diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 0e106d345bf0..2ccf0f7aacc1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -148,7 +148,6 @@ jobs:
           ./dragonfly_test
           ./multi_test --multi_exec_mode=1
           ./multi_test --multi_exec_mode=3
-          ./json_family_test --jsonpathv2
 
       - name: Upload unit logs on failure
         if: failure()
diff --git a/src/core/json/detail/jsoncons_dfs.cc b/src/core/json/detail/jsoncons_dfs.cc
index 559f157138b6..5e178f974dd0 100644
--- a/src/core/json/detail/jsoncons_dfs.cc
+++ b/src/core/json/detail/jsoncons_dfs.cc
@@ -17,11 +17,14 @@ inline bool IsRecursive(jsoncons::json_type type) {
   return type == jsoncons::json_type::object_value || type == jsoncons::json_type::array_value;
 }
 
-void Dfs::Traverse(absl::Span<const PathSegment> path, const JsonType& root, const Cb& callback) {
+Dfs Dfs::Traverse(absl::Span<const PathSegment> path, const JsonType& root, const Cb& callback) {
   DCHECK(!path.empty());
+
+  Dfs dfs;
+
   if (path.size() == 1) {
-    PerformStep(path[0], root, callback);
-    return;
+    dfs.PerformStep(path[0], root, callback);
+    return dfs;
   }
 
   using ConstItem = JsonconsDfsItem<true>;
@@ -48,21 +51,26 @@ void Dfs::Traverse(absl::Span<const PathSegment> path, const JsonType& root, con
           // terminal step
           // TODO: to take into account MatchStatus
           // for `json.set foo $.a[10]` or for `json.set foo $.*.b`
-          PerformStep(path[next_seg_id], *next, callback);
+          dfs.PerformStep(path[next_seg_id], *next, callback);
         }
       }
     } else {
       stack.pop_back();
     }
   } while (!stack.empty());
+
+  return dfs;
 }
 
-void Dfs::Mutate(absl::Span<const PathSegment> path, const MutateCallback& callback,
-                 JsonType* json) {
+Dfs Dfs::Mutate(absl::Span<const PathSegment> path, const MutateCallback& callback,
+                JsonType* json) {
   DCHECK(!path.empty());
+
+  Dfs dfs;
+
   if (path.size() == 1) {
-    MutateStep(path[0], callback, json);
-    return;
+    dfs.MutateStep(path[0], callback, json);
+    return dfs;
   }
 
   using Item = detail::JsonconsDfsItem<false>;
@@ -86,13 +94,15 @@ void Dfs::Mutate(absl::Span<const PathSegment> path, const MutateCallback& callb
         if (next_seg_id + 1 < path.size()) {
           stack.emplace_back(next, next_seg_id);
         } else {
-          MutateStep(path[next_seg_id], callback, next);
+          dfs.MutateStep(path[next_seg_id], callback, next);
         }
       }
     } else {
       stack.pop_back();
     }
   } while (!stack.empty());
+
+  return dfs;
 }
 
 auto Dfs::PerformStep(const PathSegment& segment, const JsonType& node, const Cb& callback)
diff --git a/src/core/json/detail/jsoncons_dfs.h b/src/core/json/detail/jsoncons_dfs.h
index 7ef0511e102e..714644c73230 100644
--- a/src/core/json/detail/jsoncons_dfs.h
+++ b/src/core/json/detail/jsoncons_dfs.h
@@ -95,8 +95,9 @@ class Dfs {
   using Cb = PathCallback;
 
   // TODO: for some operations we need to know the type of mismatches.
-  void Traverse(absl::Span<const PathSegment> path, const JsonType& json, const Cb& callback);
-  void Mutate(absl::Span<const PathSegment> path, const MutateCallback& callback, JsonType* json);
+  static Dfs Traverse(absl::Span<const PathSegment> path, const JsonType& json, const Cb& callback);
+  static Dfs Mutate(absl::Span<const PathSegment> path, const MutateCallback& callback,
+                    JsonType* json);
 
   unsigned matches() const {
     return matches_;
diff --git a/src/core/json/path.cc b/src/core/json/path.cc
index 6bb17d14aed5..fba4622a0440 100644
--- a/src/core/json/path.cc
+++ b/src/core/json/path.cc
@@ -18,7 +18,10 @@ using nonstd::make_unexpected;
 
 namespace dfly::json {
 
+using detail::Dfs;
+
 namespace {
+
 class JsonPathDriver : public json::Driver {
  public:
   string msg;
@@ -66,7 +69,7 @@ void EvaluatePath(const Path& path, const JsonType& json, PathCallback callback)
   }
 
   if (path.front().type() != SegmentType::FUNCTION) {
-    detail::Dfs().Traverse(path, json, std::move(callback));
+    Dfs::Traverse(path, json, std::move(callback));
     return;
   }
 
