diff --git a/Sources/SmithyJSON/Reader/Reader+JSONDeserialization.swift b/Sources/SmithyJSON/Reader/Reader+JSONDeserialization.swift
index 42c660101..f04700a39 100644
--- a/Sources/SmithyJSON/Reader/Reader+JSONDeserialization.swift
+++ b/Sources/SmithyJSON/Reader/Reader+JSONDeserialization.swift
@@ -6,19 +6,19 @@
 //
 
 import struct Foundation.Data
-import class Foundation.NSError
 import class Foundation.JSONSerialization
-import class Foundation.NSNull
 
 extension Reader {
 
     public static func from(data: Data) throws -> Reader {
+        // Empty bodies are allowed.  When the body is empty,
+        // return a reader with no JSON content.
         guard !data.isEmpty else { return Reader(nodeInfo: "", parent: nil) }
-        do {
-            let jsonObject = try JSONSerialization.jsonObject(with: data, options: [.fragmentsAllowed])
-            return try Reader(nodeInfo: "", jsonObject: jsonObject)
-        } catch let error as NSError where error.domain == "NSCocoaErrorDomain" && error.code == 3840 {
-            return try Reader(nodeInfo: "", jsonObject: [:])
-        }
+
+        // Attempt to parse JSON from the non-empty body.
+        // Throw an error if JSON is invalid.
+        // (Determine whether to wrap this error)
+        let jsonObject = try JSONSerialization.jsonObject(with: data)
+        return try Reader(nodeInfo: "", jsonObject: jsonObject)
     }
 }
diff --git a/Tests/ClientRuntimeTests/OrchestratorTests/OrchestratorTests.swift b/Tests/ClientRuntimeTests/OrchestratorTests/OrchestratorTests.swift
index 8cb8135df..55c463568 100644
--- a/Tests/ClientRuntimeTests/OrchestratorTests/OrchestratorTests.swift
+++ b/Tests/ClientRuntimeTests/OrchestratorTests/OrchestratorTests.swift
@@ -223,10 +223,11 @@ class OrchestratorTests: XCTestCase {
             .attributes(attributes)
             .serialize({ input, builder, _ in
                 trace.append("serialize")
+                let data = try JSONEncoder().encode(["foo": input.foo])
                 builder.withMethod(.get)
                     .withPath("/")
                     .withHost("localhost")
-                    .withBody(.data(try! JSONEncoder().encode(input.foo)))
+                    .withBody(.data(data))
             })
             .deserialize({ response, _ in
                 trace.append("deserialize")
@@ -234,8 +235,8 @@ class OrchestratorTests: XCTestCase {
                     guard case let .data(data) = response.body else {
                         return TestOutput(bar: "")
                     }
-                    let bar = try! JSONDecoder().decode(String.self, from: data!)
-                    return TestOutput(bar: bar)
+                    let object = try! JSONDecoder().decode([String: String].self, from: data!)
+                    return TestOutput(bar: object["foo"]!)
                 } else {
                     let responseReader = try SmithyJSON.Reader.from(data: try await response.data())
                     let baseError = try TestBaseError(httpResponse: response, responseReader: responseReader, noErrorWrapping: true)
@@ -1373,7 +1374,8 @@ class OrchestratorTests: XCTestCase {
         let orchestrator = traceOrchestrator(trace: trace)
             .retryStrategy(DefaultRetryStrategy(options: RetryStrategyOptions(backoffStrategy: ImmediateBackoffStrategy())))
             .serialize({ (input: TestInput, builder: HTTPRequestBuilder, context) in
-                builder.withBody(.data(Data("\"\(input.foo)\"".utf8)))
+                let data = try JSONEncoder().encode(["foo": input.foo])
+                builder.withBody(.data(data))
             })
             .executeRequest(executeRequest)
         let result = await asyncResult {