pw_properties_get(impl->properties, dev->key);
@@ -220,8 +219,8 @@ static int find_saved_profile(struct device *dev, struct profile *pr)
 	if (spa_json_enter_object(&it[0], &it[1]) <= 0)
                 return -EINVAL;
 
-	while ((len = spa_json_next(&it[1], &value)) > 0) {
-		if (strncmp(value, "\"name\"", len) == 0) {
+	while (spa_json_get_string(&it[1], key, sizeof(key)-1) > 0) {
+		if (strcmp(key, "name") == 0) {
 			if (spa_json_get_string(&it[1], name, sizeof(name)) <= 0)
                                 continue;
 		} else {
diff --git a/src/examples/media-session/default-routes.c b/src/examples/media-session/default-routes.c
index 73f33fd09..d32188dad 100644
--- a/src/examples/media-session/default-routes.c
+++ b/src/examples/media-session/default-routes.c
@@ -204,9 +204,8 @@ static char *serialize_props(struct device *dev, const struct spa_pod *param)
 static int restore_route(struct device *dev, const char *val, uint32_t index, uint32_t device_id)
 {
 	struct spa_json it[3];
-	char buf[1024];
+	char buf[1024], key[128];
 	const char *value;
-	int len;
 	struct spa_pod_builder b = SPA_POD_BUILDER_INIT(buf, sizeof(buf));
 	struct spa_pod_frame f[2];
 	struct spa_pod *param;
@@ -226,22 +225,22 @@ static int restore_route(struct device *dev, const char *val, uint32_t index, ui
 	spa_pod_builder_push_object(&b, &f[1],
 			SPA_TYPE_OBJECT_Props, SPA_PARAM_Route);
 
-	while ((len = spa_json_next(&it[1], &value)) > 0) {
-		if (strncmp(value, "\"volume\"", len) == 0) {
+	while (spa_json_get_string(&it[1], key, sizeof(key)-1) > 0) {
+		if (strcmp(key, "volume") == 0) {
 			float vol;
 			if (spa_json_get_float(&it[1], &vol) <= 0)
                                 continue;
 			spa_pod_builder_prop(&b, SPA_PROP_volume, 0);
 			spa_pod_builder_float(&b, vol);
 		}
-		else if (strncmp(value, "\"mute\"", len) == 0) {
+		else if (strcmp(key, "mute") == 0) {
 			bool mute;
 			if (spa_json_get_bool(&it[1], &mute) <= 0)
                                 continue;
 			spa_pod_builder_prop(&b, SPA_PROP_mute, 0);
 			spa_pod_builder_bool(&b, mute);
 		}
-		else if (strncmp(value, "\"volumes\"", len) == 0) {
+		else if (strcmp(key, "volumes") == 0) {
 			uint32_t n_vols;
 			float vols[SPA_AUDIO_MAX_CHANNELS];
 
@@ -259,7 +258,7 @@ static int restore_route(struct device *dev, const char *val, uint32_t index, ui
 			spa_pod_builder_array(&b, sizeof(float), SPA_TYPE_Float,
 					n_vols, vols);
 		}
-		else if (strncmp(value, "\"channels\"", len) == 0) {
+		else if (strcmp(key, "channels") == 0) {
 			uint32_t n_ch;
 			uint32_t map[SPA_AUDIO_MAX_CHANNELS];
 
diff --git a/src/examples/media-session/restore-stream.c b/src/examples/media-session/restore-stream.c
index d39b2a792..9e2abad8f 100644
--- a/src/examples/media-session/restore-stream.c
+++ b/src/examples/media-session/restore-stream.c
@@ -276,8 +276,7 @@ static int restore_stream(struct stream *str, const char *val)
 {
 	struct spa_json it[3];
 	const char *value;
-	int len;
-	char buf[1024];
+	char buf[1024], key[128];
 	struct spa_pod_builder b = SPA_POD_BUILDER_INIT(buf, sizeof(buf));
 	struct spa_pod_frame f[2];
 	struct spa_pod *param;
@@ -290,22 +289,22 @@ static int restore_stream(struct stream *str, const char *val)
 	spa_pod_builder_push_object(&b, &f[0],
 			SPA_TYPE_OBJECT_Props, SPA_PARAM_Props);
 
