diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 00d3cab..b00d454 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
     <groupId>com.americanexpress.unify.jdocs</groupId>
     <artifactId>unify-jdocs</artifactId>
-    <version>1.7.0</version>
+    <version>1.7.1</version>
     <packaging>jar</packaging>
 
     <name>unify-jdocs</name>
@@ -108,6 +108,12 @@
             <version>${jfiglet.version}</version>
         </dependency>
 
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>io.vavr</groupId>
+            <artifactId>vavr</artifactId>
+            <version>0.10.4</version>
+        </dependency>
+
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.junit.jupiter</groupId>
             <artifactId>junit-jupiter-engine</artifactId>
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index a80dbe8..97faf36 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ JDocs is available as a jar file in Maven central with the following latest Mave
 ````pom
 <groupId>com.americanexpress.unify.jdocs</groupId>
 <artifactId>unify-jdocs</artifactId>
-<version>1.7.0</version>
+<version>1.7.1</version>
 ````
 
 ---
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/americanexpress/unify/jdocs/JDocument.java b/src/main/java/com/americanexpress/unify/jdocs/JDocument.java
index c40a22a..77e7b7e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/americanexpress/unify/jdocs/JDocument.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/americanexpress/unify/jdocs/JDocument.java
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectWriter;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.node.*;
+import io.vavr.Tuple2;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
@@ -1020,15 +1021,17 @@ private void validatePath1(String path, CONSTS_JDOCS.API api, List<Token> tokenL
     }
   }
 
-  protected Object getValue(String path, Class clazz, List<Token> tokenList) {
+  protected Tuple2<Object, Boolean> getValue(String path, Class clazz, List<Token> tokenList) {
     JsonNode node = null;
     Object value = null;
+    Boolean isPathPresent = true;
 
     while (true) {
       node = traverse(rootNode, tokenList, false);
 
       if (node == null) {
         value = null;
+        isPathPresent = false;
         break;
       }
 
@@ -1112,7 +1115,7 @@ protected Object getValue(String path, Class clazz, List<Token> tokenList) {
       break;
     }
 
-    return value;
+    return new Tuple2(value, isPathPresent);
   }
 
   private void setLeafNode(ObjectNode node, String field, Object value) {
@@ -1442,8 +1445,12 @@ public Object getValue(String path, String... vargs) {
     path = getStaticPath(path, vargs);
     List<Token> tokenList = validatePath(path, CONSTS_JDOCS.API.GET, PathAccessType.VALUE);
     String modelPath = checkPathInModel(path, tokenList);
-    Object value = getValue(path, null, tokenList);
-    checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, false);
+    Tuple2<Object, Boolean> tuple2 = getValue(path, null, tokenList);
+    Object value = tuple2._1;
+    boolean isPathPresent = tuple2._2;
+    if (isPathPresent == true) {
+      checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, false);
+    }
     return value;
   }
 
@@ -1452,8 +1459,12 @@ public String getString(String path, String... vargs) {
     path = getStaticPath(path, vargs);
     List<Token> tokenList = validatePath(path, CONSTS_JDOCS.API.GET, PathAccessType.VALUE);
     String modelPath = checkPathInModel(path, tokenList);
-    String value = (String)getValue(path, String.class, tokenList);
-    checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, false);
+    Tuple2<Object, Boolean> tuple2 = getValue(path, String.class, tokenList);
+    String value = (String)tuple2._1;
+    boolean isPathPresent = tuple2._2;
+    if (isPathPresent == true) {
+      checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, false);
+    }
     return value;
   }
 
@@ -1479,8 +1490,12 @@ public Integer getInteger(String path, String... vargs) {
     path = getStaticPath(path, vargs);
     List<Token> tokenList = validatePath(path, CONSTS_JDOCS.API.GET, PathAccessType.VALUE);
     String modelPath = checkPathInModel(path, tokenList);
-    Integer value = (Integer)getValue(path, Integer.class, tokenList);
-    checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, false);
+    Tuple2<Object, Boolean> tuple2 = getValue(path, Integer.class, tokenList);
+    Integer value = (Integer)tuple2._1;
+    boolean isPathPresent = tuple2._2;
+    if (isPathPresent == true) {
+      checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, false);
+    }
     return value;
   }
 
