diff --git a/include/boost/json/detail/impl/string_impl.ipp b/include/boost/json/detail/impl/string_impl.ipp
index ad75f8693..1bc541ff0 100644
--- a/include/boost/json/detail/impl/string_impl.ipp
+++ b/include/boost/json/detail/impl/string_impl.ipp
@@ -426,26 +426,19 @@ replace_unchecked(
 }
 
 void
-string_impl::
-shrink_to_fit(
-    storage_ptr const& sp) noexcept
+string_impl::shrink_to_fit(storage_ptr const& sp) noexcept
 {
-    if(s_.k == short_string_)
+    if( is_short() )
         return;
+
     auto const t = p_.t;
     if(t->size <= sbo_chars_)
     {
-        s_.k = short_string_;
-        std::memcpy(
-            s_.buf, data(), t->size);
-        s_.buf[sbo_chars_] =
-            static_cast<char>(
-                sbo_chars_ - t->size);
+        set_storage_kind(short_flag);
+        std::memcpy(s_.buf, data(), t->size);
+        s_.buf[sbo_chars_] = static_cast<char>(sbo_chars_ - t->size);
         s_.buf[t->size] = 0;
-        sp->deallocate(t,
-            sizeof(table) +
-                t->capacity + 1,
-            alignof(table));
+        sp->deallocate(t, sizeof(table) + t->capacity + 1, alignof(table));
         return;
     }
     if(t->size >= t->capacity)
diff --git a/include/boost/json/detail/string_impl.hpp b/include/boost/json/detail/string_impl.hpp
index bffcf3c09..12a9e086e 100644
--- a/include/boost/json/detail/string_impl.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/json/detail/string_impl.hpp
@@ -52,13 +52,33 @@ class string_impl
 # error Unknown architecture
 #endif
 
+    static constexpr
+    unsigned char
+    short_flag = 0x80;
+
+    static constexpr
+    unsigned char
+    key_flag = 0x40;
+
+    static constexpr
+    unsigned char
+    seamless_flag = 0x20;
+
+    void
+    set_storage_kind(unsigned char storage_kind)
+    {
+        unsigned char current = static_cast<unsigned char>(s_.k);
+        current = current & 0x2F;
+        s_.k = static_cast<kind>(current | storage_kind);
+    }
+
     static
     constexpr
     kind
     short_string_ =
         static_cast<kind>(
             ((unsigned char)
-            kind::string) | 0x80);
+            kind::string) | short_flag);
 
     static
     constexpr
@@ -66,7 +86,7 @@ class string_impl
     key_string_ =
         static_cast<kind>(
             ((unsigned char)
-            kind::string) | 0x40);
+            kind::string) | key_flag);
 
     struct sbo
     {
@@ -235,8 +255,8 @@ class string_impl
     release_key(
         std::size_t& n) noexcept
     {
-        BOOST_ASSERT(
-            k_.k == key_string_);
+        BOOST_ASSERT( is_key() );
+        BOOST_ASSERT( ! is_seamless() );
         n = k_.n;
         auto const s = k_.s;
         // prevent deallocate
@@ -245,30 +265,25 @@ class string_impl
     }
 
     void
-    destroy(
-        storage_ptr const& sp) noexcept
+    destroy(storage_ptr const& sp) noexcept
     {
-        if(s_.k == kind::string)
-        {
-            sp->deallocate(p_.t,
-                sizeof(table) +
-                    p_.t->capacity + 1,
-                alignof(table));
-        }
-        else if(s_.k != key_string_)
+        if( is_short() )
         {
             // do nothing
         }
-        else
+        else if( is_key() )
         {
-            BOOST_ASSERT(
-                s_.k == key_string_);
             // VFALCO unfortunately the key string
             // kind increases the cost of the destructor.
             // This function should be skipped when using
             // monotonic_resource.
             sp->deallocate(k_.s, k_.n + 1);
         }
+        else
+        {
+            sp->deallocate(
+                p_.t, sizeof(table) + p_.t->capacity + 1, alignof(table));
+        }
     }
 
