diff --git a/lib/mcapi/utils/utils.js b/lib/mcapi/utils/utils.js
index 4dd9462..66c626d 100644
--- a/lib/mcapi/utils/utils.js
+++ b/lib/mcapi/utils/utils.js
@@ -74,8 +74,9 @@ module.exports.jsonToString = function (data) {
   if (typeof data === "undefined" || data === null) {
     throw new Error("Input not valid");
   }
+  if (data === "") throw new Error("Json not valid");
   try {
-    if (typeof data === "string" || data instanceof String) {
+    if ((typeof data === "string" || data instanceof String) && isJson(data)) {
       return JSON.stringify(JSON.parse(data));
     } else {
       return JSON.stringify(data);
@@ -85,6 +86,15 @@ module.exports.jsonToString = function (data) {
   }
 };
 
+function isJson(str) {
+  try {
+    JSON.parse(str);
+  } catch (e) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
 module.exports.mutateObjectProperty = function (
   path,
   value,
@@ -416,13 +426,13 @@ function hasEncryptionParam(encParams, bodyMap) {
 }
 
 module.exports.addEncryptedDataToBody = function(encryptedData, path, encryptedValueFieldName, body) {
-  body = this.mutateObjectProperty(path.obj, encryptedData, body);
   if (
     !isJsonRoot(path.obj) &&
     path.element !== path.obj + "." + encryptedValueFieldName
   ) {
     this.deleteNode(path.element, body);
   }
+  body = this.mutateObjectProperty(path.obj, encryptedData, body);
   return body;
 };
 
diff --git a/test/field-level-encryption.test.js b/test/field-level-encryption.test.js
index c0d6b1e..57649f7 100644
--- a/test/field-level-encryption.test.js
+++ b/test/field-level-encryption.test.js
@@ -145,6 +145,22 @@ describe("Field Level Encryption", () => {
 
       assert.ok(JSON.stringify(body) === JSON.stringify(decrypted));
     });
+
+    it("encrypt property of primitive type", () => {
+      const res = encrypt.call(fle, "/resource", null, {
+        elem1: {
+          encryptedData: "plaintext",
+          shouldBeThere: "shouldBeThere",
+        },
+      });
+      assert.ok(res.header === null);
+      assert.ok(res.body.elem1.shouldBeThere);
+      assert.ok(res.body.elem1.encryptedData);
+      assert.ok(res.body.elem1.encryptedKey);
+      assert.ok(res.body.elem1.iv);
+      assert.ok(res.body.elem1.oaepHashingAlgorithm);
+      assert.ok(res.body.elem1.publicKeyFingerprint);
+    });
   });
 
   describe("#decrypt", () => {