diff --git a/plugin/connection_config_schema.go b/plugin/connection_config_schema.go
index 2bde1cc7..ee00da7e 100644
--- a/plugin/connection_config_schema.go
+++ b/plugin/connection_config_schema.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package plugin
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl/v2/json"
 	"log"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl/v2"
@@ -140,15 +141,7 @@ func (c *ConnectionConfigSchema) parseConfigWithHclTags(config *proto.Connection
 	filename := ""
 	startPos := hcl.Pos{}
 
-	file, diags := hclsyntax.ParseConfig(configString, filename, startPos)
-	if diags.HasErrors() {
-		return nil, DiagsToError(fmt.Sprintf("failed to parse connection config for connection '%s'", config.Connection), diags)
-	}
-	_, body, diags := file.Body.PartialContent(&hcl.BodySchema{})
-	if diags.HasErrors() {
-		return nil, DiagsToError(fmt.Sprintf("failed to parse connection config for connection '%s'", config.Connection), diags)
-	}
-
+	body, diags := parseConfig(configString, filename, startPos)
 	evalCtx := &hcl.EvalContext{
 		Variables: make(map[string]cty.Value),
 		Functions: make(map[string]function.Function),
@@ -162,3 +155,26 @@ func (c *ConnectionConfigSchema) parseConfigWithHclTags(config *proto.Connection
 	// return the struct by value
 	return helpers.DereferencePointer(configStruct), nil
 }
+
+func parseConfig(configString []byte, filename string, startPos hcl.Pos) (hcl.Body, hcl.Diagnostics) {
+	file, diags := hclsyntax.ParseConfig(configString, filename, startPos)
+	if diags.HasErrors() {
+		// try json
+		return parseJsonConfig(configString, filename)
+
+	}
+	//_, body, diags := file.Body.PartialContent(&hcl.BodySchema{})
+	//if diags.HasErrors() {
+	//	return nil, diags
+	//}
+	return file.Body, nil
+
+}
+
+func parseJsonConfig(configString []byte, filename string) (hcl.Body, hcl.Diagnostics) {
+	file, diags := json.Parse(configString, filename)
+	if diags.HasErrors() {
+		return nil, diags
+	}
+	return file.Body, nil
+}
diff --git a/plugin/row_with_metadata.go b/plugin/row_with_metadata.go
index 3e618bc5..3cb92c12 100644
--- a/plugin/row_with_metadata.go
+++ b/plugin/row_with_metadata.go
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 package plugin
 
+import "github.com/turbot/steampipe-plugin-sdk/v5/version"
+
 type hydrateMetadata struct {
 	Type         string            `json:"type"`
 	FuncName     string            `json:"function_name"`
@@ -8,8 +10,14 @@ type hydrateMetadata struct {
 	DelayMs      int64             `json:"rate_limiter_delay_ms"`
 }
 
+type SteampipeMetadata struct {
+	SdkVersion string `json:"sdk_version"`
+}
+
 type rowCtxData struct {
-	Connection  string             `json:"connection_name"`
+	Connection string            `json:"connection_name"`
+	Steampipe  SteampipeMetadata `json:"steampipe"`
+
 	Diagnostics *rowCtxDiagnostics `json:"diagnostics,omitempty"`
 }
 type rowCtxDiagnostics struct {
@@ -20,6 +28,9 @@ func newRowCtxData(rd *rowData) *rowCtxData {
 	d := rd.queryData
 	res := &rowCtxData{
 		Connection: d.Connection.Name,
+		Steampipe: SteampipeMetadata{
+			SdkVersion: version.String(),
+		},
 	}
 
 	if loadDiagnosticsEnvVar() == DiagnosticsAll {