     BOOST_JSON_DECL
@@ -323,17 +338,14 @@ class string_impl
     void
     term(std::size_t n) noexcept
     {
-        if(s_.k == short_string_)
+        if( is_short() )
         {
-            s_.buf[sbo_chars_] =
-                static_cast<char>(
-                    sbo_chars_ - n);
+            s_.buf[sbo_chars_] = static_cast<char>(sbo_chars_ - n);
             s_.buf[n] = 0;
         }
         else
         {
-            p_.t->size = static_cast<
-                std::uint32_t>(n);
+            p_.t->size = static_cast<std::uint32_t>(n);
             data()[n] = 0;
         }
     }
@@ -341,19 +353,17 @@ class string_impl
     char*
     data() noexcept
     {
-        if(s_.k == short_string_)
+        if( is_short() )
             return s_.buf;
-        return reinterpret_cast<
-            char*>(p_.t + 1);
+        return reinterpret_cast<char*>(p_.t + 1);
     }
 
     char const*
     data() const noexcept
     {
-        if(s_.k == short_string_)
+        if( is_short() )
             return s_.buf;
-        return reinterpret_cast<
-            char const*>(p_.t + 1);
+        return reinterpret_cast<char const*>(p_.t + 1);
     }
 
     char*
@@ -367,6 +377,39 @@ class string_impl
     {
         return data() + size();
     }
+
+    inline
+    constexpr
+    bool
+    is_short() const noexcept
+    {
+        return static_cast<unsigned char>(s_.k) & short_flag;
+    }
+
+    inline
+    constexpr
+    bool
+    is_key() const noexcept
+    {
+        return static_cast<unsigned char>(s_.k) & key_flag;
+    }
+
+    inline
+    constexpr
+    bool
+    is_seamless() const noexcept
+    {
+        return static_cast<unsigned char>(s_.k) & seamless_flag;
+    }
+
+    void
+    set_seamless(bool on) noexcept
+    {
+        unsigned char const seamless = on ? seamless_flag : 0;
+        unsigned char current = static_cast<unsigned char>(s_.k);
+        current = current & 0xCF;
+        s_.k = static_cast<kind>(current | seamless);
+    }
 };
 
 template<class T>
diff --git a/include/boost/json/impl/serializer.hpp b/include/boost/json/impl/serializer.hpp
index 0a7255d06..1c3b6886c 100644
--- a/include/boost/json/impl/serializer.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/json/impl/serializer.hpp
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ write_impl(string_like_conversion_tag, writer& w, stream& ss0)
     {
         string_view const sv = *reinterpret_cast<T const*>(w.p_);
         w.cs0_ = { sv.data(), sv.size() };
+        w.buf_[2] = false;
         return write_string(w, ss0);
     }
 
@@ -331,6 +332,7 @@ write_impl(map_like_conversion_tag, writer& w, stream& ss0)
             using std::get;
             string_view const sv = get<0>(*it);
             w.cs0_ = { sv.data(), sv.size() };
+            w.buf_[2] = false;
         }
         if( true )
         {
@@ -492,6 +494,7 @@ struct serialize_struct_elem_helper
         {
             string_view const sv = D::name;
             w.cs0_ = { sv.data(), sv.size() };
+            w.buf_[2] = false;
         }
         if( true )
         {
@@ -619,6 +622,7 @@ write_impl(described_enum_conversion_tag, writer& w, stream& ss)
         {
             string_view const sv = name;
             w.cs0_ = { sv.data(), sv.size() };
+            w.buf_[2] = false;
             return write_string(w, ss);
         }
         else
@@ -777,6 +781,7 @@ BOOST_FORCEINLINE
 bool
 write_impl(path_conversion_tag, writer& w, stream& ss)
 {
+    w.buf_[2] = false;
 #if defined(_MSC_VER)
 # pragma warning( push )
 # pragma warning( disable : 4127 )
diff --git a/include/boost/json/impl/serializer.ipp b/include/boost/json/impl/serializer.ipp
index 15e46c909..8bac8d678 100644
--- a/include/boost/json/impl/serializer.ipp
+++ b/include/boost/json/impl/serializer.ipp
@@ -212,11 +212,14 @@ do_write_string(writer& w, stream& ss0)
         "\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0";
 
