diff --git a/requirements-dev.txt b/requirements-dev.txt
index cde368479..0b66e6886 100644
--- a/requirements-dev.txt
+++ b/requirements-dev.txt
@@ -21,3 +21,4 @@ aiounittest==1.4.2
 yamllint==1.32.0
 wlc==1.13
 coloredlogs==15.0.1
+parameterized==0.9.0
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/searx/utils.py b/searx/utils.py
index 458cef7ea..08e7e8f77 100644
--- a/searx/utils.py
+++ b/searx/utils.py
@@ -38,9 +38,14 @@ _BLOCKED_TAGS = ('script', 'style')
 _ECMA_UNESCAPE4_RE = re.compile(r'%u([0-9a-fA-F]{4})', re.UNICODE)
 _ECMA_UNESCAPE2_RE = re.compile(r'%([0-9a-fA-F]{2})', re.UNICODE)
 
-_JS_QUOTE_KEYS_RE = re.compile(r'([\{\s,])(\w+)(:)')
-_JS_VOID_RE = re.compile(r'void\s+[0-9]+|void\s*\([0-9]+\)')
-_JS_DECIMAL_RE = re.compile(r":\s*\.")
+_JS_STRING_DELIMITERS = re.compile(r'(["\'`])')
+_JS_QUOTE_KEYS_RE = re.compile(r'([\{\s,])([\$_\w][\$_\w0-9]*)(:)')
+_JS_VOID_OR_UNDEFINED_RE = re.compile(r'void\s+[0-9]+|void\s*\([0-9]+\)|undefined')
+_JS_DECIMAL_RE = re.compile(r"([\[\,:])\s*(\-?)\s*([0-9_]*)\.([0-9_]*)")
+_JS_DECIMAL2_RE = re.compile(r"([\[\,:])\s*(\-?)\s*([0-9_]+)")
+_JS_EXTRA_COMA_RE = re.compile(r"\s*,\s*([\]\}])")
+_JS_STRING_ESCAPE_RE = re.compile(r'\\(.)')
+_JSON_PASSTHROUGH_ESCAPES = R'"\bfnrtu'
 
 _STORAGE_UNIT_VALUE: Dict[str, int] = {
     'TB': 1024 * 1024 * 1024 * 1024,
@@ -652,12 +657,45 @@ def detect_language(text: str, threshold: float = 0.3, only_search_languages: bo
     return None
 
 
+def _j2p_process_escape(match):
+    # deal with ECMA escape characters
+    escape = match.group(1) or match.group(2)
+    return (
+        Rf'\{escape}'
+        if escape in _JSON_PASSTHROUGH_ESCAPES
+        else R'\u00'
+        if escape == 'x'
+        else ''
+        if escape == '\n'
+        else escape
+    )
+
+
+def _j2p_decimal(match):
+    return (
+        match.group(1)
+        + match.group(2)
+        + (match.group(3).replace("_", "") or "0")
+        + "."
+        + (match.group(4).replace("_", "") or "0")
+    )
+
+
+def _j2p_decimal2(match):
+    return match.group(1) + match.group(2) + match.group(3).replace("_", "")
+
+
 def js_variable_to_python(js_variable):
     """Convert a javascript variable into JSON and then load the value
 
     It does not deal with all cases, but it is good enough for now.
     chompjs has a better implementation.
     """
+    if not isinstance(js_variable, str):
+        raise ValueError("js_variable must be of type str")
+    if js_variable == "":
+        raise ValueError("js_variable can't be an empty string")
+
     # when in_string is not None, it contains the character that has opened the string
     # either simple quote or double quote
     in_string = None
@@ -665,49 +703,68 @@ def js_variable_to_python(js_variable):
     # r"""{ a:"f\"irst", c:'sec"ond'}"""
     # becomes
     # ['{ a:', '"', 'f\\', '"', 'irst', '"', ', c:', "'", 'sec', '"', 'ond', "'", '}']
-    parts = re.split(r'(["\'])', js_variable)
-    # previous part (to check the escape character antislash)
-    previous_p = ""
+    parts = _JS_STRING_DELIMITERS.split(js_variable)
+    # does the previous part ends with a backslash?
