diff --git a/GRDB/Core/DatabaseWriter.swift b/GRDB/Core/DatabaseWriter.swift
index 3ffde08bc1..3f5b11060c 100644
--- a/GRDB/Core/DatabaseWriter.swift
+++ b/GRDB/Core/DatabaseWriter.swift
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ public protocol DatabaseWriter : DatabaseReader {
     ///
     /// For example:
     ///
-    ///     try writer.write { db in
+    ///     try writer.writeWithoutTransaction { db in
     ///         try db.execute("DELETE FROM player")
     ///         try writer.readFromCurrentState { db in
     ///             // Guaranteed to be zero
diff --git a/GRDB/Record/FetchableRecord+Decodable.swift b/GRDB/Record/FetchableRecord+Decodable.swift
index 44e510cfa2..26a3c7c91e 100644
--- a/GRDB/Record/FetchableRecord+Decodable.swift
+++ b/GRDB/Record/FetchableRecord+Decodable.swift
@@ -79,7 +79,12 @@ private struct RowKeyedDecodingContainer<Key: CodingKey>: KeyedDecodingContainer
             } else if dbValue.isNull {
                 return nil
             } else {
-                return try T(from: RowDecoder(row: row, codingPath: codingPath + [key]))
+                if let data = row.dataNoCopy(named: key.stringValue), let dataString = String(data: data, encoding: .utf8), JSONSerialization.isValidJSONObject([dataString]) {
+                    // If data is valid JSON then decode it into model
+                    return try JSONDecoder().decode(type.self, from: data)
+                } else {
+                    return try T(from: RowDecoder(row: row, codingPath: codingPath + [key]))
+                }
             }
         }
         
diff --git a/GRDB/Record/PersistableRecord+Encodable.swift b/GRDB/Record/PersistableRecord+Encodable.swift
index 135e8a149a..7787630e3e 100644
--- a/GRDB/Record/PersistableRecord+Encodable.swift
+++ b/GRDB/Record/PersistableRecord+Encodable.swift
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ private struct PersistableRecordKeyedEncodingContainer<Key: CodingKey> : KeyedEn
     mutating func encode(_ value: Float, forKey key: Key) throws { encode(value, key.stringValue) }
     mutating func encode(_ value: Double, forKey key: Key) throws { encode(value, key.stringValue) }
     mutating func encode(_ value: String, forKey key: Key) throws { encode(value, key.stringValue) }
+    mutating func encode(_ value: Encodable, forKey key: Key) throws { encode(value.encodeToString(), key.stringValue) }
 
     /// Encodes the given value for the given key.
     ///
@@ -194,6 +195,17 @@ private struct PersistableRecordEncoder : Encoder {
     }
 }
 
+public extension Encodable {
+    /// Encode model (self) into JSON string
+    func encodeToString() -> String? {
+        let json = try! JSONEncoder().encode(self)
+        if let content = String(data: json, encoding: .utf8) {
+            return content
+        }
+        return nil
+    }
+}
+
 extension MutablePersistableRecord where Self: Encodable {
     public func encode(to container: inout PersistenceContainer) {
         // The inout container parameter won't enter an escaping closure since
diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index 6a281cbbb5..60263427e2 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 - [ ] Avoid code duplication: https://forums.swift.org/t/c-interoperability-combinations-of-library-and-os-versions/14029/4
 - [ ] Expose FTS5 in regular GRDB: https://github.com/groue/GRDB.swift/issues/373
 - [ ] Allow joining methods on DerivableRequest
+- [ ] Make *all* conversion errors provide sql + arguments + column name
 
 Swift 4.2