diff --git a/qobject/json-parser.c b/qobject/json-parser.c
index 63e9229f1c..3318b8dad0 100644
--- a/qobject/json-parser.c
+++ b/qobject/json-parser.c
@@ -208,10 +208,11 @@ static QString *parse_string(JSONParserContext *ctxt, JSONToken *token)
             }
             break;
         case '%':
-            if (ctxt->ap) {
+            if (ctxt->ap && ptr[1] != '%') {
                 parse_error(ctxt, token, "can't interpolate into string");
                 goto out;
             }
+            ptr++;
             /* fall through */
         default:
             cp = mod_utf8_codepoint(ptr, 6, &end);
diff --git a/tests/check-qjson.c b/tests/check-qjson.c
index a1854573de..cc13f3d41e 100644
--- a/tests/check-qjson.c
+++ b/tests/check-qjson.c
@@ -1270,7 +1270,7 @@ static void simple_interpolation(void)
     QObject *obj;
     QLitObject decoded = QLIT_QLIST(((QLitObject[]){
             QLIT_QNUM(1),
-            QLIT_QNUM(2),
+            QLIT_QSTR("100%"),
             QLIT_QLIST(((QLitObject[]){
                         QLIT_QNUM(32),
                         QLIT_QNUM(42),
@@ -1280,7 +1280,7 @@ static void simple_interpolation(void)
     embedded_obj = qobject_from_json("[32, 42]", &error_abort);
     g_assert(embedded_obj != NULL);
 
-    obj = qobject_from_jsonf_nofail("[%d, 2, %p]", 1, embedded_obj);
+    obj = qobject_from_jsonf_nofail("[%d, '100%%', %p]", 1, embedded_obj);
     g_assert(qlit_equal_qobject(&decoded, obj));
 
     qobject_unref(obj);