diff --git a/watch/watch_test.py b/watch/watch_test.py
index 6fec23ec..f102274e 100644
--- a/watch/watch_test.py
+++ b/watch/watch_test.py
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ def test_watch_resource_version_set(self):
             '{"type": "ADDED", "object": {"metadata": {"name": "test3",'
             '"resourceVersion": "3"}, "spec": {}, "status": {}}}\n'
         ]
+
         # return nothing on the first call and values on the second
         # this emulates a watch from a rv that returns nothing in the first k8s
         # watch reset and values later
@@ -250,6 +251,24 @@ def test_unmarshal_with_custom_object(self):
         self.assertEqual("1", event['object']['metadata']['resourceVersion'])
         self.assertEqual("1", w.resource_version)
 
+    # ref: gh-982
+    def test_unmarshal_with_object_literal(self):
+        from json import dumps
+        w = Watch()
+        simple_object = {'hello': 'world', 'object': {}}
+        object_literal = dumps(simple_object)
+        event = w.unmarshal_event(object_literal, 'str')
+        self.assertTrue(isinstance(event, str))
+        self.assertEqual(object_literal, event)
+
+    # ref: gh-983
+    def test_unmarshal_with_int_literal(self):
+        w = Watch()
+        int_literal = '1145141919'
+        event = w.unmarshal_event(int_literal, 'str')
+        self.assertTrue(isinstance(event, str))
+        self.assertEqual(int_literal, event)
+
     def test_watch_with_exception(self):
         fake_resp = Mock()
         fake_resp.close = Mock()