diff --git a/src/daemon/client-rt.conf.in b/src/daemon/client-rt.conf.in
index 1a667e9f8..a138bdd70 100644
--- a/src/daemon/client-rt.conf.in
+++ b/src/daemon/client-rt.conf.in
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ context.spa-libs = {
     support.*       = support/libspa-support
 }
 
-context.modules = {
-    #<module-name> = {
-    #    [ args  = { <key> = <value> ... } ]
+context.modules = [
+    #{   name = <module-name>
+    #    [ args = { <key> = <value> ... } ]
     #    [ flags = [ [ ifexists ] [ nofail ] ]
     #}
     #
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ context.modules = {
     # If nofail is given, module initialization failures are ignored.
     #
     # Uses RTKit to boost the data thread priority.
-    libpipewire-module-rtkit = {
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-rtkit
         args = {
             #nice.level   = -11
             #rt.prio      = 88
@@ -41,28 +41,28 @@ context.modules = {
     }
 
     # The native communication protocol.
-    libpipewire-module-protocol-native = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-protocol-native }
 
     # Allows creating nodes that run in the context of the
     # client. Is used by all clients that want to provide
     # data to PipeWire.
-    libpipewire-module-client-node = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-client-node }
 
     # Allows creating devices that run in the context of the
     # client. Is used by the session manager.
-    libpipewire-module-client-device = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-client-device }
 
     # Makes a factory for wrapping nodes in an adapter with a
     # converter and resampler.
-    libpipewire-module-adapter = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-adapter }
 
     # Allows applications to create metadata objects. It creates
     # a factory for Metadata objects.
-    libpipewire-module-metadata = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-metadata }
 
     # Provides factories to make session manager objects.
-    libpipewire-module-session-manager = null
-}
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-session-manager }
+]
 
 filter.properties = {
     #node.latency = 1024/48000
diff --git a/src/daemon/client.conf.in b/src/daemon/client.conf.in
index 83a9270a0..2b0232718 100644
--- a/src/daemon/client.conf.in
+++ b/src/daemon/client.conf.in
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ context.spa-libs = {
     support.*       = support/libspa-support
 }
 
-context.modules = {
-    #<module-name> = {
-    #    [ args  = { <key> = <value> ... } ]
+context.modules = [
+    #{   name = <module-name>
+    #    [ args = { <key> = <value> ... } ]
     #    [ flags = [ [ ifexists ] [ nofail ] ]
     #}
     #
@@ -30,28 +30,28 @@ context.modules = {
     #
 
     # The native communication protocol.
-    libpipewire-module-protocol-native = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-protocol-native }
 
     # Allows creating nodes that run in the context of the
     # client. Is used by all clients that want to provide
     # data to PipeWire.
-    libpipewire-module-client-node = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-client-node }
 
     # Allows creating devices that run in the context of the
     # client. Is used by the session manager.
-    libpipewire-module-client-device = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-client-device }
 
     # Makes a factory for wrapping nodes in an adapter with a
     # converter and resampler.
-    libpipewire-module-adapter = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-adapter }
 
     # Allows applications to create metadata objects. It creates
     # a factory for Metadata objects.
-    libpipewire-module-metadata = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-metadata }
 
     # Provides factories to make session manager objects.
-    libpipewire-module-session-manager = null
-}
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-session-manager }
+]
 
 filter.properties = {
     #node.latency = 1024/48000
diff --git a/src/daemon/jack.conf.in b/src/daemon/jack.conf.in
index d27d2bee9..1da61dcaa 100644
--- a/src/daemon/jack.conf.in
+++ b/src/daemon/jack.conf.in
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ context.spa-libs = {
     support.* = support/libspa-support
 }
 
