diff --git a/collector/lib/CollectorConfigInspector.cpp b/collector/lib/CollectorConfigInspector.cpp
index 6478aef097..1f8d16a9a3 100644
--- a/collector/lib/CollectorConfigInspector.cpp
+++ b/collector/lib/CollectorConfigInspector.cpp
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 #include "CollectorConfigInspector.h"
 
-#include <string>
-
 #include <Logging.h>
+#include <string>
 
 #include <google/protobuf/util/json_util.h>
 
@@ -13,32 +12,24 @@ const std::string CollectorConfigInspector::kBaseRoute = "/state/config";
 CollectorConfigInspector::CollectorConfigInspector(const std::shared_ptr<CollectorConfig> config) : config_(config) {
 }
 
-Json::Value CollectorConfigInspector::configToJson() {
-  Json::Value root;
+std::string CollectorConfigInspector::configToJson(bool& isError) {
   const auto& runtime_config = config_->GetRuntimeConfig();
 
   if (!runtime_config.has_value()) {
-    return root;
+    return "{}";
   }
-    std::string jsonString;
-    const auto& config = runtime_config.value();
-    google::protobuf::util::Status status = google::protobuf::util::MessageToJsonString(config, &jsonString);
-
-    if (!status.ok()) {
-      CLOG(WARNING) << "Failed to convert protobuf object to JSON: " << status.ToString();
-      return Json::Value();
-    }
-
-    Json::CharReaderBuilder readerBuilder;
-    std::string errs;
-    std::istringstream iss(jsonString);
-    if (!Json::parseFromStream(readerBuilder, iss, &root, &errs)) {
-      CLOG(ERROR) << "Failed to parse JSON string: " << errs;
-      return Json::Value();
-    }
+
+  std::string jsonString;
+  const auto& config = runtime_config.value();
+  google::protobuf::util::Status status = google::protobuf::util::MessageToJsonString(config, &jsonString);
+
+  if (!status.ok()) {
+    isError = true;
+    CLOG(WARNING) << "Failed to convert protobuf object to JSON: " << status.ToString();
+    return "{\"error\": \"Failed to convert protobuf object to JSON\"";
   }
 
-  return root;
+  return jsonString;
 }
 
 bool CollectorConfigInspector::handleGet(CivetServer* server, struct mg_connection* conn) {
@@ -48,10 +39,15 @@ bool CollectorConfigInspector::handleGet(CivetServer* server, struct mg_connecti
     return ServerError(conn, "unable to read request");
   }
 
-  Json::Value root = configToJson();
+  bool isError = false;
+  std::string jsonString = configToJson(isError);
 
-  mg_printf(conn, "HTTP/1.1 200 OK\r\nContent-Type: application/json\r\nConnection: close\r\n\r\n");
-  mg_printf(conn, "%s\r\n", writer_.write(root).c_str());
+  if (isError) {
+    mg_printf(conn, "HTTP/1.1 500 OK\r\nContent-Type: application/json\r\nConnection: close\r\n\r\n");
+  } else {
+    mg_printf(conn, "HTTP/1.1 200 OK\r\nContent-Type: application/json\r\nConnection: close\r\n\r\n");
+  }
+  mg_printf(conn, "%s\r\n", jsonString.c_str());
 
   return true;
 }
diff --git a/collector/lib/CollectorConfigInspector.h b/collector/lib/CollectorConfigInspector.h
index 1104b76aa9..cda577f4ae 100644
--- a/collector/lib/CollectorConfigInspector.h
+++ b/collector/lib/CollectorConfigInspector.h
@@ -21,8 +21,7 @@ class CollectorConfigInspector : public IntrospectionEndpoint {
 
  private:
   const std::shared_ptr<CollectorConfig> config_;
-  Json::FastWriter writer_;
-  Json::Value configToJson();
+  std::string configToJson(bool& isError);
 };
 
 }  // namespace collector