diff --git a/client/alloc_runner.go b/client/alloc_runner.go
index 8ca6f671e..1bb6d1a65 100644
--- a/client/alloc_runner.go
+++ b/client/alloc_runner.go
@@ -279,8 +279,17 @@ func copyTaskStates(states map[string]*structs.TaskState) map[string]*structs.Ta
 // Alloc returns the associated allocation
 func (r *AllocRunner) Alloc() *structs.Allocation {
 	r.allocLock.Lock()
+
+	// Clear the job before copying
+	job := r.alloc.Job
+	r.alloc.Job = nil
+
 	alloc := r.alloc.Copy()
 
+	// Restore
+	r.alloc.Job = job
+	alloc.Job = job
+
 	// The status has explicitly been set.
 	if r.allocClientStatus != "" || r.allocClientDescription != "" {
 		alloc.ClientStatus = r.allocClientStatus
diff --git a/client/util.go b/client/util.go
index 3f7cef981..ee78ebac2 100644
--- a/client/util.go
+++ b/client/util.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package client
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/nomad/structs"
+	"github.com/ugorji/go/codec"
 )
 
 type allocTuple struct {
@@ -78,15 +80,17 @@ func shuffleStrings(list []string) {
 
 // persistState is used to help with saving state
 func persistState(path string, data interface{}) error {
-	buf, err := json.Marshal(data)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to encode state: %v", err)
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	enc := codec.NewEncoder(&buf, structs.JsonHandlePretty)
+	if err := enc.Encode(data); err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
+
 	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(path), 0700); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to make dirs for %s: %v", path, err)
 	}
 	tmpPath := path + ".tmp"
-	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(tmpPath, buf, 0600); err != nil {
+	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(tmpPath, buf.Bytes(), 0600); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to save state to tmp: %v", err)
 	}
 	if err := os.Rename(tmpPath, path); err != nil {
diff --git a/command/agent/fs_endpoint.go b/command/agent/fs_endpoint.go
index 7658e6628..ad6847c4e 100644
--- a/command/agent/fs_endpoint.go
+++ b/command/agent/fs_endpoint.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/docker/docker/pkg/ioutils"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/client/allocdir"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/nomad/structs"
 	"github.com/hpcloud/tail/watch"
 	"github.com/ugorji/go/codec"
 )
@@ -290,7 +291,7 @@ func NewStreamFramer(out io.WriteCloser, plainTxt bool,
 	heartbeatRate, batchWindow time.Duration, frameSize int) *StreamFramer {
 
 	// Create a JSON encoder
-	enc := codec.NewEncoder(out, jsonHandle)
+	enc := codec.NewEncoder(out, structs.JsonHandle)
 
 	// Create the heartbeat and flush ticker
 	heartbeat := time.NewTicker(heartbeatRate)
diff --git a/command/agent/http.go b/command/agent/http.go
index 8dbfca78e..147a9df08 100644
--- a/command/agent/http.go
+++ b/command/agent/http.go
@@ -29,18 +29,6 @@ const (
 	scadaHTTPAddr = "SCADA"
 )
 
-var (
-	// jsonHandle and jsonHandlePretty are the codec handles to JSON encode
-	// structs. The pretty handle will add indents for easier human consumption.
-	jsonHandle = &codec.JsonHandle{
-		HTMLCharsAsIs: true,
-	}
-	jsonHandlePretty = &codec.JsonHandle{
-		HTMLCharsAsIs: true,
-		Indent:        4,
-	}
-)
-
 // HTTPServer is used to wrap an Agent and expose it over an HTTP interface
 type HTTPServer struct {
 	agent    *Agent
@@ -248,13 +236,13 @@ func (s *HTTPServer) wrap(handler func(resp http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Reque
 		if obj != nil {
 			var buf bytes.Buffer
 			if prettyPrint {
-				enc := codec.NewEncoder(&buf, jsonHandlePretty)
+				enc := codec.NewEncoder(&buf, structs.JsonHandlePretty)
 				err = enc.Encode(obj)
 				if err == nil {
 					buf.Write([]byte("\n"))
 				}
 			} else {
-				enc := codec.NewEncoder(&buf, jsonHandle)
+				enc := codec.NewEncoder(&buf, structs.JsonHandle)
 				err = enc.Encode(obj)
 			}
 			if err != nil {
diff --git a/nomad/structs/structs.go b/nomad/structs/structs.go
index 924c39009..3826ed784 100644
--- a/nomad/structs/structs.go
+++ b/nomad/structs/structs.go
@@ -4231,6 +4231,18 @@ var MsgpackHandle = func() *codec.MsgpackHandle {
 	return h
 }()
 
+var (
+	// JsonHandle and JsonHandlePretty are the codec handles to JSON encode
+	// structs. The pretty handle will add indents for easier human consumption.
+	JsonHandle = &codec.JsonHandle{
+		HTMLCharsAsIs: true,
+	}
+	JsonHandlePretty = &codec.JsonHandle{
+		HTMLCharsAsIs: true,
+		Indent:        4,
+	}
+)
+
 var HashiMsgpackHandle = func() *hcodec.MsgpackHandle {
 	h := &hcodec.MsgpackHandle{RawToString: true}