-context.modules = {
-    #<module-name> = {
-    #    [ args  = { <key> = <value> ... } ]
+context.modules = [
+    #{   name = <module-name>
+    #    [ args = { <key> = <value> ... } ]
     #    [ flags = [ [ ifexists ] [ nofail ] ]
     #}
     #
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ context.modules = {
     #
     #
     # Uses RTKit to boost the data thread priority.
-    libpipewire-module-rtkit = {
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-rtkit
         args = {
             #nice.level   = -11
             #rt.prio      = 88
@@ -41,17 +41,17 @@ context.modules = {
     }
 
     # The native communication protocol.
-    libpipewire-module-protocol-native = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-protocol-native }
 
     # Allows creating nodes that run in the context of the
     # client. Is used by all clients that want to provide
     # data to PipeWire.
-    libpipewire-module-client-node = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-client-node }
 
     # Allows applications to create metadata objects. It creates
     # a factory for Metadata objects.
-    libpipewire-module-metadata = null
-}
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-metadata }
+]
 
 jack.properties = {
      #node.latency = 1024/48000
diff --git a/src/daemon/media-session.d/media-session.conf b/src/daemon/media-session.d/media-session.conf
index 857f886a7..f2c53a565 100644
--- a/src/daemon/media-session.d/media-session.conf
+++ b/src/daemon/media-session.d/media-session.conf
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ context.spa-libs = {
     api.libcamera.* = libcamera/libspa-libcamera
 }
 
-context.modules = {
-    #<module-name> = {
-    #    [ args  = { <key> = <value> ... } ]
+context.modules = [
+    #{   name = <module-name>
+    #    [ args = { <key> = <value> ... } ]
     #    [ flags = [ [ ifexists ] [ nofail ] ]
     #}
     #
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ context.modules = {
     # If nofail is given, module initialization failures are ignored.
     #
     # Uses RTKit to boost the data thread priority.
-    libpipewire-module-rtkit = {
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-rtkit
         args = {
             #nice.level   = -11
             #rt.prio      = 88
@@ -37,28 +37,28 @@ context.modules = {
     }
 
     # The native communication protocol.
-    libpipewire-module-protocol-native = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-protocol-native }
 
     # Allows creating nodes that run in the context of the
     # client. Is used by all clients that want to provide
     # data to PipeWire.
-    libpipewire-module-client-node = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-client-node }
 
     # Allows creating devices that run in the context of the
     # client. Is used by the session manager.
-    libpipewire-module-client-device = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-client-device }
 
     # Makes a factory for wrapping nodes in an adapter with a
     # converter and resampler.
-    libpipewire-module-adapter = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-adapter }
 
     # Allows applications to create metadata objects. It creates
     # a factory for Metadata objects.
-    libpipewire-module-metadata = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-metadata }
 
     # Provides factories to make session manager objects.
-    libpipewire-module-session-manager = null
-}
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-session-manager }
+]
 
 session.modules = {
     # These are the modules that are enabled when a file with
diff --git a/src/daemon/pipewire-pulse.conf.in b/src/daemon/pipewire-pulse.conf.in
index 4e348bd1b..ebd37c02e 100644
--- a/src/daemon/pipewire-pulse.conf.in
+++ b/src/daemon/pipewire-pulse.conf.in
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ context.spa-libs = {
     support.*       = support/libspa-support
 }
 
-context.modules = {
-    libpipewire-module-rtkit = {
+context.modules = [
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-rtkit
         args = {
             #nice.level   = -11
             #rt.prio      = 88
@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@ context.modules = {
         }
         flags = [ ifexists nofail ]
     }
-    libpipewire-module-protocol-native = null
-    libpipewire-module-client-node     = null
-    libpipewire-module-adapter         = null
-    libpipewire-module-metadata        = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-protocol-native }
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-client-node }
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-adapter }
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-metadata }
 
