diff --git a/include/ircd/json/array.h b/include/ircd/json/array.h
index dfa0c38f9..03565af8b 100644
--- a/include/ircd/json/array.h
+++ b/include/ircd/json/array.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ namespace ircd::json
 	struct array;
 
 	bool empty(const array &);
+	bool operator!(const array &);
 
 	string_view stringify(mutable_buffer &buf, const string_view *const &begin, const string_view *const &end);
 	string_view stringify(mutable_buffer &buf, const std::string *const &begin, const std::string *const &end);
@@ -169,7 +170,13 @@ const
 }
 
 inline bool
-ircd::json::empty(const json::array &array)
+ircd::json::operator!(const array &array)
+{
+	return empty(array);
+}
+
+inline bool
+ircd::json::empty(const array &array)
 {
 	return array.empty();
 }
diff --git a/include/ircd/json/object.h b/include/ircd/json/object.h
index 627e810d9..4cda47888 100644
--- a/include/ircd/json/object.h
+++ b/include/ircd/json/object.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ namespace ircd::json
 	struct object;
 
 	bool empty(const object &);
+	bool operator!(const object &);
 	template<name_hash_t key, class T = string_view> T at(const object &);
 	template<name_hash_t key, class T = string_view> T get(const object &, const T &def = {});
 }
@@ -348,6 +349,12 @@ const
 	return std::distance(begin(), end());
 }
 
+inline bool
+ircd::json::operator!(const object &object)
+{
+	return empty(object);
+}
+
 inline bool
 ircd::json::empty(const object &object)
 {