diff --git a/bench/bench.cpp b/bench/bench.cpp
index f8050eed..d1e3a827 100644
--- a/bench/bench.cpp
+++ b/bench/bench.cpp
@@ -359,10 +359,9 @@ public:
 
 class boost_vec_impl : public any_impl
 {
-    struct vec_parser
+    struct vec_parser : basic_parser
     {
         friend class basic_parser;
-        basic_parser p_;
         std::vector<double> vec_;
         double d_ = 0;
 
@@ -394,7 +393,8 @@ class boost_vec_impl : public any_impl
             std::size_t size,
             error_code& ec)
         {
-            auto const n = p_.write_some(
+            auto const n = 
+                this->basic_parser::write_some(
                 *this, false, data, size, ec);
             if(! ec && n < size)
                 ec = error::extra_data;
@@ -438,10 +438,9 @@ public:
 
 class boost_null_impl : public any_impl
 {
-    struct null_parser
+    struct null_parser : basic_parser
     {
         friend class basic_parser;
-        basic_parser p_;
 
         null_parser() {}
         ~null_parser() {}
@@ -460,18 +459,18 @@ class boost_null_impl : public any_impl
         bool on_double(double, error_code&) { return true; }
         bool on_bool(bool, error_code&) { return true; }
         bool on_null(error_code&) { return true; }
-        void reset()
-        {
-            p_.reset();
-        }
+        
+        using basic_parser::reset;
+
         std::size_t
         write(
             char const* data,
             std::size_t size,
             error_code& ec)
         {
-            auto const n = p_.write_some(
-                *this, false, data, size, ec);
+            auto const n =
+                basic_parser::write_some(
+                    *this, false, data, size, ec);
             if(! ec && n < size)
                 ec = error::extra_data;
             return n;
diff --git a/example/validate.cpp b/example/validate.cpp
index e25f2e04..65e12f3f 100644
--- a/example/validate.cpp
+++ b/example/validate.cpp
@@ -32,10 +32,9 @@ validate( string_view s )
 {
     // The null parser discards all the data
 
-    class null_parser
+    class null_parser : public basic_parser
     {
         friend class boost::json::basic_parser;
-        boost::json::basic_parser p_;
 
     public:
         null_parser() {}
@@ -56,25 +55,14 @@ validate( string_view s )
         bool on_bool( bool, error_code& ) { return true; }
         bool on_null( error_code& ) { return true; }
         
-        bool
-        is_done() const noexcept
-        {
-            return p_.is_done();
-        }
-
-        void
-        reset()
-        {
-            p_.reset();
-        }
-
         std::size_t
         write(
             char const* data,
             std::size_t size,
             error_code& ec)
         {
-            auto const n = p_.write_some(
+            auto const n =
+                basic_parser::write_some(
                 *this, false, data, size, ec);
             if(! ec && n < size)
                 ec = error::extra_data;
diff --git a/include/boost/json/basic_parser.hpp b/include/boost/json/basic_parser.hpp
index ff1a7c85..1ee98430 100644
--- a/include/boost/json/basic_parser.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/json/basic_parser.hpp
@@ -1333,6 +1333,12 @@ parse_object(
     {
         BOOST_ASSERT(*cs == '{');
         ++depth_;
+        if(BOOST_JSON_UNLIKELY(
+            depth_ > max_depth_))
+        {
+            ec_ = error::too_deep;
+            return result::fail;
+        }
         if(BOOST_JSON_UNLIKELY(
             ! h.on_object_begin(ec_)))
             return result::fail;
@@ -1471,6 +1477,12 @@ parse_array(
     {
         BOOST_ASSERT(*cs == '[');
         ++depth_;
+        if(BOOST_JSON_UNLIKELY(
+            depth_ > max_depth_))
+        {
+            ec_ = error::too_deep;
+            return result::fail;
+        }
         if(BOOST_JSON_UNLIKELY(
             ! h.on_array_begin(ec_)))
             return result::fail;
diff --git a/include/boost/json/detail/basic_parser.hpp b/include/boost/json/detail/basic_parser.hpp
index 9e26b720..f2e0295c 100644
--- a/include/boost/json/detail/basic_parser.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/json/detail/basic_parser.hpp
@@ -50,6 +50,24 @@ namespace json {
     to cheaply re-use this memory when parsing
     subsequent JSONs, improving performance.
 
+    @par Usage
+
+    Users who wish to parse JSON into the DOM container
+    @ref value will not use this class directly; instead
+    they will create an instance of @ref parser and
+    use that instead. Alternatively, they may call the
+    function @ref parse. This class is designed for
+    users who wish to perform custom actions instead of
+    building a @ref value. For example, to produce a
+    DOM from an external library.
+
+    <br>
+
+    To use this class it is necessary to create a derived
+    class which calls @ref reset at the beginning of
+    parsing a new JSON, and then calls @ref write_some one
+    or more times with the serialized JSON.
+
     @note
 
     The parser is strict: no extensions are supported.
@@ -82,6 +100,7 @@ class basic_parser
     error_code ec_;
     detail::stack st_;
     std::size_t depth_ = 0;
+    std::size_t max_depth_ = 32;
     unsigned u1_;
     unsigned u2_;
     bool more_; // false for final buffer
@@ -161,6 +180,30 @@ public:
         return depth_;
     }
 
+    /** Returns the maximum allowed depth of input JSON.
+
+        The maximum allowed depth may be configured.
+    */
+    std::size_t
+    max_depth() const noexcept
+    {
+        return max_depth_;
+    }
+
+    /** Set the maximum allowed depth of input JSON.
+
+        When the maximum depth is exceeded, parser
+        operations will return @ref error::too_deep.
+
+        @param levels The maximum depth.
+    */
+    void
+    max_depth(unsigned long levels) noexcept
+    {
+        max_depth_ = levels;
+    }
+
+protected:
     /** Reset the state, to parse a new document.
     */
     inline
diff --git a/include/boost/json/impl/parser.ipp b/include/boost/json/impl/parser.ipp
index dce4974c..c83650f5 100644
--- a/include/boost/json/impl/parser.ipp
+++ b/include/boost/json/impl/parser.ipp
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ clear() noexcept
 {
     destroy();
     rs_.clear();
-    p_.reset();
+    basic_parser::reset();
     lev_.count = 0;
     key_size_ = 0;
     str_size_ = 0;
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ write_some(
     std::size_t const size,
     error_code& ec)
 {
-    return p_.write_some(
+    return basic_parser::write_some(
         *this, true, data, size, ec);
 }
 
@@ -223,9 +223,9 @@ write(
     std::size_t size,
     error_code& ec)
 {
-    auto const n = p_.write_some(
-        *this, true,
-            data, size, ec);
+    auto const n =
+        basic_parser::write_some(
+            *this, true, data, size, ec);
     if(! ec)
     {
         if(n < size)
@@ -253,8 +253,9 @@ finish(
     std::size_t size,
     error_code& ec)
 {
-    auto const n = p_.write_some(
-        *this, false, data, size, ec);
+    auto const n =
+        basic_parser::write_some(
+            *this, false, data, size, ec);
     if(! ec)
     {
         if(n < size)
@@ -302,7 +303,7 @@ release()
             std::logic_error(
                 "no value"));
     BOOST_ASSERT(lev_.count == 1);
-    BOOST_ASSERT(p_.depth() == 0);
+    BOOST_ASSERT(depth() == 0);
     auto ua = pop_array();
     BOOST_ASSERT(rs_.empty());
     union U
@@ -313,7 +314,7 @@ release()
     };
     U u;
     ua.relocate(&u.v);
-    p_.reset();
+    basic_parser::reset();
     lev_.st = state::need_start;
     sp_ = {};
     return pilfer(u.v);
@@ -484,11 +485,6 @@ bool
 parser::
 on_object_begin(error_code& ec)
 {
-    if(p_.depth() >= max_depth_)
-    {
-        ec = error::too_deep;
-        return false;
-    }
     // prevent splits from exceptions
     rs_.prepare(
         sizeof(level) +
@@ -528,11 +524,6 @@ bool
 parser::
 on_array_begin(error_code& ec)
 {
-    if(p_.depth() >= max_depth_)
-    {
-        ec = error::too_deep;
-        return false;
-    }
     // prevent splits from exceptions
     rs_.prepare(
         sizeof(level) +
diff --git a/include/boost/json/parser.hpp b/include/boost/json/parser.hpp
index a0b3180c..9b7a8b9e 100644
--- a/include/boost/json/parser.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/json/parser.hpp
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ namespace json {
     to cheaply re-use this memory when parsing
     subsequent JSONs, improving performance.
 */
-class parser
+class parser : public basic_parser
 {
     friend class basic_parser;
     enum class state : char;
@@ -76,10 +76,8 @@ class parser
         state st;
     };
 
-    basic_parser p_;
     storage_ptr sp_;
     detail::raw_stack rs_;
-    std::size_t max_depth_ = 32;
     std::uint32_t key_size_ = 0;
     std::uint32_t str_size_ = 0;
     level lev_;
@@ -140,62 +138,6 @@ public:
     void
     start(storage_ptr sp = {}) noexcept;
 
-    /** Returns the current depth of the JSON being parsed.
-
-        The parsing depth is the total current nesting
-        level of arrays and objects.
-    */
-    std::size_t
-    depth() const noexcept
-    {
-        return p_.depth();
-    }
-
-    /** Returns the maximum allowed depth of input JSON.
-
-        The maximum allowed depth may be configured.
-    */
-    std::size_t
-    max_depth() const noexcept
-    {
-        return max_depth_;
-    }
-
-    /** Set the maximum allowed depth of input JSON.
-
-        When the maximum depth is exceeded, parser
-        operations will return @ref error::too_deep.
-
-        @param levels The maximum depth.
-    */
-    void
-    max_depth(unsigned long levels) noexcept
-    {
-        max_depth_ = levels;
-    }
-
-    /** Return true if a complete JSON has been parsed.
-
-        This function returns `true` when all of these
-        conditions are met:
-
-        @li A complete serialized JSON has been
-            presented to the parser, and
-
-        @li No error has occurred since the parser
-            was constructed, or since the last call
-            to @ref reset,
-
-        @par Complexity
-
-        Constant.
-    */
-    bool
-    is_done() const noexcept
-    {
-        return p_.is_done();
-    }
-
     /** Parse JSON incrementally.
 
         This function parses the JSON in the specified
diff --git a/test/basic_parser.cpp b/test/basic_parser.cpp
index ed8e628b..bb8d2fe6 100644
--- a/test/basic_parser.cpp
+++ b/test/basic_parser.cpp
@@ -106,10 +106,9 @@ validate( string_view s )
 {
     // The null parser discards all the data
 
-    class null_parser
+    class null_parser : public basic_parser
     {
         friend class boost::json::basic_parser;
-        boost::json::basic_parser p_;
 
     public:
         null_parser() {}
@@ -130,25 +129,14 @@ validate( string_view s )
         bool on_bool( bool, error_code& ) { return true; }
         bool on_null( error_code& ) { return true; }
         
-        bool
-        is_done() const noexcept
-        {
-            return p_.is_done();
-        }
-
-        void
-        reset()
-        {
-            p_.reset();
-        }
-
         std::size_t
         write(
             char const* data,
             std::size_t size,
             error_code& ec)
         {
-            auto const n = p_.write_some(
+            auto const n =
+                basic_parser::write_some(
                 *this, false, data, size, ec);
             if(! ec && n < size)
                 ec = error::extra_data;
diff --git a/test/test.hpp b/test/test.hpp
index 448e8b3a..5d1159b9 100644
--- a/test/test.hpp
+++ b/test/test.hpp
@@ -142,12 +142,11 @@ struct unique_storage
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------
 
-class fail_parser
+class fail_parser : public basic_parser
 {
     friend class basic_parser;
 
     std::size_t n_ = std::size_t(-1);
-    basic_parser p_;
 
     bool
     maybe_fail(error_code& ec)
@@ -282,18 +281,6 @@ public:
     {
     }
 
-    bool
-    is_done() const noexcept
-    {
-        return p_.is_done();
-    }
-
-    void
-    reset()
-    {
-        p_.reset();
-    }
-
     std::size_t
     write_some(
         bool more,
@@ -301,7 +288,7 @@ public:
         std::size_t size,
         error_code& ec)
     {
-        return p_.write_some(
+        return basic_parser::write_some(
             *this, more, data, size, ec);
     }
 
@@ -312,8 +299,9 @@ public:
         std::size_t size,
         error_code& ec)
     {
-        auto const n = p_.write_some(
-            *this, more, data, size, ec);
+        auto const n = 
+            basic_parser::write_some(
+                *this, more, data, size, ec);
         if(! ec && n < size)
             ec = error::extra_data;
         return n;
@@ -333,10 +321,9 @@ struct test_exception
 };
 
 // Exercises every exception path
-class throw_parser
+class throw_parser : public basic_parser
 {
     friend class basic_parser;
-    basic_parser p_;
     std::size_t n_ = std::size_t(-1);
 
     bool
@@ -471,18 +458,6 @@ public:
     {
     }
 
-    bool
-    is_done() const noexcept
-    {
-        return p_.is_done();
-    }
-
-    void
-    reset()
-    {
-        p_.reset();
-    }
-
     std::size_t
     write(
         bool more,
@@ -490,8 +465,9 @@ public:
         std::size_t size,
         error_code& ec)
     {
-        auto const n = p_.write_some(
-            *this, more, data, size, ec);
+        auto const n =
+            basic_parser::write_some(
+                *this, more, data, size, ec);
         if(! ec && n < size)
             ec = error::extra_data;
         return n;