-    libpipewire-module-protocol-pulse = {
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-protocol-pulse
         args = {
 	    # the addresses this server listens on
             server.address = [
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ context.modules = {
 	    #pulse.min.quantum = 256/48000          # 5ms
         }
     }
-}
+]
 
 stream.properties = {
     #node.latency = 1024/48000
diff --git a/src/daemon/pipewire.conf.in b/src/daemon/pipewire.conf.in
index ed4ee3b29..756802e7a 100644
--- a/src/daemon/pipewire.conf.in
+++ b/src/daemon/pipewire.conf.in
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ context.spa-libs = {
     #audiotestsrc   = audiotestsrc/libspa-audiotestsrc
 }
 
-context.modules = {
-    #<module-name> = {
+context.modules = [
+    #{   name = <module-name>
     #    [ args = { <key> = <value> ... } ]
     #    [ flags = [ [ ifexists ] [ nofail ] ]
     #}
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ context.modules = {
     #
 
     # Uses RTKit to boost the data thread priority.
-    libpipewire-module-rtkit = {
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-rtkit
         args = {
             #nice.level   = -11
             #rt.prio      = 88
@@ -67,44 +67,44 @@ context.modules = {
     }
 
     # The native communication protocol.
-    libpipewire-module-protocol-native = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-protocol-native }
 
     # The profile module. Allows application to access profiler
     # and performance data. It provides an interface that is used
     # by pw-top and pw-profiler.
-    libpipewire-module-profiler = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-profiler }
 
     # Allows applications to create metadata objects. It creates
     # a factory for Metadata objects.
-    libpipewire-module-metadata = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-metadata }
 
     # Creates a factory for making devices that run in the
     # context of the PipeWire server.
-    libpipewire-module-spa-device-factory = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-spa-device-factory }
 
     # Creates a factory for making nodes that run in the
     # context of the PipeWire server.
-    libpipewire-module-spa-node-factory = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-spa-node-factory }
 
     # Allows creating nodes that run in the context of the
     # client. Is used by all clients that want to provide
     # data to PipeWire.
-    libpipewire-module-client-node = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-client-node }
 
     # Allows creating devices that run in the context of the
     # client. Is used by the session manager.
-    libpipewire-module-client-device = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-client-device }
 
     # The portal module monitors the PID of the portal process
     # and tags connections with the same PID as portal
     # connections.
-    libpipewire-module-portal = {
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-portal
         flags = [ ifexists nofail ]
     }
 
     # The access module can perform access checks and block
     # new clients.
-    libpipewire-module-access = {
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-access
         args = {
             # access.allowed to list an array of paths of allowed
             # apps.
@@ -126,17 +126,17 @@ context.modules = {
 
     # Makes a factory for wrapping nodes in an adapter with a
     # converter and resampler.
-    libpipewire-module-adapter = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-adapter }
 
     # Makes a factory for creating links between ports.
-    libpipewire-module-link-factory = null
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-link-factory }
 
     # Provides factories to make session manager objects.
-    libpipewire-module-session-manager = null
-}
+    {   name = libpipewire-module-session-manager }
+]
 
-context.objects = {
-    #<factory-name> = {
+context.objects = [
+    #{   factory = <factory-name>
     #    [ args  = { <key> = <value> ... } ]
     #    [ flags = [ [ nofail ] ]
     #}
@@ -144,16 +144,16 @@ context.objects = {
     # Creates an object from a PipeWire factory with the given parameters.
     # If nofail is given, errors are ignored (and no object is created).
     #
-    #spa-node-factory   = { args = { factory.name = videotestsrc node.name = videotestsrc Spa:Pod:Object:Param:Props:patternType = 1 } }
-    #spa-device-factory = { args = { factory.name = api.jack.device foo=bar } flags = [ nofail ] }
-    #spa-device-factory = { args = { factory.name = api.alsa.enum.udev } }
-    #spa-device-factory = { args = { factory.name = api.alsa.seq.bridge node.name = Internal-MIDI-Bridge } }
-    #adapter            = { args = { factory.name = audiotestsrc node.name = my-test } }
-    #spa-node-factory   = { args = { factory.name = api.vulkan.compute.source node.name = my-compute-source } }
+    #{ factory = spa-node-factory args = { factory.name = videotestsrc node.name = videotestsrc Spa:Pod:Object:Param:Props:patternType = 1 } }
+    #{ factory = spa-device-factory args = { factory.name = api.jack.device foo=bar } flags = [ nofail ] }
+    #{ factory = spa-device-factory args = { factory.name = api.alsa.enum.udev } }
+    #{ factory = spa-device-factory args = { factory.name = api.alsa.seq.bridge node.name = Internal-MIDI-Bridge } }
+    #{ factory = adapter            args = { factory.name = audiotestsrc node.name = my-test } }
+    #{ factory = spa-node-factory   args = { factory.name = api.vulkan.compute.source node.name = my-compute-source } }
 