+    blackslash_just_before = False
     for i, p in enumerate(parts):
-        # parse characters inside a ECMA string
-        if in_string:
-            # we are in a JS string: replace the colon by a temporary character
-            # so quote_keys_regex doesn't have to deal with colon inside the JS strings
-            parts[i] = parts[i].replace(':', chr(1))
-            if in_string == "'":
-                # the JS string is delimited by simple quote.
-                # This is not supported by JSON.
-                # simple quote delimited string are converted to double quote delimited string
-                # here, inside a JS string, we escape the double quote
-                parts[i] = parts[i].replace('"', r'\"')
-
-        # deal with delimieters and escape character
-        if not in_string and p in ('"', "'"):
-            # we are not in string
-            # but p is double or simple quote
-            # that's the start of a new string
-            # replace simple quote by double quote
-            # (JSON doesn't support simple quote)
-            parts[i] = '"'
-            in_string = p
-            continue
-        if p == in_string:
-            # we are in a string and the current part MAY close the string
-            if len(previous_p) > 0 and previous_p[-1] == '\\':
-                # there is an antislash just before: the ECMA string continue
-                continue
-            # the current p close the string
-            # replace simple quote by double quote
-            parts[i] = '"'
+        if p == in_string and not blackslash_just_before:
+            # * the current part matches the character which has opened the string
+            # * there is no antislash just before
+            # --> the current part close the current string
             in_string = None
+            # replace simple quote and ` by double quote
+            # since JSON supports only double quote for string
+            parts[i] = '"'
 
-        if not in_string:
-            # replace void 0 by null
+        elif in_string:
+            # --> we are in a JS string
+            # replace the colon by a temporary character
+            # so _JS_QUOTE_KEYS_RE doesn't have to deal with colon inside the JS strings
+            p = p.replace(':', chr(1))
+            # replace JS escape sequences by JSON escape sequences
+            p = _JS_STRING_ESCAPE_RE.sub(_j2p_process_escape, p)
+            # the JS string is delimited by simple quote.
+            # This is not supported by JSON.
+            # simple quote delimited string are converted to double quote delimited string
+            # here, inside a JS string, we escape the double quote
+            if in_string == "'":
+                p = p.replace('"', r'\"')
+            parts[i] = p
+            # deal with the sequence blackslash then quote
+            # since js_variable splits on quote, we detect this case:
+            # * the previous part ends with a black slash
+            # * the current part is a single quote
+            # when detected the blackslash is removed on the previous part
+            if blackslash_just_before and p[:1] == "'":
+                parts[i - 1] = parts[i - 1][:-1]
+
+        elif in_string is None and p in ('"', "'", "`"):
+            # we are not in string but p is string delimiter
+            # --> that's the start of a new string
+            in_string = p
+            # replace simple quote by double quote
+            # since JSON supports only double quote for string
+            parts[i] = '"'
+
+        elif in_string is None:
+            # we are not in a string
+            # replace by null these values:
+            # * void 0
+            # * void(0)
+            # * undefined
             # https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Operators/void
-            # we are sure there is no string in p
-            parts[i] = _JS_VOID_RE.sub("null", p)
-        # update previous_p
-        previous_p = p
+            p = _JS_VOID_OR_UNDEFINED_RE.sub("null", p)
+            # make sure there is a leading zero in front of float