@@ -1489,8 +1504,12 @@ public Boolean getBoolean(String path, String... vargs) {
     path = getStaticPath(path, vargs);
     List<Token> tokenList = validatePath(path, CONSTS_JDOCS.API.GET, PathAccessType.VALUE);
     String modelPath = checkPathInModel(path, tokenList);
-    Boolean value = (Boolean)getValue(path, Boolean.class, tokenList);
-    checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, false);
+    Tuple2<Object, Boolean> tuple2 = getValue(path, Boolean.class, tokenList);
+    Boolean value = (Boolean)tuple2._1;
+    boolean isPathPresent = tuple2._2;
+    if (isPathPresent == true) {
+      checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, false);
+    }
     return value;
   }
 
@@ -1499,8 +1518,12 @@ public Long getLong(String path, String... vargs) {
     path = getStaticPath(path, vargs);
     List<Token> tokenList = validatePath(path, CONSTS_JDOCS.API.GET, PathAccessType.VALUE);
     String modelPath = checkPathInModel(path, tokenList);
-    Long value = (Long)getValue(path, Long.class, tokenList);
-    checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, false);
+    Tuple2<Object, Boolean> tuple2 = getValue(path, Long.class, tokenList);
+    Long value = (Long)tuple2._1;
+    boolean isPathPresent = tuple2._2;
+    if (isPathPresent == true) {
+      checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, false);
+    }
     return value;
   }
 
@@ -1509,8 +1532,12 @@ public BigDecimal getBigDecimal(String path, String... vargs) {
     path = getStaticPath(path, vargs);
     List<Token> tokenList = validatePath(path, CONSTS_JDOCS.API.GET, PathAccessType.VALUE);
     String modelPath = checkPathInModel(path, tokenList);
-    BigDecimal value = (BigDecimal)getValue(path, BigDecimal.class, tokenList);
-    checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, false);
+    Tuple2<Object, Boolean> tuple2 = getValue(path, BigDecimal.class, tokenList);
+    BigDecimal value = (BigDecimal)tuple2._1;
+    boolean isPathPresent = tuple2._2;
+    if (isPathPresent == true) {
+      checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, false);
+    }
     return value;
   }
 
@@ -1519,8 +1546,12 @@ public Object getArrayValue(String path, String... vargs) {
     path = getStaticPath(path, vargs);
     List<Token> tokenList = validatePath(path, CONSTS_JDOCS.API.GET_ARRAY_VALUE, PathAccessType.VALUE);
     String modelPath = checkPathInModel(path, tokenList);
-    Object value = getValue(path, null, tokenList);
-    checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, true);
+    Tuple2<Object, Boolean> tuple2 = getValue(path, null, tokenList);
+    Object value = tuple2._1;
+    boolean isPathPresent = tuple2._2;
+    if (isPathPresent == true) {
+      checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, true);
+    }
     return value;
   }
 
@@ -1529,8 +1560,12 @@ public String getArrayValueString(String path, String... vargs) {
     path = getStaticPath(path, vargs);
     List<Token> tokenList = validatePath(path, CONSTS_JDOCS.API.GET_ARRAY_VALUE, PathAccessType.VALUE);
     String modelPath = checkPathInModel(path, tokenList);
-    String value = (String)getValue(path, String.class, tokenList);
-    checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, true);
+    Tuple2<Object, Boolean> tuple2 = getValue(path, String.class, tokenList);
+    String value = (String)tuple2._1;
+    boolean isPathPresent = tuple2._2;
+    if (isPathPresent == true) {
+      checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, true);
+    }
     return value;
   }
 
