diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/path_parser.go b/pkg/yqlib/path_parser.go
index 5d0ed6cf..f8163cca 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/path_parser.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/path_parser.go
@@ -4,17 +4,17 @@ type PathParser interface {
 	ParsePath(path string) []string
 }
 
-type parser struct{}
+type pathParser struct{}
 
 func NewPathParser() PathParser {
-	return &parser{}
+	return &pathParser{}
 }
 
-func (p *parser) ParsePath(path string) []string {
+func (p *pathParser) ParsePath(path string) []string {
 	return p.parsePathAccum([]string{}, path)
 }
 
-func (p *parser) parsePathAccum(paths []string, remaining string) []string {
+func (p *pathParser) parsePathAccum(paths []string, remaining string) []string {
 	head, tail := p.nextYamlPath(remaining)
 	if tail == "" {
 		return append(paths, head)
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func (p *parser) parsePathAccum(paths []string, remaining string) []string {
 	return p.parsePathAccum(append(paths, head), tail)
 }
 
-func (p *parser) nextYamlPath(path string) (pathElement string, remaining string) {
+func (p *pathParser) nextYamlPath(path string) (pathElement string, remaining string) {
 	switch path[0] {
 	case '[':
 		// e.g [0].blah.cat -> we need to return "0" and "blah.cat"
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func (p *parser) nextYamlPath(path string) (pathElement string, remaining string
 	}
 }
 
-func (p *parser) search(path string, matchingChars []uint8, skipNext bool) (pathElement string, remaining string) {
+func (p *pathParser) search(path string, matchingChars []uint8, skipNext bool) (pathElement string, remaining string) {
 	for i := 0; i < len(path); i++ {
 		var char = path[i]
 		if p.contains(matchingChars, char) {
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func (p *parser) search(path string, matchingChars []uint8, skipNext bool) (path
 	return path, ""
 }
 
-func (p *parser) contains(matchingChars []uint8, candidate uint8) bool {
+func (p *pathParser) contains(matchingChars []uint8, candidate uint8) bool {
 	for _, a := range matchingChars {
 		if a == candidate {
 			return true
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/value_parser.go b/pkg/yqlib/value_parser.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d08da020
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/value_parser.go
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+package yqlib
+
+import (
+	"strconv"
+)
+
+type ValueParser interface {
+	ParseValue(argument string) interface{}
+}
+
+type valueParser struct{}
+
+func NewValueParser() ValueParser {
+	return &valueParser{}
+}
+
+func (v *valueParser) ParseValue(argument string) interface{} {
+	var value, err interface{}
+	var inQuotes = len(argument) > 0 && argument[0] == '"'
+	if !inQuotes {
+		value, err = strconv.ParseFloat(argument, 64)
+		if err == nil {
+			return value
+		}
+		value, err = strconv.ParseBool(argument)
+		if err == nil {
+			return value
+		}
+		if argument == "[]" {
+			return make([]interface{}, 0)
+		}
+		return argument
+	}
+	return argument[1 : len(argument)-1]
+}
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/value_parser_test.go b/pkg/yqlib/value_parser_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..083fc3f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/value_parser_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package yqlib
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/mikefarah/yq/test"
+)
+
+var parseValueTests = []struct {
+	argument        string
+	expectedResult  interface{}
+	testDescription string
+}{
+	{"true", true, "boolean"},
+	{"\"true\"", "true", "boolean as string"},
+	{"3.4", 3.4, "number"},
+	{"\"3.4\"", "3.4", "number as string"},
+	{"", "", "empty string"},
+}
+
+func TestParseValue(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, tt := range parseValueTests {
+		test.AssertResultWithContext(t, tt.expectedResult, NewValueParser().ParseValue(tt.argument), tt.testDescription)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/yq.go b/yq.go
index 0d49f38b..f5a24397 100644
--- a/yq.go
+++ b/yq.go
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ var log = logging.MustGetLogger("yq")
 var lib = yqlib.NewYqLib(log)
 var jsonConverter = marshal.NewJsonConverter()
 var yamlConverter = marshal.NewYamlConverter()
+var valueParser = yqlib.NewValueParser()
 
 func main() {
 	cmd := newCommandCLI()
@@ -557,31 +558,11 @@ func readWriteCommands(args []string, expectedArgs int, badArgsMessage string) (
 		return nil, errors.New(badArgsMessage)
 	} else {
 		writeCommands = make(yaml.MapSlice, 1)
-		writeCommands[0] = yaml.MapItem{Key: args[expectedArgs-2], Value: parseValue(args[expectedArgs-1])}
+		writeCommands[0] = yaml.MapItem{Key: args[expectedArgs-2], Value: valueParser.ParseValue(args[expectedArgs-1])}
 	}
 	return writeCommands, nil
 }
 
-func parseValue(argument string) interface{} {
-	var value, err interface{}
-	var inQuotes = len(argument) > 0 && argument[0] == '"'
-	if !inQuotes {
-		value, err = strconv.ParseFloat(argument, 64)
-		if err == nil {
-			return value
-		}
-		value, err = strconv.ParseBool(argument)
-		if err == nil {
-			return value
-		}
-		if argument == "[]" {
-			return make([]interface{}, 0)
-		}
-		return argument
-	}
-	return argument[1 : len(argument)-1]
-}
-
 func toString(context interface{}) (string, error) {
 	if outputToJSON {
 		return jsonConverter.JsonToString(context)
diff --git a/yq_test.go b/yq_test.go
index 5eca98be..015fcace 100644
--- a/yq_test.go
+++ b/yq_test.go
@@ -9,24 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/mikefarah/yq/test"
 )
 
-var parseValueTests = []struct {
-	argument        string
-	expectedResult  interface{}
-	testDescription string
-}{
-	{"true", true, "boolean"},
-	{"\"true\"", "true", "boolean as string"},
-	{"3.4", 3.4, "number"},
-	{"\"3.4\"", "3.4", "number as string"},
-	{"", "", "empty string"},
-}
-
-func TestParseValue(t *testing.T) {
-	for _, tt := range parseValueTests {
-		test.AssertResultWithContext(t, tt.expectedResult, parseValue(tt.argument), tt.testDescription)
-	}
-}
-
 func TestMultilineString(t *testing.T) {
 	testString := `
 	abcd