diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e469a676b..5cd526f5d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 ### New Features
 
+- add function in capa/helpers to load plain and compressed JSON reports #1883 @Rohit1123
 
 ### Breaking Changes
 
diff --git a/capa/helpers.py b/capa/helpers.py
index ad27f3903..ecf1b3200 100644
--- a/capa/helpers.py
+++ b/capa/helpers.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #  is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.
 import sys
+import gzip
 import json
 import inspect
 import logging
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@
 
 EXTENSIONS_SHELLCODE_32 = ("sc32", "raw32")
 EXTENSIONS_SHELLCODE_64 = ("sc64", "raw64")
-EXTENSIONS_DYNAMIC = ("json", "json_")
+EXTENSIONS_DYNAMIC = ("json", "json_", "json.gz")
 EXTENSIONS_ELF = "elf_"
 EXTENSIONS_FREEZE = "frz"
 
@@ -70,9 +71,19 @@ def assert_never(value) -> NoReturn:
     assert False, f"Unhandled value: {value} ({type(value).__name__})"  # noqa: B011
 
 
-def get_format_from_report(sample: Path) -> str:
-    report = json.load(sample.open(encoding="utf-8"))
+def load_json_from_path(json_path: Path):
+    with gzip.open(json_path, "r") as compressed_report:
+        try:
+            report_json = compressed_report.read()
+        except gzip.BadGzipFile:
+            report = json.load(json_path.open(encoding="utf-8"))
+        else:
+            report = json.loads(report_json)
+    return report
 
+
+def get_format_from_report(sample: Path) -> str:
+    report = load_json_from_path(sample)
     if "CAPE" in report:
         return FORMAT_CAPE
 
diff --git a/capa/loader.py b/capa/loader.py
index e4f0a5c92..024091e01 100644
--- a/capa/loader.py
+++ b/capa/loader.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 #  is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.
 import sys
-import json
 import logging
 import datetime
 from typing import Set, Dict, List, Optional
@@ -180,7 +179,7 @@ def get_extractor(
     if backend == BACKEND_CAPE:
         import capa.features.extractors.cape.extractor
 
-        report = json.loads(input_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        report = capa.helpers.load_json_from_path(input_path)
         return capa.features.extractors.cape.extractor.CapeExtractor.from_report(report)
 
     elif backend == BACKEND_DOTNET:
@@ -297,7 +296,7 @@ def get_file_extractors(input_file: Path, input_format: str) -> List[FeatureExtr
     elif input_format == FORMAT_CAPE:
         import capa.features.extractors.cape.extractor
 
-        report = json.loads(input_file.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        report = capa.helpers.load_json_from_path(input_file)
         file_extractors.append(capa.features.extractors.cape.extractor.CapeExtractor.from_report(report))
 
     return file_extractors
diff --git a/tests/fixtures.py b/tests/fixtures.py
index ebfe557a5..ce21d7db1 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures.py
+++ b/tests/fixtures.py
@@ -191,14 +191,10 @@ def get_binja_extractor(path: Path):
 
 @lru_cache(maxsize=1)
 def get_cape_extractor(path):
-    import gzip
-    import json
-
+    from capa.helpers import load_json_from_path
     from capa.features.extractors.cape.extractor import CapeExtractor
 
-    with gzip.open(path, "r") as compressed_report:
-        report_json = compressed_report.read()
-        report = json.loads(report_json)
+    report = load_json_from_path(path)
 
     return CapeExtractor.from_report(report)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_main.py b/tests/test_main.py
index 6d588dda1..2ee7e7da2 100644
--- a/tests/test_main.py
+++ b/tests/test_main.py
@@ -356,3 +356,9 @@ def test_main_cape1(tmp_path):
     assert capa.main.main([str(path), "-j", "-r", str(rules)]) == 0
     assert capa.main.main([str(path), "-v", "-r", str(rules)]) == 0
     assert capa.main.main([str(path), "-vv", "-r", str(rules)]) == 0
+
+
+def test_main_cape_gzip():
+    # tests successful execution of .json.gz
+    path = str(fixtures.get_data_path_by_name("0000a657"))
+    assert capa.main.main([path]) == 0