@@ -1539,8 +1574,12 @@ public Integer getArrayValueInteger(String path, String... vargs) {
     path = getStaticPath(path, vargs);
     List<Token> tokenList = validatePath(path, CONSTS_JDOCS.API.GET_ARRAY_VALUE, PathAccessType.VALUE);
     String modelPath = checkPathInModel(path, tokenList);
-    Integer value = (Integer)getValue(path, Integer.class, tokenList);
-    checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, true);
+    Tuple2<Object, Boolean> tuple2 = getValue(path, Integer.class, tokenList);
+    Integer value = (Integer)tuple2._1;
+    boolean isPathPresent = tuple2._2;
+    if (isPathPresent == true) {
+      checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, true);
+    }
     return value;
   }
 
@@ -1549,8 +1588,12 @@ public Boolean getArrayValueBoolean(String path, String... vargs) {
     path = getStaticPath(path, vargs);
     List<Token> tokenList = validatePath(path, CONSTS_JDOCS.API.GET_ARRAY_VALUE, PathAccessType.VALUE);
     String modelPath = checkPathInModel(path, tokenList);
-    Boolean value = (Boolean)getValue(path, Boolean.class, tokenList);
-    checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, true);
+    Tuple2<Object, Boolean> tuple2 = getValue(path, Boolean.class, tokenList);
+    Boolean value = (Boolean)tuple2._1;
+    boolean isPathPresent = tuple2._2;
+    if (isPathPresent == true) {
+      checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, true);
+    }
     return value;
   }
 
@@ -1559,8 +1602,12 @@ public Long getArrayValueLong(String path, String... vargs) {
     path = getStaticPath(path, vargs);
     List<Token> tokenList = validatePath(path, CONSTS_JDOCS.API.GET_ARRAY_VALUE, PathAccessType.VALUE);
     String modelPath = checkPathInModel(path, tokenList);
-    Long value = (Long)getValue(path, Long.class, tokenList);
-    checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, true);
+    Tuple2<Object, Boolean> tuple2 = getValue(path, Long.class, tokenList);
+    Long value = (Long)tuple2._1;
+    boolean isPathPresent = tuple2._2;
+    if (isPathPresent == true) {
+      checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, true);
+    }
     return value;
   }
 
@@ -1569,8 +1616,12 @@ public BigDecimal getArrayValueBigDecimal(String path, String... vargs) {
     path = getStaticPath(path, vargs);
     List<Token> tokenList = validatePath(path, CONSTS_JDOCS.API.GET_ARRAY_VALUE, PathAccessType.VALUE);
     String modelPath = checkPathInModel(path, tokenList);
-    BigDecimal value = (BigDecimal)getValue(path, BigDecimal.class, tokenList);
-    checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, true);
+    Tuple2<Object, Boolean> tuple2 = getValue(path, BigDecimal.class, tokenList);
+    BigDecimal value = (BigDecimal)tuple2._1;
+    boolean isPathPresent = tuple2._2;
+    if (isPathPresent == true) {
+      checkFieldValue(path, modelPath, value, true);
+    }
     return value;
   }
 
@@ -2304,7 +2355,7 @@ private void throwExceptionOrSetErrorList(String errorCode, String path, List<St
     else {
       String msg = ERRORS_JDOCS.getErrorMessage(errorCode);
       if (msg == null) {
-        logger.error("Error code {} not found in ErrorMap", errorCode);
+        logger.warn("Error code {} not found in ErrorMap", errorCode);
         msg = "";
       }
       else {
@@ -2516,7 +2567,7 @@ private void validateFilterNames(String path, List<Token> tokenList) {
 
               case BOOLEAN:
                 if (BaseUtils.compareWithMany(fieldValue, "true", "false") == true) {
-                  value = new Boolean(fieldValue);
+                  value = Boolean.valueOf(fieldValue);
                 }
                 else {
                   throw new UnifyException("jdoc_err_53", fieldName, path);
@@ -2528,11 +2579,11 @@ private void validateFilterNames(String path, List<Token> tokenList) {
                 break;
 
