diff --git a/marshal.go b/marshal.go
index 46ed617..e25de6a 100644
--- a/marshal.go
+++ b/marshal.go
@@ -105,14 +105,19 @@ func parsePort(s string) int {
 // the raw JSON for later parsing.
 func (i *InstanceMetadata) UnmarshalJSON(b []byte) error {
 	i.Raw = b
-	// TODO(cq) could actually parse Raw here, and in a parallel UnmarshalXML as well.
+	// TODO(cq) could actually parse Raw in a parallel UnmarshalXML as well.
+	var m map[string]interface{}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(b, &m); err != nil {
+    		return err
+	}
+	i.Parsed = m
 	return nil
 }
 
 // MarshalJSON is a custom JSON marshaler for InstanceMetadata.
 func (i *InstanceMetadata) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
-	if i.parsed != nil {
-		return json.Marshal(i.parsed)
+	if i.Parsed != nil {
+		return json.Marshal(i.Parsed)
 	}
 
 	if i.Raw == nil {
@@ -126,8 +131,8 @@ func (i *InstanceMetadata) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
 func (i InstanceMetadata) MarshalXML(e *xml.Encoder, start xml.StartElement) error {
 	tokens := []xml.Token{start}
 
-	if i.parsed != nil {
-		for key, value := range i.parsed {
+	if i.Parsed != nil {
+		for key, value := range i.Parsed {
 			t := xml.StartElement{Name: xml.Name{"", key}}
 			tokens = append(tokens, t, xml.CharData(value.(string)), xml.EndElement{t.Name})
 		}
diff --git a/metadata.go b/metadata.go
index f1af0be..d1c79c8 100644
--- a/metadata.go
+++ b/metadata.go
@@ -23,15 +23,15 @@ func (a *Application) ParseAllMetadata() error {
 
 // SetMetadataString for a given instance before register
 func (ins *Instance) SetMetadataString(key, value string) {
-	if ins.Metadata.parsed == nil {
-		ins.Metadata.parsed = map[string]interface{}{}
+	if ins.Metadata.Parsed == nil {
+		ins.Metadata.Parsed = map[string]interface{}{}
 	}
-	ins.Metadata.parsed[key] = value
+	ins.Metadata.Parsed[key] = value
 }
 
 func (im *InstanceMetadata) parse() error {
 	if len(im.Raw) == 0 {
-		im.parsed = make(map[string]interface{})
+		im.Parsed = make(map[string]interface{})
 		log.Debug("len(Metadata)==0. Quitting parsing.")
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ func (im *InstanceMetadata) parse() error {
 
 	if len(im.Raw) > 0 && im.Raw[0] == '{' {
 		// JSON
-		err := json.Unmarshal(im.Raw, &im.parsed)
+		err := json.Unmarshal(im.Raw, &im.Parsed)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Errorf("Error unmarshalling: %s", err.Error())
 			return fmt.Errorf("error unmarshalling: %s", err.Error())
@@ -52,14 +52,14 @@ func (im *InstanceMetadata) parse() error {
 			log.Errorf("Error unmarshalling: %s", err.Error())
 			return fmt.Errorf("error unmarshalling: %s", err.Error())
 		}
-		im.parsed = parsedDoc["d"].(map[string]interface{})
+		im.Parsed = parsedDoc["d"].(map[string]interface{})
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
 // GetMap returns a map of the metadata parameters for this instance
 func (im *InstanceMetadata) GetMap() map[string]interface{} {
-	return im.parsed
+	return im.Parsed
 }
 
 func (im *InstanceMetadata) getItem(key string) (interface{}, bool, error) {
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func (im *InstanceMetadata) getItem(key string) (interface{}, bool, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", false, fmt.Errorf("parsing error: %s", err.Error())
 	}
-	val, present := im.parsed[key]
+	val, present := im.Parsed[key]
 	return val, present, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/struct.go b/struct.go
index 19b0570..75b212d 100644
--- a/struct.go
+++ b/struct.go
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ type Port struct {
 // metadata.go for more info.
 type InstanceMetadata struct {
 	Raw    []byte `xml:",innerxml" json:"-"`
-	parsed map[string]interface{}
+	Parsed map[string]interface{}  `json:"-"`
 }
 
 // AmazonMetadataType is information about AZ's, AMI's, and the AWS instance