+            p = _JS_DECIMAL_RE.sub(_j2p_decimal, p)
+            p = _JS_DECIMAL2_RE.sub(_j2p_decimal2, p)
+            # remove extra coma in a list or an object
+            # for example [1,2,3,] becomes [1,2,3]
+            p = _JS_EXTRA_COMA_RE.sub(lambda match: match.group(1), p)
+            parts[i] = p
+
+        # update for the next iteration
+        blackslash_just_before = len(p) > 0 and p[-1] == '\\'
+
     # join the string
     s = ''.join(parts)
     # add quote arround the key
@@ -715,8 +772,13 @@ def js_variable_to_python(js_variable):
     # becomes
     # { "a": 12 }
     s = _JS_QUOTE_KEYS_RE.sub(r'\1"\2"\3', s)
-    s = _JS_DECIMAL_RE.sub(":0.", s)
-    # replace the surogate character by colon
-    s = s.replace(chr(1), ':')
+    # replace the surogate character by colon and strip whitespaces
+    s = s.replace(chr(1), ':').strip()
     # load the JSON and return the result
-    return json.loads(s)
+    if s == "":
+        raise ValueError("js_variable can't be an empty string")
+    try:
+        return json.loads(s)
+    except json.JSONDecodeError as e:
+        logger.debug("Internal error: js_variable_to_python creates invalid JSON:\n%s", s)
+        raise ValueError("js_variable_to_python creates invalid JSON") from e
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_js_variable_to_python.py b/tests/unit/test_js_variable_to_python.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..634749b2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_js_variable_to_python.py
@@ -0,0 +1,283 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+"""
+Tests for the function searx.utils.js_variable_to_python
+
+The tests are copied from https://github.com/Nykakin/chompjs/blob/c1501b5cd82c0044539875331745b820e7bfd067/chompjs/test_parser.py
+
+Comment out tests do not pass
+"""
+import math
+
+from parameterized import parameterized
+
+from searx.utils import js_variable_to_python
+
+from tests import SearxTestCase
+
+
+class TestParser(SearxTestCase):
+    @parameterized.expand(
+        [
+            ("{'hello': 'world'}", {'hello': 'world'}),
+            ("{'hello': 'world', 'my': 'master'}", {'hello': 'world', 'my': 'master'}),
+            (
+                "{'hello': 'world', 'my': {'master': 'of Orion'}, 'test': 'xx'}",
+                {'hello': 'world', 'my': {'master': 'of Orion'}, 'test': 'xx'},
+            ),
+            ("{}", {}),
+        ]
+    )
+    def test_parse_object(self, js, expected_py):
+        py = js_variable_to_python(js)
+        self.assertEqual(py, expected_py)
+
+    @parameterized.expand(
+        [
+            ("[]", []),
+            ("[[[]]]", [[[]]]),
+            ("[[[1]]]", [[[1]]]),
+            ("[1]", [1]),
+            ("[1, 2, 3, 4]", [1, 2, 3, 4]),
+            ("['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o']", ['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o']),
+            ("[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[1]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]", [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[1]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]),
+        ]
+    )
+    def test_parse_list(self, js, expected_py):
+        py = js_variable_to_python(js)
+        self.assertEqual(py, expected_py)
+
+    @parameterized.expand(
+        [
+            ("{'hello': [], 'world': [0]}", {'hello': [], 'world': [0]}),
+            ("{'hello': [1, 2, 3, 4]}", {'hello': [1, 2, 3, 4]}),
+            ("[{'a':12}, {'b':33}]", [{'a': 12}, {'b': 33}]),
+            (
+                "[false, {'true': true, `pies`: \"kot\"}, false,]",
+                [False, {"true": True, 'pies': 'kot'}, False],
+            ),
+            (
+                "{a:1,b:1,c:1,d:1,e:1,f:1,g:1,h:1,i:1,j:1}",
+                {k: 1 for k in 'abcdefghij'},
+            ),
+            (
+                "{'a':[{'b':1},{'c':[{'d':{'f':{'g':[1,2]}}},{'e':1}]}]}",
+                {'a': [{'b': 1}, {'c': [{'d': {'f': {'g': [1, 2]}}}, {'e': 1}]}]},
+            ),
+        ]
+    )
+    def test_parse_mixed(self, js, expected_py):
