diff --git a/packages/json/src/index.js b/packages/json/src/index.js
index 63e37c280..9dd8d81db 100755
--- a/packages/json/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/json/src/index.js
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ export default function json(options = {}) {
         };
       } catch (err) {
         const message = 'Could not parse JSON file';
-        const position = parseInt(/[\d]/.exec(err.message)[0], 10);
-        this.warn({ message, id, position });
+        this.warn({ message, id, cause: err });
         return null;
       }
     }
diff --git a/packages/json/test/test.js b/packages/json/test/test.js
index 95ce01d33..e9e003500 100755
--- a/packages/json/test/test.js
+++ b/packages/json/test/test.js
@@ -81,11 +81,11 @@ test('handles garbage', async (t) => {
     onwarn: (warning) => warns.push(warning)
   }).catch(() => {});
 
-  const [{ message, id, position, plugin }] = warns;
+  const [{ message, id, cause, plugin }] = warns;
 
   t.is(warns.length, 1);
   t.is(plugin, 'json');
-  t.is(position, 1);
+  t.instanceOf(cause, SyntaxError);
   t.is(message, 'Could not parse JSON file');
   t.regex(id, /(.*)bad.json$/);
 });