diff --git a/json-path-assert/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonassert/JsonAssert.java b/json-path-assert/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonassert/JsonAssert.java
index 22ef3de9..00df5dd5 100644
--- a/json-path-assert/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonassert/JsonAssert.java
+++ b/json-path-assert/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonassert/JsonAssert.java
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ public class JsonAssert {
      */
     public static JsonAsserter with(String json) throws  com.jayway.jsonpath.json.ParseException {
         try {
-            return new JsonAsserterImpl(JSON_PARSER.parse(json));
+
+        	return new JsonAsserterImpl(JSON_PARSER.parse(json));
         } catch (IOException e) {
             throw new RuntimeException(e);
         }
diff --git a/json-path-assert/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonassert/impl/JsonAsserterImpl.java b/json-path-assert/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonassert/impl/JsonAsserterImpl.java
index b4ec86b4..d8dfe764 100644
--- a/json-path-assert/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonassert/impl/JsonAsserterImpl.java
+++ b/json-path-assert/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonassert/impl/JsonAsserterImpl.java
@@ -43,14 +43,13 @@ public class JsonAsserterImpl implements JsonAsserter {
         String reason = "When processing json path: " + path;
 
         JsonElement je = JsonPath.read(jsonObject, path);
-        if (!( (je == null && matcher.matches(je)) || (je.isContainer() && matcher.matches(je)) || matcher.matches(je.toObject()) )  ) {
-
+        if (! (matcher.matches(je)||matcher.matches(je.toObject()))){ 
             System.out.println(JsonPath.read(jsonObject, path).toString());
-
             throw new AssertionError(reason + matcher.toString());
         }
 
         /*
+         * 
        if (PathUtil.isPathDefinite(path)) {
            if (!matcher.matches(JsonPath.<T>readOne(jsonObject, path))) {
                throw new AssertionError(reason + matcher.toString());
@@ -80,8 +79,8 @@ public class JsonAsserterImpl implements JsonAsserter {
      */
     public JsonAsserter assertNotDefined(String path) throws JsonException {
         JsonElement o = JsonPath.read(jsonObject, path);
-
-        if (!o.isJsonNull()) {
+        
+        if (o!=null && !o.isJsonNull()) {
             throw new AssertionError(format("Document contains the path <%s> but was expected not to.", path));
         }
         return this;
diff --git a/json-path-assert/src/test/java/com/jayway/jsonassert/JsonAssertTest.java b/json-path-assert/src/test/java/com/jayway/jsonassert/JsonAssertTest.java
index 1b411b1a..2b276ff6 100644
--- a/json-path-assert/src/test/java/com/jayway/jsonassert/JsonAssertTest.java
+++ b/json-path-assert/src/test/java/com/jayway/jsonassert/JsonAssertTest.java
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import com.jayway.jsonpath.json.JsonFactory;
 
 import java.io.InputStream;
 
+
 import static com.jayway.jsonassert.JsonAssert.*;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.*;
 
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ public abstract class JsonAssertTest {
 
     @Test
     public void a_value_can_asserted_to_be_null() throws Exception {
-        with(JSON).assertNull("$.store.bicycle.nullValue");
+        with(JSON).assertEquals("$.store.bicycle.nullValue",factory.createJsonPrimitive(null));
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -96,8 +97,8 @@ public abstract class JsonAssertTest {
     @Test
     public void a_path_can_be_asserted_with_matcher() throws Exception {
 
-        with(JSON).assertThat("$.store.bicycle.color", equalTo("red"))
-                .assertThat("$.store.bicycle.price", equalTo(19.95D));
+        with(JSON).assertThat("$.store.bicycle.color", equalTo(w("red")))
+                .assertThat("$.store.bicycle.price", equalTo(w(19.95D)));
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -158,21 +159,22 @@ public abstract class JsonAssertTest {
     @Test
     public void a_path_can_be_asserted_equal_to() throws Exception {
 
-        with(JSON).assertEquals("$.store.book[0].title", "Sayings of the Century")
-                .assertThat("$.store.book[0].title", equalTo("Sayings of the Century"));
+        with(JSON).assertEquals("$.store.book[0].title", w("Sayings of the Century"))
+                .assertThat("$.store.book[0].title", equalTo(w("Sayings of the Century")));
 
-        with(JSON).assertEquals("$['store']['book'][0].['title']", "Shttp://www.theregister.co.uk/public_sector/government/ayings of the Century")
-                .assertThat("$['store'].book[0].title", equalTo("Sayings of the Century"));
+        with(JSON).assertEquals("$['store']['book'][0].['title']", w("Sayings of the Century"))
+                .assertThat("$['store'].book[0].title", equalTo(w("Sayings of the Century")));
     }
 
     @Test
     public void no_hit_returns_null() throws Exception {
-        with(JSON).assertThat("$.store.book[1000].title", Matchers.<Object>nullValue());
+        with(JSON).assertThat("$.store.book[1000]", equalTo(null));
     }
 