@@ -80,8 +83,7 @@ void EvaluatePath(const Path& path, const JsonType& json, PathCallback callback)
   if (path_tail.empty()) {
     LOG(DFATAL) << "Invalid path";  // parser should not allow this.
   } else {
-    detail::Dfs().Traverse(path_tail, json,
-                           [&](auto, const JsonType& val) { func_segment.Evaluate(val); });
+    Dfs::Traverse(path_tail, json, [&](auto, const JsonType& val) { func_segment.Evaluate(val); });
   }
   callback(nullopt, func_segment.GetResult());
 }
@@ -105,11 +107,12 @@ nonstd::expected<json::Path, string> ParsePath(string_view path) {
 }
 
 unsigned MutatePath(const Path& path, MutateCallback callback, JsonType* json) {
-  if (path.empty())
-    return 0;
+  if (path.empty()) {
+    callback(nullopt, json);
+    return 1;
+  }
 
-  detail::Dfs dfs;
-  dfs.Mutate(path, callback, json);
+  Dfs dfs = Dfs::Mutate(path, callback, json);
   return dfs.matches();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/server/json_family.cc b/src/server/json_family.cc
index 5cd81e1ccdf0..55f136159ab5 100644
--- a/src/server/json_family.cc
+++ b/src/server/json_family.cc
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@
 #include "server/tiered_storage.h"
 #include "server/transaction.h"
 
-ABSL_FLAG(bool, jsonpathv2, false, "If true uses Dragonfly jsonpath implementation.");
+ABSL_FLAG(bool, jsonpathv2, true,
+          "If true uses Dragonfly jsonpath implementation, "
+          "otherwise uses legacy jsoncons implementation.");
 ABSL_FLAG(bool, experimental_flat_json, false, "If true uses flat json implementation.");
 
 namespace dfly {
@@ -764,8 +766,9 @@ OpResult<vector<StringVec>> OpObjKeys(const OpArgs& op_args, string_view key,
 
 // Retruns array of string lengths after a successful operation.
 OpResult<vector<OptSizeT>> OpStrAppend(const OpArgs& op_args, string_view key, string_view path,
-                                       const vector<string_view>& strs) {
+                                       JsonPathV2 expression, const vector<string_view>& strs) {
   vector<OptSizeT> vec;
+  OpStatus status;
   auto cb = [&](const auto&, JsonType* val) {
     if (val->is_string()) {
       string new_val = val->as_string();
@@ -780,8 +783,13 @@ OpResult<vector<OptSizeT>> OpStrAppend(const OpArgs& op_args, string_view key, s
     }
     return false;
   };
+  if (holds_alternative<json::Path>(expression)) {
+    const json::Path& json_path = std::get<json::Path>(expression);
+    status = UpdateEntry(op_args, key, json_path, cb);
+  } else {
+    status = UpdateEntry(op_args, key, path, cb);
+  }
 
-  OpStatus status = UpdateEntry(op_args, key, path, cb);
   if (status != OpStatus::OK) {
     return status;
   }
@@ -791,8 +799,10 @@ OpResult<vector<OptSizeT>> OpStrAppend(const OpArgs& op_args, string_view key, s
 
 // Returns the numbers of values cleared.
 // Clears containers(arrays or objects) and zeroing numbers.
-OpResult<long> OpClear(const OpArgs& op_args, string_view key, string_view path) {
+OpResult<long> OpClear(const OpArgs& op_args, string_view key, string_view path,
+                       JsonPathV2 expression) {
   long clear_items = 0;
+  OpStatus status;
   auto cb = [&clear_items](const auto& path, JsonType* val) {
     if (!(val->is_object() || val->is_array() || val->is_number())) {
       return false;
@@ -809,8 +819,12 @@ OpResult<long> OpClear(const OpArgs& op_args, string_view key, string_view path)
     clear_items += 1;
     return false;
   };
-
-  OpStatus status = UpdateEntry(op_args, key, path, cb);
+  if (holds_alternative<json::Path>(expression)) {
+    const json::Path& json_path = std::get<json::Path>(expression);
+    status = UpdateEntry(op_args, key, json_path, cb);
+  } else {
+    status = UpdateEntry(op_args, key, path, cb);
+  }
   if (status != OpStatus::OK) {
     return status;
   }
@@ -875,8 +889,9 @@ OpResult<vector<OptString>> OpArrPop(const OpArgs& op_args, string_view key, str
 