     # A default dummy driver. This handles nodes marked with the "node.always-driver"
     # property when no other driver is currently active. JACK clients need this.
-    spa-node-factory = {
+    {   factory = spa-node-factory
         args = {
             factory.name    = support.node.driver
             node.name       = Dummy-Driver
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ context.objects = {
     }
     # This creates a new Source node. It will have input ports
     # that you can link, to provide audio for this source.
-    #adapter = {
+    #{   factory = adapter
     #    args = {
     #        factory.name     = support.null-audio-sink
     #        node.name        = "my-mic"
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ context.objects = {
     # This creates a single PCM source device for the given
     # alsa device path hw:0. You can change source to sink
     # to make a sink in the same way.
-    #adapter = {
+    #{   factory = adapter
     #    args = {
     #        factory.name            = api.alsa.pcm.source
     #        node.name               = "alsa-source"
@@ -192,10 +192,10 @@ context.objects = {
     #        #audio.position         = "FL,FR"
     #    }
     #}
-}
+]
 
-context.exec = {
-    #<program-name> = { [ args = "<arguments>" ] }
+context.exec = [
+    #{ path = <program-name> [ args = "<arguments>" ] }
     #
     # Execute the given program with arguments.
     #
@@ -203,12 +203,12 @@ context.exec = {
     # but it is better to start it as a systemd service.
     # Run the session manager with -h for options.
     #
-    @comment@"@media_session_path@" = { args = "" }
+    @comment@{ path = "@media_session_path@"  args = "" }
     #
     # You can optionally start the pulseaudio-server here as well
     # but it is better to start it as a systemd service.
     # It can be interesting to start another daemon here that listens
     # on another address with the -a option (eg. -a tcp:4713).
     #
-    @comment@"@pipewire_path@" = { args = "-c pipewire-pulse.conf" }
-}
+    @comment@{ path = "@pipewire_path@" args = "-c pipewire-pulse.conf" }
+]
diff --git a/src/pipewire/conf.c b/src/pipewire/conf.c
index 37b718feb..2ecb05047 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/conf.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/conf.c
@@ -273,6 +273,10 @@ int pw_conf_load_state(const char *prefix, const char *name, struct pw_propertie
 	return conf_load(prefix, name, conf);
 }
 
+/* context.spa-libs = {
+ *  <factory-name regex> = <library-name>
+ * }
+ */
 static int parse_spa_libs(struct pw_context *context, const char *str)
 {
 	struct spa_json it[2];
@@ -313,6 +317,14 @@ static int load_module(struct pw_context *context, const char *key, const char *
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/*
+ * context.modules = [
+ *   {   name = <module-name>
+ *       [ args = { <key> = <value> ... } ]
+ *       [ flags = [ [ ifexists ] [ nofail ] ]
+ *   }
+ * ]
+ */
 static int parse_modules(struct pw_context *context, const char *str)
 {
 	struct spa_json it[3];
@@ -320,49 +332,41 @@ static int parse_modules(struct pw_context *context, const char *str)
 	int res = 0;
 
 	spa_json_init(&it[0], str, strlen(str));
-	if (spa_json_enter_object(&it[0], &it[1]) < 0)
+	if (spa_json_enter_array(&it[0], &it[1]) < 0)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	while (spa_json_get_string(&it[1], key, sizeof(key)-1) > 0) {
-		const char *val, *aval;
-		char *args = NULL, *flags = NULL;
-		int len, alen;
+	while (spa_json_enter_object(&it[1], &it[2]) > 0) {
+		char *name = NULL, *args = NULL, *flags = NULL;
 