               case INTEGER:
-                value = new Integer(fieldValue);
+                value = Integer.valueOf(fieldValue);
                 break;
 
               case LONG:
-                value = new Long(fieldValue);
+                value = Long.valueOf(fieldValue);
                 break;
 
               case DECIMAL:
@@ -2725,7 +2776,7 @@ private void setFilterFieldNode(ObjectNode filterNode, String filterField, Strin
 
         case BOOLEAN:
           if (BaseUtils.compareWithMany(filterValue, "true", "false") == true) {
-            filterNode.put(filterField, new Boolean(filterValue));
+            filterNode.put(filterField, Boolean.valueOf(filterValue));
           }
           else {
             throw new UnifyException("jdoc_err_53", filterField, path);
@@ -2737,11 +2788,11 @@ private void setFilterFieldNode(ObjectNode filterNode, String filterField, Strin
           break;
 
         case INTEGER:
-          filterNode.put(filterField, new Integer(filterValue));
+          filterNode.put(filterField, Integer.valueOf(filterValue));
           break;
 
         case LONG:
-          filterNode.put(filterField, new Long(filterValue));
+          filterNode.put(filterField, Long.valueOf(filterValue));
           break;
 
         case DECIMAL:
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/americanexpress/unify/jdocs/DocumentTest.java b/src/test/java/com/americanexpress/unify/jdocs/DocumentTest.java
index f7f0986..8df244b 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/americanexpress/unify/jdocs/DocumentTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/americanexpress/unify/jdocs/DocumentTest.java
@@ -135,6 +135,15 @@ void testMisc() {
     d.setString("$.[1].name", "Nitika");
     Document d1 = new JDocument();
     d1.setContent(d, "$.[]", "$.application[]");
+
+    {
+      // this will run ok
+      d = new JDocument();
+      d.setString("$.pod_info.fname", "Deepak");
+      d.setString("$.pod_info.lname", "Arora");
+      Document rd = new JDocument("[]");
+      rd.setContent(d, "$.pod_info", "$.[0]");
+    }
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -150,12 +159,12 @@ void testRead() {
     assertEquals("9999999999", d.getString("$.members[sex=male].phones[type=mobile].number"));
 
     // check int and long reads
-    assertEquals(new Integer(0), d.getInteger("$.members[0].index"));
-    assertEquals(new Long(0), d.getLong("$.members[0].index"));
+    assertEquals(Integer.valueOf(0), d.getInteger("$.members[0].index"));
+    assertEquals(Long.valueOf(0), d.getLong("$.members[0].index"));
 
     // check boolean reads
-    assertEquals(new Boolean(true), d.getBoolean("$.members[0].is_married"));
-    assertEquals(new Boolean(false), d.getBoolean("$.members[1].is_married"));
+    assertEquals(Boolean.valueOf(true), d.getBoolean("$.members[0].is_married"));
+    assertEquals(Boolean.valueOf(false), d.getBoolean("$.members[1].is_married"));
 
     // check null read
     assertEquals(null, d.getString("$.info.iid"));
@@ -411,7 +420,7 @@ void testNativeArrayValue() {
     assertEquals(s, "AZ");
 
     Integer code = (Integer)d.getArrayValue("$.valid_states[0].codes[0]");
-    assertEquals(code, new Integer(1));
+    assertEquals(code, Integer.valueOf(1));
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -1443,4 +1452,21 @@ void testMissingParams() {
 
   }
 
+  @Test
+  void testNumber() {
+    try {
+      // all primitive types at root are valid JSONs
+      Document d = new JDocument("14");
+      // use below to read the value of such a JSON document
+      // String s = d.getJson();
+      // long value = Long.valueOf(s);
+      d = new JDocument("14.1");
+      d = new JDocument("true");
+      d = new JDocument("\"hello\"");
+    }
+    catch (Exception e) {
+      assert(false);
+    }
+  }
+
 }