diff --git a/python/publish/json_encoder.py b/python/publish/json_encoder.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..534f0edd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/publish/json_encoder.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import json
+import dataclasses
+
+
+class JSONEncoder(json.JSONEncoder):
+
+    def __init__(self, *args, indent=None, **kwargs):
+        kwargs['ensure_ascii'] = False
+        super(JSONEncoder, self).__init__(*args, indent=indent, **kwargs)
+
+    def default(self, o):
+        if dataclasses.is_dataclass(o):
+            return dataclasses.asdict(o)
+        return super().default(o)
diff --git a/python/publish/publisher.py b/python/publish/publisher.py
index 8486ae8d..c9a834b4 100644
--- a/python/publish/publisher.py
+++ b/python/publish/publisher.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import json
 import logging
+import os
 import re
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import List, Any, Optional, Tuple, Mapping, Dict
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@
     Annotation, SomeTestChanges
 from publish import logger
 from publish.github_action import GithubAction
+from publish.json_encoder import JSONEncoder
 from publish.unittestresults import UnitTestCaseResults, UnitTestRunResults, get_stats_delta
 
 
@@ -266,11 +268,15 @@ def publish_check(self,
 
     def publish_json(self, data: Dict[str, Any]):
         if self._settings.json_file:
-            with open(self._settings.json_file, 'wt', encoding='utf-8') as w:
+            try:
+                with open(self._settings.json_file, 'wt', encoding='utf-8') as w:
+                    json.dump(data, w, ensure_ascii=False, cls=JSONEncoder)
+            except Exception as e:
+                self._gha.error(f'Failed to write JSON file {self._settings.json_file}: {str(e)}')
                 try:
-                    json.dump(data, w, ensure_ascii=False)
-                except Exception as e:
-                    self._gha.error(f'Failed to write JSON file {self._settings.json_file}: {str(e)}')
+                    os.unlink(self._settings.json_file)
+                except:
+                    pass
 
         # replace some large fields with their lengths
         if data.get('stats', {}).get('errors') is not None:
diff --git a/python/test/test_publisher.py b/python/test/test_publisher.py
index 43f61b1e..1e7f70b0 100644
--- a/python/test/test_publisher.py
+++ b/python/test/test_publisher.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
+import os
 import tempfile
 import unittest
 from collections.abc import Collection
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
-import os
 
 import github.CheckRun
 import mock
@@ -1193,20 +1193,45 @@ def test_publish_json(self):
             data = dict(
                 key='value',
                 dict=dict(list=[1, 2, 3]),
-                stats=dict(errors=[1, 2, 3]),
-                stats_with_delta=dict(errors=[1.0, 2.0, 3.0]),
-                annotations=['one', 'two', 'three']
+                stats=dict(errors=[ParseError('file', 'message', 1, 2)]),
+                stats_with_delta=dict(errors=[ParseError('file', 'message', 1, 2), ParseError('file2', 'message2', 2, 4)]),
+                annotations=[Annotation(
+                    path='path',
+                    start_line=1,
+                    end_line=2,
+                    start_column=3,
+                    end_column=4,
+                    annotation_level='failure',
+                    message='message',
+                    title=f'Error processing result file',
+                    raw_details='file'
+                )]
             )
             publisher.publish_json(data)
+            gha.error.assert_not_called()
+
+            # assert the file
+            with open(filepath, encoding='utf-8') as r:
+                actual = r.read()
+                self.assertEqual(
+                    '{'
+                    '"key": "value", '
+                    '"dict": {"list": [1, 2, 3]}, '
+                    '"stats": {"errors": [{"file": "file", "message": "message", "line": 1, "column": 2}]}, '
+                    '"stats_with_delta": {"errors": [{"file": "file", "message": "message", "line": 1, "column": 2}, {"file": "file2", "message": "message2", "line": 2, "column": 4}]}, '
+                    '"annotations": [{"path": "path", "start_line": 1, "end_line": 2, "start_column": 3, "end_column": 4, "annotation_level": "failure", "message": "message", "title": "Error processing result file", "raw_details": "file"}]'
+                    '}',
+                    actual
+                )
 
             # data is being sent to GH action output 'json'
             # some list fields are replaced by their length
             expected = dict(
                 key='value',
                 dict=dict(list=[1, 2, 3]),
-                stats=dict(errors=3),
-                stats_with_delta=dict(errors=3),
-                annotations=3
+                stats=dict(errors=1),
+                stats_with_delta=dict(errors=2),
+                annotations=1
             )
             gha.set_output.assert_called_once_with('json', json.dumps(expected))