diff --git a/ExtensionCrawler/db.py b/ExtensionCrawler/db.py
index 41d5794..0ff6bca 100644
--- a/ExtensionCrawler/db.py
+++ b/ExtensionCrawler/db.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import os
 import glob
 import datetime
 import hashlib
+from jsmin import jsmin
 
 
 def get_etag(ext_id, datepath, con):
@@ -214,16 +215,6 @@ def parse_and_insert_crx(ext_id, datepath, con):
                 # Trying a different encoding, manifests are weird...
                 content = raw_content.decode("latin1")
 
-            # Attempt to remove JavaScript-style comments from json
-            comment_regex = re.compile(r'\s*//.*')
-            multiline_comment_regex = re.compile(r'\s*/\\*.*\\*/\s*')
-            lines = content.splitlines()
-            for index, line in enumerate(lines):
-                if comment_regex.fullmatch(
-                        line) or multiline_comment_regex.fullmatch(line):
-                    lines[index] = ""
-            content = "\n".join(lines)
-
             con.insert(
                 "crx",
                 crx_etag=etag,
@@ -232,7 +223,7 @@ def parse_and_insert_crx(ext_id, datepath, con):
                 manifest=content,
                 publickey=public_key)
 
-            manifest = json.loads(content, strict=False)
+            manifest = json.loads(jsmin(content), strict=False)
             if "permissions" in manifest:
                 for permission in manifest["permissions"]:
                     con.insert(
diff --git a/ExtensionCrawler/file_identifiers.py b/ExtensionCrawler/file_identifiers.py
index 31e0262..d6b8828 100644
--- a/ExtensionCrawler/file_identifiers.py
+++ b/ExtensionCrawler/file_identifiers.py
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ def get_features(s):
 def get_simhash(encoding, data):
     """Compute simhash of text."""
     if encoding is not None:
+        # VISCII is not supported by python, UTF-8 parses at least the for us important parts
+        if encoding == "VISCII":
+            encoding = "UTF-8"
         str_data = data.decode(encoding=encoding, errors="replace")
     else:
         str_data = str(data)
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 109177f..0512212 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -13,3 +13,4 @@ GitPython==2.1.5
 python_magic==0.4.13
 jsbeautifier==1.7.3
 pebble==4.3.7
+jsmin==2.2.2
\ No newline at end of file