 // Returns numeric vector that represents the new length of the array at each path.
 OpResult<vector<OptSizeT>> OpArrTrim(const OpArgs& op_args, string_view key, string_view path,
-                                     int start_index, int stop_index) {
+                                     JsonPathV2 expression, int start_index, int stop_index) {
   vector<OptSizeT> vec;
+  OpStatus status;
   auto cb = [&](const auto&, JsonType* val) {
     if (!val->is_array()) {
       vec.emplace_back(nullopt);
@@ -918,8 +933,13 @@ OpResult<vector<OptSizeT>> OpArrTrim(const OpArgs& op_args, string_view key, str
     vec.emplace_back(val->size());
     return false;
   };
+  if (holds_alternative<json::Path>(expression)) {
+    const json::Path& json_path = std::get<json::Path>(expression);
+    status = UpdateEntry(op_args, key, json_path, cb);
+  } else {
+    status = UpdateEntry(op_args, key, path, cb);
+  }
 
-  OpStatus status = UpdateEntry(op_args, key, path, cb);
   if (status != OpStatus::OK) {
     return status;
   }
@@ -928,9 +948,12 @@ OpResult<vector<OptSizeT>> OpArrTrim(const OpArgs& op_args, string_view key, str
 
 // Returns numeric vector that represents the new length of the array at each path.
 OpResult<vector<OptSizeT>> OpArrInsert(const OpArgs& op_args, string_view key, string_view path,
-                                       int index, const vector<JsonType>& new_values) {
+                                       JsonPathV2 expression, int index,
+                                       const vector<JsonType>& new_values) {
   bool out_of_boundaries_encountered = false;
   vector<OptSizeT> vec;
+  OpStatus status;
+
   // Insert user-supplied value into the supplied index that should be valid.
   // If at least one index isn't valid within an array in the json doc, the operation is discarded.
   // Negative indexes start from the end of the array.
@@ -977,7 +1000,13 @@ OpResult<vector<OptSizeT>> OpArrInsert(const OpArgs& op_args, string_view key, s
     return false;
   };
 
-  OpStatus status = UpdateEntry(op_args, key, path, cb);
+  if (holds_alternative<json::Path>(expression)) {
+    const json::Path& json_path = std::get<json::Path>(expression);
+    status = UpdateEntry(op_args, key, json_path, cb);
+  } else {
+    status = UpdateEntry(op_args, key, path, cb);
+  }
+
   if (status != OpStatus::OK) {
     return status;
   }
@@ -992,8 +1021,10 @@ OpResult<vector<OptSizeT>> OpArrInsert(const OpArgs& op_args, string_view key, s
 // Returns numeric vector that represents the new length of the array at each path, or Null reply
 // if the matching JSON value is not an array.
 OpResult<vector<OptSizeT>> OpArrAppend(const OpArgs& op_args, string_view key, string_view path,
+                                       JsonPathV2 expression,
                                        const vector<JsonType>& append_values) {
   vector<OptSizeT> vec;
+  OpStatus status;
 
   OpResult<JsonType*> result = GetJson(op_args, key);
   if (!result) {
@@ -1012,7 +1043,12 @@ OpResult<vector<OptSizeT>> OpArrAppend(const OpArgs& op_args, string_view key, s
     return false;
   };
 
-  OpStatus status = UpdateEntry(op_args, key, path, std::move(cb));
+  if (holds_alternative<json::Path>(expression)) {
+    const json::Path& json_path = std::get<json::Path>(expression);
+    status = UpdateEntry(op_args, key, json_path, cb);
+  } else {
+    status = UpdateEntry(op_args, key, path, cb);
+  }
   if (status != OpStatus::OK) {
     return status;
   }
@@ -1501,6 +1537,8 @@ void JsonFamily::ArrInsert(CmdArgList args, ConnectionContext* cntx) {
     return;
   }
 
+  JsonPathV2 expression = PARSE_PATHV2(path);
+
   vector<JsonType> new_values;
   for (size_t i = 3; i < args.size(); i++) {
     optional<JsonType> val = JsonFromString(ArgS(args, i));
@@ -1513,7 +1551,7 @@ void JsonFamily::ArrInsert(CmdArgList args, ConnectionContext* cntx) {
   }
 
   auto cb = [&](Transaction* t, EngineShard* shard) {
-    return OpArrInsert(t->GetOpArgs(shard), key, path, index, new_values);
+    return OpArrInsert(t->GetOpArgs(shard), key, path, std::move(expression), index, new_values);
   };
 
   Transaction* trans = cntx->transaction;
@@ -1528,7 +1566,13 @@ void JsonFamily::ArrInsert(CmdArgList args, ConnectionContext* cntx) {
 void JsonFamily::ArrAppend(CmdArgList args, ConnectionContext* cntx) {
   string_view key = ArgS(args, 0);
   string_view path = ArgS(args, 1);
+
+  JsonPathV2 expression = PARSE_PATHV2(path);
+
   vector<JsonType> append_values;
+
+  // TODO: there is a bug here, because we parse json using the allocator from
+  // the coordinator thread, and we pass it to the shard thread, which is not safe.
   for (size_t i = 2; i < args.size(); ++i) {
     optional<JsonType> converted_val = JsonFromString(ArgS(args, i));
     if (!converted_val) {
@@ -1539,7 +1583,7 @@ void JsonFamily::ArrAppend(CmdArgList args, ConnectionContext* cntx) {
   }
 
   auto cb = [&](Transaction* t, EngineShard* shard) {
-    return OpArrAppend(t->GetOpArgs(shard), key, path, append_values);
+    return OpArrAppend(t->GetOpArgs(shard), key, path, std::move(expression), append_values);
   };
 
   Transaction* trans = cntx->transaction;
@@ -1574,8 +1618,11 @@ void JsonFamily::ArrTrim(CmdArgList args, ConnectionContext* cntx) {
     return;
   }
 
+  JsonPathV2 expression = PARSE_PATHV2(path);
+
   auto cb = [&](Transaction* t, EngineShard* shard) {
-    return OpArrTrim(t->GetOpArgs(shard), key, path, start_index, stop_index);
+    return OpArrTrim(t->GetOpArgs(shard), key, path, std::move(expression), start_index,
+                     stop_index);
   };
 
   Transaction* trans = cntx->transaction;
@@ -1626,8 +1673,10 @@ void JsonFamily::Clear(CmdArgList args, ConnectionContext* cntx) {
   string_view key = ArgS(args, 0);
   string_view path = ArgS(args, 1);
 
+  JsonPathV2 expression = PARSE_PATHV2(path);
+
   auto cb = [&](Transaction* t, EngineShard* shard) {
-    return OpClear(t->GetOpArgs(shard), key, path);
+    return OpClear(t->GetOpArgs(shard), key, path, std::move(expression));
   };
 
   Transaction* trans = cntx->transaction;
@@ -1644,13 +1693,15 @@ void JsonFamily::StrAppend(CmdArgList args, ConnectionContext* cntx) {
   string_view key = ArgS(args, 0);
   string_view path = ArgS(args, 1);
 
+  JsonPathV2 expression = PARSE_PATHV2(path);
+
   vector<string_view> strs;
   for (size_t i = 2; i < args.size(); ++i) {
     strs.emplace_back(ArgS(args, i));
   }
 
   auto cb = [&](Transaction* t, EngineShard* shard) {
-    return OpStrAppend(t->GetOpArgs(shard), key, path, strs);
+    return OpStrAppend(t->GetOpArgs(shard), key, path, std::move(expression), strs);
   };
 
   Transaction* trans = cntx->transaction;
@@ -1701,6 +1752,10 @@ void JsonFamily::Del(CmdArgList args, ConnectionContext* cntx) {
     expression.emplace(PARSE_PATHV2(path));
   }
 
+  if (path == "$" || path == ".") {
+    path = ""sv;
+  }
+
   auto cb = [&](Transaction* t, EngineShard* shard) {
     return OpDel(t->GetOpArgs(shard), key, path, std::move(expression));
   };
diff --git a/src/server/json_family_test.cc b/src/server/json_family_test.cc
index a4eb41db9d42..ca89f95b8ff0 100644
--- a/src/server/json_family_test.cc
+++ b/src/server/json_family_test.cc
@@ -529,6 +529,7 @@ TEST_F(JsonFamilyTest, Del) {
   EXPECT_THAT(resp, IntArg(1));
   resp = Run({"GET", "json"});  // This is legal since the key was removed
   EXPECT_THAT(resp, ArgType(RespExpr::NIL));
+
   resp = Run({"JSON.GET", "json"});
   EXPECT_THAT(resp, ArgType(RespExpr::NIL));
 
@@ -558,6 +559,12 @@ TEST_F(JsonFamilyTest, Del) {
 
   resp = Run({"JSON.GET", "json"});
   EXPECT_EQ(resp, R"({})");
+
+  Run({"JSON.SET", "json", "$", R"({"a": 1})"});
+  resp = Run({"JSON.DEL", "json", "$"});
+  EXPECT_THAT(resp, IntArg(1));
+  resp = Run({"JSON.GET", "json"});
+  EXPECT_THAT(resp, ArgType(RespExpr::NIL));
 }
 
 TEST_F(JsonFamilyTest, ObjKeys) {