diff --git a/fbchat/utils.py b/fbchat/utils.py
index d8d3e65..fdf2580 100644
--- a/fbchat/utils.py
+++ b/fbchat/utils.py
@@ -14,8 +14,11 @@ USER_AGENTS = [
 def now():
     return int(time()*1000)
 
+def strip_to_json(text):
+    return re.sub(r"^[^{]*", '', text, 1);
+
 def get_json(text):
-    return json.loads(re.sub(r"^[^{]*", '', text, 1))
+    return json.loads(strip_to_json(text))
 
 def digit_to_char(digit):
     if digit < 10: