diff --git a/src/main/java/org/json/CDL.java b/src/main/java/org/json/CDL.java
index df527f461..f9afb8338 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/json/CDL.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/json/CDL.java
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@ public class CDL {
 
     /**
      * Constructs a new CDL object.
+     * @deprecated (Utility class cannot be instantiated)
      */
+    @Deprecated
     public CDL() {
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/json/Cookie.java b/src/main/java/org/json/Cookie.java
index ab908a304..f7bab236f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/json/Cookie.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/json/Cookie.java
@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@ public class Cookie {
 
     /**
      * Constructs a new Cookie object.
+     * @deprecated (Utility class cannot be instantiated)
      */
+    @Deprecated()
     public Cookie() {
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/json/CookieList.java b/src/main/java/org/json/CookieList.java
index d1064db52..ce47aee02 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/json/CookieList.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/json/CookieList.java
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ public class CookieList {
 
     /**
      * Constructs a new CookieList object.
+     * @deprecated (Utility class cannot be instantiated)
      */
+    @Deprecated
     public CookieList() {
     }
  
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/json/JSONML.java b/src/main/java/org/json/JSONML.java
index 6e98c8267..bde97a680 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/json/JSONML.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/json/JSONML.java
@@ -16,10 +16,13 @@ public class JSONML {
 
     /**
      * Constructs a new JSONML object.
+     * @deprecated (Utility class cannot be instantiated)
      */
+    @Deprecated
     public JSONML() {
     }
 
+
     /**
      * Parse XML values and store them in a JSONArray.
      * @param x       The XMLTokener containing the source string.
@@ -239,9 +242,21 @@ private static Object parse(
                 }
             } else {
                 if (ja != null) {
-                    ja.put(token instanceof String
-                        ? (config.isKeepStrings() ? XML.unescape((String)token) : XML.stringToValue((String)token))
-                        : token);
+                    Object value;
+
+                    if (token instanceof String) {
+                        String strToken = (String) token;
+                        if (config.isKeepStrings()) {
+                            value = XML.unescape(strToken);
+                        } else {
+                            value = XML.stringToValue(strToken);
+                        }
+                    } else {
+                        value = token;
+                    }
+
+                    ja.put(value);
+
                 }
             }
         }