diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6e92f57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+tags
diff --git a/jzon.inc.php b/jzon.inc.php
index 3a027fe..29efc35 100644
--- a/jzon.inc.php
+++ b/jzon.inc.php
@@ -290,10 +290,11 @@ class jzonParser
         ++$this->c;
     }
 
+    $str_num = substr($this->in, $start, $this->c - $start);
     if($is_float)
-      $out = 1*substr($this->in, $start, $this->c - $start);
+      $out = floatval($str_num);
     else
-      $out = (int)(1*substr($this->in, $start, $this->c - $start));
+      $out = intval($str_num);
   }
 
   private function parse_true(&$out)
@@ -340,7 +341,7 @@ function jzon_parse($str)
     return $res;
 
   //NOTE: only allowing extension implementation if versions match
-  if(JZON_EXT_VERSION === JZON_VERSION)
+  if(defined('JZON_EXT_VERSION') && JZON_EXT_VERSION === JZON_VERSION)
   {
     list($ok, $err, $err_pos, $res) = jzon_parse_c($str);
     if(!$ok)