diff --git a/dist/server/config.js b/dist/server/config.js
index 1b9670c35244..f0d0abe3378f 100644
--- a/dist/server/config.js
+++ b/dist/server/config.js
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ exports.default = function (baseConfig, configDir) {
   // if user has a .babelrc file in current directory
   // use that to extend webpack configurations
   if (_fs2.default.existsSync('./.babelrc')) {
-    var content = _fs2.default.readFileSync('./.babelrc');
+    var content = _fs2.default.readFileSync('./.babelrc', 'utf-8');
     try {
-      var babelrc = JSON.parse(content);
+      var babelrc = _cjson2.default.parse(content);
       config.module.loaders[0].query = babelrc;
     } catch (e) {
       logger.error('=> Error parsing .babelrc file: ' + e.message);
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ var _path = require('path');
 
 var _path2 = _interopRequireDefault(_path);
 
+var _cjson = require('cjson');
+
+var _cjson2 = _interopRequireDefault(_cjson);
+
 function _interopRequireDefault(obj) { return obj && obj.__esModule ? obj : { default: obj }; }
 
 // avoid ESLint errors
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index b1cdcbfca18d..f11cc0bf854c 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
     "babel-preset-react": "^6.3.13",
     "babel-preset-stage-2": "^6.3.13",
     "babel-runtime": "^6.3.14",
+    "cjson": "^0.4.0",
     "commander": "^2.9.0",
     "expect": "^1.6.0",
     "express": "^4.13.3",
diff --git a/src/server/config.js b/src/server/config.js
index 9581461e8eac..2be900af9404 100644
--- a/src/server/config.js
+++ b/src/server/config.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import fs from 'fs';
 import path from 'path';
+import cjson from 'cjson';
 
 // avoid ESLint errors
 const logger = console;
@@ -13,9 +14,9 @@ export default function (baseConfig, configDir) {
   // if user has a .babelrc file in current directory
   // use that to extend webpack configurations
   if (fs.existsSync('./.babelrc')) {
-    const content = fs.readFileSync('./.babelrc');
+    const content = fs.readFileSync('./.babelrc', 'utf-8');
     try {
-      const babelrc = JSON.parse(content);
+      const babelrc = cjson.parse(content);
       config.module.loaders[0].query = babelrc;
     } catch (e) {
       logger.error(`=> Error parsing .babelrc file: ${e.message}`);