+        py = js_variable_to_python(js)
+        self.assertEqual(py, expected_py)
+
+    @parameterized.expand(
+        [
+            ("{'hello': 12, 'world': 10002.21}", {'hello': 12, 'world': 10002.21}),
+            ("[12, -323, 0.32, -32.22, .2, - 4]", [12, -323, 0.32, -32.22, 0.2, -4]),
+            ('{"a": -12, "b": - 5}', {'a': -12, 'b': -5}),
+            ("{'a': true, 'b': false, 'c': null}", {'a': True, 'b': False, 'c': None}),
+            ("[\"\\uD834\\uDD1E\"]", ['𝄞']),
+            ("{'a': '123\\'456\\n'}", {'a': "123'456\n"}),
+            ("['\u00E9']", ['é']),
+            ('{"cache":{"\u002Ftest\u002F": 0}}', {'cache': {'/test/': 0}}),
+            ('{"a": 3.125e7}', {'a': 3.125e7}),
+            ('''{"a": "b\\'"}''', {'a': "b'"}),
+            ('{"a": .99, "b": -.1}', {"a": 0.99, "b": -0.1}),
+            ('["/* ... */", "// ..."]', ["/* ... */", "// ..."]),
+            ('{"inclusions":["/*","/"]}', {'inclusions': ['/*', '/']}),
+        ]
+    )
+    def test_parse_standard_values(self, js, expected_py):
+        py = js_variable_to_python(js)
+        self.assertEqual(py, expected_py)
+
+    def test_parse_nan(self):
+        js = '{"A": NaN}'
+        py = js_variable_to_python(js)
+        self.assertTrue(math.isnan(py["A"]))
+
+    @parameterized.expand(
+        [
+            ("{abc: 100, dev: 200}", {'abc': 100, 'dev': 200}),
+            ("{abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz: 12}", {"abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz": 12}),
+            # (
+            #     "{age: function(yearBorn,thisYear) {return thisYear - yearBorn;}}",
+            #     {"age": "function(yearBorn,thisYear) {return thisYear - yearBorn;}"}
+            # ),
+            # (
+            #     "{\"abc\": function() {return '])))))))))))))))';}}",
+            #     {"abc": "function() {return '])))))))))))))))';}"},
+            # ),
+            ('{"a": undefined}', {"a": None}),  # chompjs returns {"a": "undefined"}
+            ('[undefined, undefined]', [None, None]),  # chompjs returns ["undefined", "undefined"]
+            ("{_a: 1, $b: 2}", {"_a": 1, "$b": 2}),
+            # ("{regex: /a[^d]{1,12}/i}", {'regex': '/a[^d]{1,12}/i'}),
+            # ("{'a': function(){return '\"'}}", {'a': 'function(){return \'"\'}'}),
+            ("{1: 1, 2: 2, 3: 3, 4: 4}", {'1': 1, '2': 2, '3': 3, '4': 4}),
+            ("{'a': 121.}", {'a': 121.0}),
+        ]
+    )
+    def test_parse_strange_values(self, js, expected_py):
+        py = js_variable_to_python(js)
+        self.assertEqual(py, expected_py)
+
+    @parameterized.expand(
+        [
+            # ('{"a": {"b": [12, 13, 14]}}text text', {"a": {"b": [12, 13, 14]}}),
+            # ('var test = {"a": {"b": [12, 13, 14]}}', {"a": {"b": [12, 13, 14]}}),
+            ('{"a":\r\n10}', {'a': 10}),
+            ("{'foo': 0,\r\n}", {'foo': 0}),
+            ("{truefalse: 0, falsefalse: 1, nullnull: 2}", {'truefalse': 0, 'falsefalse': 1, 'nullnull': 2}),
+        ]
+    )
+    def test_strange_input(self, js, expected_py):
+        py = js_variable_to_python(js)
+        self.assertEqual(py, expected_py)
+
+    @parameterized.expand(
+        [
+            ("[0]", [0]),
+            ("[1]", [1]),
+            ("[12]", [12]),
+            ("[12_12]", [1212]),
+            # ("[0x12]", [18]),
+            # ("[0xab]", [171]),
+            # ("[0xAB]", [171]),
+            # ("[0X12]", [18]),
+            # ("[0Xab]", [171]),
+            # ("[0XAB]", [171]),
+            # ("[01234]", [668]),
+            # ("[0o1234]", [668]),
+            # ("[0O1234]", [668]),
+            # ("[0b1111]", [15]),
+            # ("[0B1111]", [15]),
+            ("[-0]", [-0]),
+            ("[-1]", [-1]),
+            ("[-12]", [-12]),
+            ("[-12_12]", [-1212]),
+            # ("[-0x12]", [-18]),
+            # ("[-0xab]", [-171]),
+            # ("[-0xAB]", [-171]),
+            # ("[-0X12]", [-18]),
+            # ("[-0Xab]", [-171]),
+            # ("[-0XAB]", [-171]),
+            # ("[-01234]", [-668]),
+            # ("[-0o1234]", [-668]),