     // opening quote
+    if(w.buf_[2] == false)
+    {
 do_str1:
-    if(BOOST_JSON_LIKELY(ss))
-        ss.append('\x22'); // '"'
-    else
-        return w.suspend(writer::state::str1);
+        if(BOOST_JSON_LIKELY(ss))
+            ss.append('\x22'); // '"'
+        else
+            return w.suspend(writer::state::str1);
+    }
 
     // fast loop,
     // copy unescaped
@@ -242,7 +245,8 @@ do_str2:
         }
         else
         {
-            ss.append('\x22'); // '"'
+            if(w.buf_[2] == false)
+                ss.append('\x22'); // '"'
             return true;
         }
     }
@@ -304,7 +308,10 @@ do_str3:
         }
         else
         {
-            ss.append('\x22'); // '"'
+            if(w.buf_[2] == false)
+            {
+                ss.append('\x22'); // '"'
+            }
             return true;
         }
     }
@@ -404,6 +411,7 @@ write_value(writer& w, stream& ss)
         {
             auto const& js = pv->get_string();
             w.cs0_ = { js.data(), js.size() };
+            w.buf_[2] = js.is_seamless();
             return do_write_string<true>(w, ss);
         }
 
@@ -507,6 +515,7 @@ serializer::
 reset(string const* p) noexcept
 {
     cs0_ = { p->data(), p->size() };
+    buf_[2] = p->is_seamless();
     fn0_ = &detail::do_write_string<true>;
     fn1_ = &detail::do_write_string<false>;
     st_.clear();
@@ -518,6 +527,7 @@ serializer::
 reset(string_view sv) noexcept
 {
     cs0_ = { sv.data(), sv.size() };
+    buf_[2] = false;
     fn0_ = &detail::do_write_string<true>;
     fn1_ = &detail::do_write_string<false>;
     st_.clear();
diff --git a/include/boost/json/string.hpp b/include/boost/json/string.hpp
index 87b0db397..1625a4806 100644
--- a/include/boost/json/string.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/json/string.hpp
@@ -559,6 +559,19 @@ class string
         return sp_.get();
     }
 
+    constexpr
+    bool
+    is_seamless() const noexcept
+    {
+        return impl_.is_seamless();
+    }
+
+    void
+    set_seamless(bool on) noexcept
+    {
+        impl_.set_seamless(on);
+    }
+
     //------------------------------------------------------
     //
     // Element Access
diff --git a/test/serializer.cpp b/test/serializer.cpp
index d740d8aa2..c170f34c7 100644
--- a/test/serializer.cpp
+++ b/test/serializer.cpp
@@ -435,6 +435,29 @@ class serializer_test
         check("{\"x\":1,\"y\":null}");
     }
 
+    void
+    testSeamless()
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            string s = "1234";
+            s.set_seamless(true);
+
+            value jv = s;
+            grind("1234", jv, "");
+
+            jv = {"1234", s};
+            grind("[\"1234\",1234]", jv, "");
+
+            jv = { {"a", "1234"}, {"b", s} };
+            grind("{\"a\":\"1234\",\"b\":1234]", jv, "");
+        }
+        catch(std::exception const&)
+        {
+            BOOST_TEST_FAIL();
+        }
+    }
+
     //------------------------------------------------------
 
     void
@@ -907,6 +930,7 @@ class serializer_test
         testNumber();
         testArray();
         testObject();
+        testSeamless();
 
         testMembers();
         testVectors();
diff --git a/test/string.cpp b/test/string.cpp
index 282cad7f4..89a334b19 100644
--- a/test/string.cpp
+++ b/test/string.cpp
@@ -2642,6 +2642,22 @@ class string_test
         });
     }
 
+    void
+    testSeamless()
+    {
+        string s;
+        BOOST_TEST( !s.is_seamless() );
+
+        s.set_seamless(false);
+        BOOST_TEST( !s.is_seamless() );
+
+        s.set_seamless(true);
+        BOOST_TEST( s.is_seamless() );
+
+        s.set_seamless(false);
+        BOOST_TEST( !s.is_seamless() );
+    }
+
     void
     testFind()
     {
@@ -2889,6 +2905,7 @@ class string_test
         testCopy();
         testResize();
         testSwap();
+        testSeamless();
 
         testFind();
         testRfind();