diff --git a/.luacheckrc b/.luacheckrc
index d403ee196f..34ccf1e507 100644
--- a/.luacheckrc
+++ b/.luacheckrc
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ local mp_globals = {
             set_mouse_area = {},
             set_osd_ass = {},
         }
-    }
+    },
+    unpack = {},
 }
 
 local mp_internal = {
diff --git a/player/javascript/defaults.js b/player/javascript/defaults.js
index 9150cc8fa3..6493e38680 100644
--- a/player/javascript/defaults.js
+++ b/player/javascript/defaults.js
@@ -647,9 +647,10 @@ mp.options = { read_options: read_options };
 *  input
 *********************************************************************/
 function register_event_handler(t) {
-    mp.register_script_message("input-event", function (type, text, cursor_position) {
+    mp.register_script_message("input-event", function (type, args) {
         if (t[type]) {
-            var result = t[type](text, cursor_position);
+            args = JSON.parse(args)
+            var result = t[type](args[0], args[1]);
 
             if (type == "complete" && result) {
                 mp.commandv("script-message-to", "console", "complete",
diff --git a/player/lua/console.lua b/player/lua/console.lua
index 005a5d59f2..a670dace0a 100644
--- a/player/lua/console.lua
+++ b/player/lua/console.lua
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ function set_active(active)
 
         if input_caller then
             mp.commandv('script-message-to', input_caller, 'input-event',
-                        'closed', line, cursor)
+                        'closed', utils.format_json({line, cursor}))
             input_caller = nil
             line = ''
             cursor = 1
@@ -648,7 +648,7 @@ local function handle_edit()
 
     if input_caller then
         mp.commandv('script-message-to', input_caller, 'input-event', 'edited',
-                    line)
+                    utils.format_json({line}))
     end
 end
 
@@ -787,7 +787,7 @@ function handle_enter()
 
     if input_caller then
         mp.commandv('script-message-to', input_caller, 'input-event', 'submit',
-                    selectable_items and matches[selected_match].index or line)
+                    utils.format_json({selectable_items and matches[selected_match].index or line}))
     else
         -- match "help [<text>]", return <text> or "", strip all whitespace
         local help = line:match('^%s*help%s+(.-)%s*$') or
@@ -1168,7 +1168,7 @@ function complete(backwards)
         completion_old_line = line
         completion_old_cursor = cursor
         mp.commandv('script-message-to', input_caller, 'input-event',
-                    'complete', line:sub(1, cursor - 1))
+                    'complete', utils.format_json({line:sub(1, cursor - 1)}))
         return
     end
 
@@ -1586,7 +1586,7 @@ mp.register_script_message('get-input', function (script_name, args)
     args = utils.parse_json(args)
     prompt = args.prompt or default_prompt
     line = args.default_text or ''
-    cursor = tonumber(args.cursor_position) or line:len() + 1
+    cursor = args.cursor_position or line:len() + 1
     id = args.id or script_name .. prompt
     if histories[id] == nil then
         histories[id] = {}
diff --git a/player/lua/input.lua b/player/lua/input.lua
index a29289a163..3c1584b2ef 100644
--- a/player/lua/input.lua
+++ b/player/lua/input.lua
@@ -19,9 +19,10 @@ local utils = require "mp.utils"
 local input = {}
 
 local function register_event_handler(t)
-    mp.register_script_message("input-event", function (type, text, cursor_position)
+    mp.register_script_message("input-event", function (type, args)
         if t[type] then
-            local suggestions, completion_start_position = t[type](text, cursor_position)
+            local suggestions, completion_start_position =
+                t[type](unpack(utils.parse_json(args or "") or {}))
 
             if type == "complete" and suggestions then
                 mp.commandv("script-message-to", "console", "complete",