diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 381fc13..16d15cc 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -239,13 +239,20 @@ function getPassedContext(event, body) {
 			let k;
 			if ((k = key.match(/^ctx[_-](.*)$/))) {
 
-				// Check for any type conversions on the query parameter
-				let type = event.queryStringParameters["t_" + key];
-				let converter = typeConverters[type];
-				if (converter) {
-					value = converter(value);					
+				// if the key is just `ctx_` or `ctx-` and there is a value, parse it as JSON
+				if (!k[1] && value) {
+					ctx[key] = JSON.parse(value);
+				} else {
+					// Check for any type conversions on the query parameter
+					let type = event.queryStringParameters["t_" + key];
+					let converter = typeConverters[type];
+					if (converter) {
+						value = converter(value);					
+					}
+					ctx[k[1]] = value;
+
 				}
-				ctx[k[1]] = value;
+
 			}
 			return ctx;
 		},
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index cf4905c..6ba6e8f 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "leo-auth",
-  "version": "4.0.3",
+  "version": "4.0.4",
   "description": "Auth sdk",
   "homepage": "https://leoplatform.io",
   "main": "index.js",
diff --git a/test/index.utest.ts b/test/index.utest.ts
index 9a8cd9a..1b796d3 100644
--- a/test/index.utest.ts
+++ b/test/index.utest.ts
@@ -289,6 +289,20 @@ describe('index', function () {
 				});
 				assert.deepEqual(user.identities, [ "role/test2", "role/test3", "role/aws_key" ]);
 			});
+			it("get user - custom context with JSON value", async() => {
+				let sdk = require("..");
+				let user = await sdk.getUser({
+					queryStringParameters: {
+						ctx_: "{\"test\":\"value\"}"
+					},
+					requestContext: {
+						identity: {
+							caller: "identity-1234"
+						}
+					}
+				});
+				assert.deepEqual(user.context, { key: "identity-1234", ctx_: { test: "value" } });
+			});
 		});
 
 		describe("auth user", () => {