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How to keep json_encode() from dropping strings with invalid characters

Is there a way to keep json_encode() from returning null for a string that contains an invalid (non-UTF-8) character?

It can be a pain in the ass to debug in a complex system. It would be much more fitting to actually see the invalid character, or at least have it omitted. As it stands, json_encode() will silently drop the entire string.

Example (in UTF-8):

$string = 
  array(utf8_decode("Düsseldorf"), // Deliberately produce broken string
        "Washington",
        "Nairobi"); 

print_r(json_encode($string));

Results in

[null,"Washington","Nairobi"]

Desired result:

["D�sseldorf","Washington","Nairobi"]

Note: I am not looking to make broken strings work in json_encode(). I am looking for ways to make it easier to diagnose encoding errors. A null string isn’t helpful for that.

How to keep json_encode() from dropping strings with invalid characters