-		if ((len = spa_json_next(&it[1], &val)) <= 0)
-			break;
+		while (spa_json_get_string(&it[2], key, sizeof(key)-1) > 0) {
+			const char *val;
+			int len;
 
-		if (key[0] == '#')
-			continue;
+			if ((len = spa_json_next(&it[2], &val)) <= 0)
+				break;
 
-		if (spa_json_is_object(val, len)) {
-			char arg[512];
+			if (strcmp(key, "name") == 0) {
+				name = malloc(len + 1);
+				spa_json_parse_string(val, len, name);
+			}
+			else if (strcmp(key, "args") == 0) {
+				if (spa_json_is_container(val, len))
+					len = spa_json_container_len(&it[2], val, len);
 
-			spa_json_enter(&it[1], &it[2]);
+				args = malloc(len + 1);
+				spa_json_parse_string(val, len, args);
+			} else if (strcmp(key, "flags") == 0) {
+				if (spa_json_is_container(val, len))
+					len = spa_json_container_len(&it[2], val, len);
 
-			while (spa_json_get_string(&it[2], arg, sizeof(arg)-1) > 0) {
-				if ((alen = spa_json_next(&it[2], &aval)) <= 0)
-					break;
-
-				if (strcmp(arg, "args") == 0) {
-					if (spa_json_is_container(aval, alen))
-						alen = spa_json_container_len(&it[2], aval, alen);
-
-					args = malloc(alen + 1);
-					spa_json_parse_string(aval, alen, args);
-				} else if (strcmp(arg, "flags") == 0) {
-					if (spa_json_is_container(aval, alen))
-						alen = spa_json_container_len(&it[2], aval, alen);
-
-					flags = malloc(alen + 1);
-					spa_json_parse_string(aval, alen, flags);
-				}
+				flags = malloc(len + 1);
+				spa_json_parse_string(val, len, flags);
 			}
 		}
-		else if (!spa_json_is_null(val, len))
-			break;
-
-		res = load_module(context, key, args, flags);
+		if (name != NULL)
+			res = load_module(context, name, args, flags);
 
+		free(name);
 		free(args);
 		free(flags);
 
@@ -399,6 +403,14 @@ static int create_object(struct pw_context *context, const char *key, const char
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/*
+ * context.objects = [
+ *   {   factory = <factory-name>
+ *       [ args  = { <key> = <value> ... } ]
+ *       [ flags = [ [ nofail ] ] ]
+ *   }
+ * ]
+ */
 static int parse_objects(struct pw_context *context, const char *str)
 {
 	struct spa_json it[3];
@@ -406,45 +418,36 @@ static int parse_objects(struct pw_context *context, const char *str)
 	int res = 0;
 
 	spa_json_init(&it[0], str, strlen(str));
-	if (spa_json_enter_object(&it[0], &it[1]) < 0)
+	if (spa_json_enter_array(&it[0], &it[1]) < 0)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	while (spa_json_get_string(&it[1], key, sizeof(key)-1) > 0) {
-		const char *val, *aval;
-		char *args = NULL, *flags = NULL;
-		int len, alen;
+	while (spa_json_enter_object(&it[1], &it[2]) > 0) {
+		char *factory = NULL, *args = NULL, *flags = NULL;
 
-		if ((len = spa_json_next(&it[1], &val)) <= 0)
-			break;
+		while (spa_json_get_string(&it[2], key, sizeof(key)-1) > 0) {
+			const char *val;
+			int len;
 