     @Test
     public void invalid_path() throws Exception {
-        with(JSON).assertThat("$.store.book[*].fooBar.(value)", Matchers.<Object>nullValue());
+    	
+        with(JSON).assertThat("$.store.book[*].fooBar", Matchers.<Object>nullValue());
     }
 
     @Test
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/JsonPath.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/JsonPath.java
index 8b8a3b5e..6eb1a5b0 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/JsonPath.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/JsonPath.java
@@ -135,13 +135,15 @@ public class JsonPath {
         FilterOutput filterOutput = filters.filter(json);
         
         if (filterOutput == null || filterOutput.getResult() == null) {
-             throw new JsonException("Element not found");
+             return null;
         }
 
         return filterOutput.getResult();
         
     }
     
+    
+    
     /**
      * Applies this json path to the provided object
      *
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/filter/FilterOutput.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/filter/FilterOutput.java
index fb8e71fa..40c4cff3 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/filter/FilterOutput.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/filter/FilterOutput.java
@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ public class FilterOutput {
 
 
 	public JsonElement getResult() throws JsonException {
+		for(int i=result.size()-1;i>=0;i--){
+			if(result.get(i).isJsonNull())
+				result.remove(i);
+		}
+		
 		if(result.size()==0){
 			return null;
 		}
@@ -51,6 +56,7 @@ public class FilterOutput {
 		}
     }
 	
+	
 	public JsonArray getResultAsList() throws JsonException {
 		return getResult().toJsonArray();
 	}
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/filter/JsonPathFilterChain.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/filter/JsonPathFilterChain.java
index 875e3122..94b4dcab 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/filter/JsonPathFilterChain.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/filter/JsonPathFilterChain.java
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ public class JsonPathFilterChain {
             if(out.getList() == null){
                 return null;
             }
+
+            
             out = filter.apply(out);
             if(out.getResult()!=null)
             	log.info(out.getResult().toString());
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/filter/ListWildcardFilter.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/filter/ListWildcardFilter.java
index e293448a..b52276d3 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/filter/ListWildcardFilter.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/filter/ListWildcardFilter.java
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ public class ListWildcardFilter extends JsonPathFilterBase{
 			}
 		}
 
+		
 		return result;
 	}
 
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/json/JsonNull.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/json/JsonNull.java
index 2c04c472..3f74bbbd 100755
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/json/JsonNull.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/json/JsonNull.java
@@ -60,5 +60,10 @@ public  class JsonNull extends JsonElement {
 	}
 
 
-
+	@Override
+	public boolean equals(Object o1){
+		if(o1==null) return false;
+		return o1 instanceof JsonNull;
+	}
+	
 }
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/json/gson/GsonJsonPrimitive.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/json/gson/GsonJsonPrimitive.java
index 8199c387..7126d6de 100755
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/json/gson/GsonJsonPrimitive.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/json/gson/GsonJsonPrimitive.java
@@ -93,6 +93,13 @@ public class GsonJsonPrimitive extends com.jayway.jsonpath.json.JsonPrimitive{
 
 	@Override
 	public boolean equals(Object o1){
+		if (o1==null) return false;
+		if(o1 instanceof GsonJsonPrimitive){
+			if(value == null)
+				return ((GsonJsonPrimitive) o1).value == null;
+			else
+				return value.equals(((GsonJsonPrimitive) o1).value);
+		}
 		return (o1!=null) && o1.equals(wrappit(value));
 	}
 	@Override
@@ -101,6 +108,7 @@ public class GsonJsonPrimitive extends com.jayway.jsonpath.json.JsonPrimitive{
 	}
 	@Override
 	public String toString(){
+		if(value == null) return "null";
 		return wrappit(value).toString();
 	}
 
@@ -109,6 +117,7 @@ public class GsonJsonPrimitive extends com.jayway.jsonpath.json.JsonPrimitive{
 		return true;
 	}
 
+	
 	@Override
 	public Object toObject() throws JsonException {
 		return wrappit(value);
diff --git a/json-path/src/test/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/JsonPathTest.java b/json-path/src/test/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/JsonPathTest.java
index 5cb36dad..b359de6d 100644
--- a/json-path/src/test/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/JsonPathTest.java
+++ b/json-path/src/test/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/JsonPathTest.java
@@ -149,13 +149,10 @@ public abstract class JsonPathTest {
     	String doc = "{foo:{biz:{id:1}}}";
     	
     	assertEquals(JsonPath.read(doc, "$.foo.biz.(object)").toString(), "{\"id\":1}");
-    	try{
+    	
     		JsonPath.read(doc, "$.foo.biz.(collection)");
-    		fail();
-    	}
-    	catch(JsonException e){
-    		
-    	}
+
+  
         
         
         doc = "{foo:{biz:[{Id:1},{Id:2},{Id:4,foo:1234}]}}";    	
@@ -294,13 +291,9 @@ public abstract class JsonPathTest {
     @Test
     public void access_index_out_of_bounds_does_not_throw_exception() throws Exception {
 
-    	try{
+
     		JsonElement res = JsonPath.read(DOCUMENT, "$.store.book[100].author");
-    		fail();
-    	}
-    	catch(JsonException je){
-    		
-    	}
+