diff --git a/src/blackcore/db/databaseauthentication.cpp b/src/blackcore/db/databaseauthentication.cpp
index 6f962a7e7..306c96a1b 100644
--- a/src/blackcore/db/databaseauthentication.cpp
+++ b/src/blackcore/db/databaseauthentication.cpp
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ namespace BlackCore
                     CLogMessage(this).error("Authentication failed, no response from %1") << urlString;
                     return;
                 }
-                if (!json.startsWith('{') || !json.endsWith('}'))
+                if (!Json::looksLikeJson(json))
                 {
                     CLogMessage(this).error("Illegal JSON object: %1") << CNetworkUtils::removeHtmlPartsFromPhpErrorMessage(json);
                     return;
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/json.cpp b/src/blackmisc/json.cpp
index 82312c317..9fb7f465b 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/json.cpp
+++ b/src/blackmisc/json.cpp
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ const QJsonValue &operator >>(const QJsonValue &json, QString &value)
 
 const QJsonValue &operator >>(const QJsonValue &json, QStringList &value)
 {
-    for (auto &&element : json.toArray()) { value << element.toString(); }
+    for (auto && element : json.toArray()) { value << element.toString(); }
     return json;
 }
 
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ const QJsonValueRef &operator >>(const QJsonValueRef &json, QString &value)
 
 const QJsonValueRef &operator >>(const QJsonValueRef &json, QStringList &value)
 {
-    for (auto &&element : json.toArray()) { value << element.toString(); }
+    for (auto && element : json.toArray()) { value << element.toString(); }
     return json;
 }
 
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ namespace BlackMisc
         {
             if (toBeAppended.isEmpty()) return target;
             QStringList keys = toBeAppended.keys();
-            foreach(const QString & key, keys)
+            foreach (const QString &key, keys)
             {
                 target.insert(key, toBeAppended.value(key));
             }
@@ -449,5 +449,18 @@ namespace BlackMisc
             }
             return currentObject;
         }
+
+        bool looksLikeJson(const QString &json)
+        {
+            if (json.isEmpty()) { return false; }
+            const QString t = json.trimmed();
+            return t.startsWith('{') && t.endsWith('}');
+        }
+
+        bool looksLikeSwiftJson(const QString &json)
+        {
+            // further checks would go here
+            return looksLikeJson(json);
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/json.h b/src/blackmisc/json.h
index e90c1add6..07c876b14 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/json.h
+++ b/src/blackmisc/json.h
@@ -250,6 +250,14 @@ namespace BlackMisc
         //! Merges an incremental json object into an existing one
         BLACKMISC_EXPORT QJsonObject applyIncrementalObject(const QJsonObject &previousObject, const QJsonObject &incrementalObject);
 
+        //! Looks like swift JSON?
+        //! \remark Quick check if the string could be a valid JSON string
+        BLACKMISC_EXPORT bool looksLikeJson(const QString &json);
+
+        //! Looks like swift JSON?
+        //! \remark Quick check if the string could be a valid swift JSON string
+        BLACKMISC_EXPORT bool looksLikeSwiftJson(const QString &json);
+
         /*!
          * Load JSON file and init by that
          */