diff --git a/src/config/__init__.py b/src/config/__init__.py
index 2762a522..b292c4be 100755
--- a/src/config/__init__.py
+++ b/src/config/__init__.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 This file deals with configuration management.
 """
 import os
+from json import JSONDecodeError
 
 import ujson as json
 import logger
@@ -105,7 +106,7 @@ def save():
     try:
         with open(get_config_file(), 'w', encoding="utf8") as configfile:
             json.dump(get_config(), configfile, indent=2)
-    except json.JSONDecodeError:
+    except JSONDecodeError:
         logger.warn('Failed to write to configuration file.')
 
 
@@ -115,7 +116,7 @@ def reload():
     try:
         with open(get_config_file(), 'r', encoding="utf8") as configfile:
             set_config(json.loads(configfile.read()))
-    except (FileNotFoundError, json.JSONDecodeError) as e:
+    except (FileNotFoundError, JSONDecodeError) as e:
         pass
         #logger.debug('Failed to parse configuration file.')
 
diff --git a/src/httpapi/configapi/__init__.py b/src/httpapi/configapi/__init__.py
index ea8fbc85..a0aefab7 100755
--- a/src/httpapi/configapi/__init__.py
+++ b/src/httpapi/configapi/__init__.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
     You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
     along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 """
+from json import JSONDecodeError
 import ujson as json
 from flask import Blueprint, request, Response, abort
 
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ def set_all_config():
     """Overwrite existing JSON config with new JSON string"""
     try:
         new_config = request.get_json(force=True)
-    except json.JSONDecodeError:
+    except JSONDecodeError:
         abort(400)
     else:
         config.set_config(new_config)
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ def set_by_key(key):
     """
     try:
         data = json.loads(bytes_to_str(request.data))
-    except (json.JSONDecodeError, KeyError):
+    except (JSONDecodeError, KeyError):
         abort(400)
     config.set(key, data, True)
     return Response('success')
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/onionrutils/localcommand.py b/src/onionrutils/localcommand.py
index b1330cf8..b7e7aab2 100644
--- a/src/onionrutils/localcommand.py
+++ b/src/onionrutils/localcommand.py
@@ -4,12 +4,14 @@ send a command to the local API server
 """
 import urllib
 import time
-import functools
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Callable
 
 import requests
+import deadsimplekv
+
+import logger
+import config
 
-import logger, config, deadsimplekv
 from . import getclientapiserver
 import filepaths
 """
diff --git a/src/onionrutils/validatemetadata.py b/src/onionrutils/validatemetadata.py
index 8cb7a1cf..a4e1ccea 100644
--- a/src/onionrutils/validatemetadata.py
+++ b/src/onionrutils/validatemetadata.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 validate new block's metadata
 """
+from json import JSONDecodeError
 import ujson as json
 
 import logger, onionrexceptions
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ def validate_metadata(metadata, block_data) -> bool:
     if type(metadata) is str:
         try:
             metadata = json.loads(metadata)
-        except json.JSONDecodeError:
+        except JSONDecodeError:
             pass
 
     # Validate metadata dict for invalid keys to sizes that are too large
diff --git a/static-data/default-plugins/chat/peerserver.py b/static-data/default-plugins/chat/peerserver.py
index 2d8e0905..7bf0dda2 100755
--- a/static-data/default-plugins/chat/peerserver.py
+++ b/static-data/default-plugins/chat/peerserver.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ HTTP endpoints for communicating with peers
 """
 import sys
 import os
+from json import JSONDecodeError
 
 import deadsimplekv as simplekv
 import ujson as json
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ def sendto():
     """Endpoint peers send chat messages to"""
     try:
         msg = request.get_json(force=True)
-    except json.JSONDecodeError:
+    except JSONDecodeError:
         msg = ''
     else:
         msg = json.dumps(msg)
diff --git a/static-data/default-plugins/circles/flowapi.py b/static-data/default-plugins/circles/flowapi.py
index 01f70a04..e1cd5ad8 100755
--- a/static-data/default-plugins/circles/flowapi.py
+++ b/static-data/default-plugins/circles/flowapi.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ with open(
     os.path.dirname(
         os.path.realpath(__file__)) + '/info.json', 'r') as info_file:
     data = info_file.read().strip()
-    version = json.loads(data, strict=False)['version']
+    version = json.loads(data)['version']
 
 BOARD_CACHE_FILE = identifyhome.identify_home() + '/board-index.cache.json'