+            # ("[-0O1234]", [-668]),
+            # ("[-0b1111]", [-15]),
+            # ("[-0B1111]", [-15]),
+        ]
+    )
+    def test_integer_numeric_values(self, js, expected_py):
+        py = js_variable_to_python(js)
+        self.assertEqual(py, expected_py)
+
+    @parameterized.expand(
+        [
+            ("[0.32]", [0.32]),
+            ("[-0.32]", [-0.32]),
+            ("[.32]", [0.32]),
+            ("[-.32]", [-0.32]),
+            ("[12.]", [12.0]),
+            ("[-12.]", [-12.0]),
+            ("[12.32]", [12.32]),
+            ("[-12.12]", [-12.12]),
+            ("[3.1415926]", [3.1415926]),
+            ("[.123456789]", [0.123456789]),
+            ("[.0123]", [0.0123]),
+            ("[0.0123]", [0.0123]),
+            ("[-.0123]", [-0.0123]),
+            ("[-0.0123]", [-0.0123]),
+            ("[3.1E+12]", [3.1e12]),
+            ("[3.1e+12]", [3.1e12]),
+            ("[.1e-23]", [0.1e-23]),
+            ("[.1e-23]", [0.1e-23]),
+        ]
+    )
+    def test_float_numeric_values(self, js, expected_py):
+        py = js_variable_to_python(js)
+        self.assertEqual(py, expected_py)
+
+    # @parameterized.expand([
+    #     ('["Test\\nDrive"]\n{"Test": "Drive"}', [['Test\nDrive'], {'Test': 'Drive'}]),
+    # ])
+    # def test_jsonlines(self, js, expected_py):
+    #     py = js_variable_to_python(js)
+    #     self.assertEqual(py, expected_py)
+
+
+class TestParserExceptions(SearxTestCase):
+    @parameterized.expand(
+        [
+            ('}{', ValueError),
+            ('', ValueError),
+            (None, ValueError),
+        ]
+    )
+    def test_exceptions(self, js, expected_exception):
+        with self.assertRaises(expected_exception):
+            js_variable_to_python(js)
+
+    @parameterized.expand(
+        [
+            ("{whose: 's's', category_name: '>'}", ValueError),
+        ]
+    )
+    def test_malformed_input(self, in_data, expected_exception):
+        with self.assertRaises(expected_exception):
+            js_variable_to_python(in_data)
+
+    @parameterized.expand(
+        [
+            (
+                '{"test": """}',
+                ValueError,
+                'js_variable_to_python creates invalid JSON',
+            ),
+        ]
+    )
+    def test_error_messages(self, js, expected_exception, expected_exception_text):
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(expected_exception, expected_exception_text):
+            js_variable_to_python(js)
+
+
+# class TestOptions(SearxTestCase):
+#     @parameterized.expand(
+#         [
+#             ('{\\\"a\\\": 12}', {'a': 12}),
+#         ]
+#     )
+#     def test_unicode_escape(self, js, expected_py):
+#         py = js_variable_to_python(js)
+#         self.assertEqual(py, expected_py)
+
+
+class TestParseJsonObjects(SearxTestCase):
+    @parameterized.expand(
+        [
+            # ("", []),
+            # ("aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa", []),
+            # ("         ", []),
+            ("      {'a': 12}", [{'a': 12}]),
+            # ("[1, 2, 3, 4]xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx", [[1, 2, 3, 4]]),
+            # ("[12] [13] [14]", [[12], [13], [14]]),
+            # ("[10] {'a': [1, 1, 1,]}", [[10], {'a': [1, 1, 1]}]),
+            # ("[1][1][1]", [[1], [1], [1]]),
+            # ("[1] [2] {'a': ", [[1], [2]]),
+            # ("[]", [[]]),
+            # ("[][][][]", [[], [], [], []]),
+            ("{}", [{}]),
+            # ("{}{}{}{}", [{}, {}, {}, {}]),
+            # ("{{}}{{}}", []),
+            # ("[[]][[]]", [[[]], [[]]]),
+            # ("{am: 'ab'}\n{'ab': 'xx'}", [{'am': 'ab'}, {'ab': 'xx'}]),
+            # (
+            #     'function(a, b, c){ /* ... */ }({"a": 12}, Null, [1, 2, 3])',
+            #     [{}, {'a': 12}, [1, 2, 3]],
+            # ),
+            # ('{"a": 12, broken}{"c": 100}', [{'c': 100}]),
+            # ('[12,,,,21][211,,,][12,12][12,,,21]', [[12, 12]]),
+        ]
+    )
+    def test_parse_json_objects(self, js, expected_py):
+        py_in_list = [js_variable_to_python(js)]
+        self.assertEqual(py_in_list, expected_py)