-		if (key[0] == '#')
-			continue;
+			if ((len = spa_json_next(&it[2], &val)) <= 0)
+				break;
 
-		if (spa_json_is_object(val, len)) {
-			char arg[512];
+			if (strcmp(key, "factory") == 0) {
+				factory = malloc(len + 1);
+				spa_json_parse_string(val, len, factory);
+			} else if (strcmp(key, "args") == 0) {
+				if (spa_json_is_container(val, len))
+					len = spa_json_container_len(&it[2], val, len);
 
-			spa_json_enter(&it[1], &it[2]);
-
-			while (spa_json_get_string(&it[2], arg, sizeof(arg)-1) > 0) {
-				if ((alen = spa_json_next(&it[2], &aval)) <= 0)
-					break;
-
-				if (strcmp(arg, "args") == 0) {
-					if (spa_json_is_container(aval, alen))
-						alen = spa_json_container_len(&it[2], aval, alen);
-
-					args = malloc(alen + 1);
-					spa_json_parse_string(aval, alen, args);
-				} else if (strcmp(arg, "flags") == 0) {
-					flags = strndup(aval, alen);
-				}
+				args = malloc(len + 1);
+				spa_json_parse_string(val, len, args);
+			} else if (strcmp(key, "flags") == 0) {
+				flags = strndup(val, len);
 			}
 		}
-		else if (!spa_json_is_null(val, len))
-			break;
-
-		res = create_object(context, key, args, flags);
+		if (factory != NULL)
+			res = create_object(context, factory, args, flags);
 
+		free(factory);
 		free(args);
 		free(flags);
 
@@ -485,6 +488,13 @@ static int do_exec(struct pw_context *context, const char *key, const char *args
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/*
+ * context.exec = [
+ *   { path = <program-name>
+ *     [ args = "<arguments>" ]
+ *   }
+ * ]
+ */
 static int parse_exec(struct pw_context *context, const char *str)
 {
 	struct spa_json it[3];
@@ -492,38 +502,31 @@ static int parse_exec(struct pw_context *context, const char *str)
 	int res = 0;
 
 	spa_json_init(&it[0], str, strlen(str));
-	if (spa_json_enter_object(&it[0], &it[1]) < 0)
+	if (spa_json_enter_array(&it[0], &it[1]) < 0)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	while (spa_json_get_string(&it[1], key, sizeof(key)-1) > 0) {
-		const char *val;
-		char *args = NULL;
-		int len;
+	while (spa_json_enter_object(&it[1], &it[2]) > 0) {
+		char *path = NULL, *args = NULL;
 
-		if ((len = spa_json_next(&it[1], &val)) <= 0)
-			break;
+		while (spa_json_get_string(&it[2], key, sizeof(key)-1) > 0) {
+			const char *val;
+			int len;
 
-		if (key[0] == '#')
-			continue;
+			if ((len = spa_json_next(&it[2], &val)) <= 0)
+				break;
 
-		if (spa_json_is_object(val, len)) {
-			char arg[512], aval[1024];
-
-			spa_json_enter(&it[1], &it[2]);
-
-			while (spa_json_get_string(&it[2], arg, sizeof(arg)-1) > 0) {
-				if (spa_json_get_string(&it[2], aval, sizeof(aval)-1) <= 0)
-					break;
-
-				if (strcmp(arg, "args") == 0)
-					args = strdup(aval);
+			if (strcmp(key, "path") == 0) {
+				path = malloc(len + 1);
+				spa_json_parse_string(val, len, path);
+			} else if (strcmp(key, "args") == 0) {
+				args = malloc(len + 1);
+				spa_json_parse_string(val, len, args);
 			}
 		}
-		else if (!spa_json_is_null(val, len))
-			break;
-
-		res = do_exec(context, key, args);
+		if (path)
+			res = do_exec(context, path, args);
 
+		free(path);
 		free(args);
 
 		if (res < 0)