-	while ((len = spa_json_next(&it[1], &value)) > 0) {
-		if (strncmp(value, "\"volume\"", len) == 0) {
+	while (spa_json_get_string(&it[1], key, sizeof(key)-1) > 0) {
+		if (strcmp(key, "volume") == 0) {
 			float vol;
 			if (spa_json_get_float(&it[1], &vol) <= 0)
                                 continue;
 			spa_pod_builder_prop(&b, SPA_PROP_volume, 0);
 			spa_pod_builder_float(&b, vol);
 		}
-		else if (strncmp(value, "\"mute\"", len) == 0) {
+		else if (strcmp(key, "mute") == 0) {
 			bool mute;
 			if (spa_json_get_bool(&it[1], &mute) <= 0)
                                 continue;
 			spa_pod_builder_prop(&b, SPA_PROP_mute, 0);
 			spa_pod_builder_bool(&b, mute);
 		}
-		else if (strncmp(value, "\"volumes\"", len) == 0) {
+		else if (strcmp(key, "volumes") == 0) {
 			uint32_t n_vols;
 			float vols[SPA_AUDIO_MAX_CHANNELS];
 
@@ -323,7 +322,7 @@ static int restore_stream(struct stream *str, const char *val)
 			spa_pod_builder_array(&b, sizeof(float), SPA_TYPE_Float,
 					n_vols, vols);
 		}
-		else if (strncmp(value, "\"channels\"", len) == 0) {
+		else if (strcmp(key, "channels") == 0) {
 			uint32_t n_ch;
 			uint32_t map[SPA_AUDIO_MAX_CHANNELS];
 
@@ -343,7 +342,7 @@ static int restore_stream(struct stream *str, const char *val)
 			spa_pod_builder_array(&b, sizeof(uint32_t), SPA_TYPE_Id,
 					n_ch, map);
 		}
-		else if (strncmp(value, "\"target-node\"", len) == 0) {
+		else if (strcmp(key, "target-node") == 0) {
 			char name[1024];
 
 			if (spa_json_get_string(&it[1], name, sizeof(name)) <= 0)
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/ext-stream-restore.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/ext-stream-restore.c
index 79e09aa5f..fbf980f51 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/ext-stream-restore.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/ext-stream-restore.c
@@ -122,13 +122,12 @@ static int do_extension_stream_restore_read(struct client *client, uint32_t comm
 	spa_dict_for_each(item, &client->routes->dict) {
 		struct spa_json it[3];
 		const char *value;
-		char name[1024];
+		char name[1024], key[128];
 		char device_name[1024] = "\0";
 		bool mute = false;
 		struct volume vol = VOLUME_INIT;
 		struct channel_map map = CHANNEL_MAP_INIT;
 		float volume = 0.0f;
-		int len;
 
 		if (key_to_name(item->key, name, sizeof(name)) < 0)
 			continue;
@@ -139,16 +138,16 @@ static int do_extension_stream_restore_read(struct client *client, uint32_t comm
 		if (spa_json_enter_object(&it[0], &it[1]) <= 0)
 			continue;
 
-		while ((len = spa_json_next(&it[1], &value)) > 0) {
-			if (strncmp(value, "\"volume\"", len) == 0) {
+		while (spa_json_get_string(&it[1], key, sizeof(key)-1) > 0) {
+			if (strcmp(key, "volume") == 0) {
 				if (spa_json_get_float(&it[1], &volume) <= 0)
 					continue;
 			}
-			else if (strncmp(value, "\"mute\"", len) == 0) {
+			else if (strcmp(key, "mute") == 0) {
 				if (spa_json_get_bool(&it[1], &mute) <= 0)
 					continue;
 			}
-			else if (strncmp(value, "\"volumes\"", len) == 0) {
+			else if (strcmp(key, "volumes") == 0) {
 				vol = VOLUME_INIT;
 				if (spa_json_enter_array(&it[1], &it[2]) <= 0)
 					continue;
@@ -158,7 +157,7 @@ static int do_extension_stream_restore_read(struct client *client, uint32_t comm
 						break;
 				}
 			}
-			else if (strncmp(value, "\"channels\"", len) == 0) {
+			else if (strcmp(key, "channels") == 0) {
 				if (spa_json_enter_array(&it[1], &it[2]) <= 0)
 					continue;
 
@@ -169,7 +168,7 @@ static int do_extension_stream_restore_read(struct client *client, uint32_t comm
 					map.map[map.channels] = channel_name2id(chname);
 				}
 			}
-			else if (strncmp(value, "\"target-node\"", len) == 0) {
+			else if (strcmp(key, "target-node") == 0) {
 				if (spa_json_get_string(&it[1], device_name, sizeof(device_name)) <= 0)
 					continue;
 			}