diff --git a/ast/node.go b/ast/node.go
index f3aaec051..8f5c99513 100644
--- a/ast/node.go
+++ b/ast/node.go
@@ -993,6 +993,162 @@ func (self *Node) AddAny(val interface{}) error {
 	return self.Add(NewAny(val))
 }
 
+// Replace replaces the node's value in place.
+//
+// This is useful when a node has been located via Get(), Index(), or GetByPath()
+// and its value should be updated without navigating back to the parent to call Set().
+func (self *Node) Replace(node Node) error {
+	if self == nil {
+		return ErrNotExist
+	} else if self.loadt() == V_ERROR {
+		return self
+	} else if !self.Exists() {
+		return ErrNotExist
+	} else if node.t == V_ERROR {
+		return node
+	}
+
+	lock := self.lock()
+	if lock {
+		defer self.unlock()
+	}
+	self.assign(node)
+	return nil
+}
+
+// ReplaceAny wraps val with V_ANY node, and Replace() the node.
+func (self *Node) ReplaceAny(val interface{}) error {
+	return self.Replace(NewAny(val))
+}
+
+// SetByPath sets the node at the given path, creating objects and arrays as needed.
+//
+// Path elements must be either string (object key) or int (array index).
+// Intermediate containers are created automatically when missing.
+func (self *Node) SetByPath(node Node, path ...interface{}) (bool, error) {
+	if node.t == V_ERROR {
+		return false, node
+	} else if len(path) == 0 {
+		if self == nil {
+			return false, ErrNotExist
+		}
+		existed := self.Exists()
+		return existed, self.Replace(node)
+	} else if err := self.checkRaw(); err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+
+	parent := self
+	for i := 0; i < len(path)-1; i++ {
+		child, err := parent.ensurePathSegment(path[i], path[i+1])
+		if err != nil {
+			return false, err
+		}
+		parent = child
+	}
+	return parent.setPathLeaf(path[len(path)-1], node)
+}
+
+// SetAnyByPath wraps val with V_ANY node, and SetByPath() the node.
+func (self *Node) SetAnyByPath(val interface{}, path ...interface{}) (bool, error) {
+	return self.SetByPath(NewAny(val), path...)
+}
+
+func newPathContainer(next interface{}) Node {
+	switch next.(type) {
+	case string:
+		return NewObject(nil)
+	case int:
+		return NewArray(nil)
+	default:
+		panic("path must be either int or string")
+	}
+}
+
+func (self *Node) ensurePathSegment(key interface{}, next interface{}) (*Node, error) {
+	switch k := key.(type) {
+	case string:
+		child := self.Get(k)
+		if !child.Exists() {
+			if _, err := self.Set(k, newPathContainer(next)); err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			return self.Get(k), nil
+		} else if err := child.Check(); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		} else if child.itype() == types.V_NULL {
+			if err := child.Replace(newPathContainer(next)); err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+		}
+		return child, nil
+	case int:
+		if k < 0 {
+			return nil, ErrNotExist
+		}
+		child, err := self.extendArrayToIndex(k)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		} else if child.itype() == types.V_NULL {
+			if err := child.Replace(newPathContainer(next)); err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+		}
+		return child, nil
+	default:
+		panic("path must be either int or string")
+	}
+}
+
+func (self *Node) setPathLeaf(key interface{}, node Node) (bool, error) {
+	switch k := key.(type) {
+	case string:
+		return self.Set(k, node)
+	case int:
+		if k < 0 {
+			return false, ErrNotExist
+		}
+		child, err := self.extendArrayToIndex(k)
+		if err != nil {
+			return false, err
+		} else if err := child.Check(); err != nil {
+			return false, err
+		}
+		existed := child.itype() != types.V_NULL
+		return existed, child.Replace(node)
+	default:
+		panic("path must be either int or string")
+	}
+}
+
+func (self *Node) extendArrayToIndex(index int) (*Node, error) {
+	if err := self.checkRaw(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	} else if index == 0 && (self.t == _V_NONE || self.t == types.V_NULL) {
+		*self = NewArray(nil)
+	} else if err := self.should(types.V_ARRAY); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	for {
+		if err := self.skipAllIndex(); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		ln, err := self.Len()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		} else if index < ln {
+			child := self.Index(index)
+			if err := child.Check(); err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			return child, nil
+		} else if err := self.Add(NewNull()); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // GetByPath load given path on demands,
 // which only ensure nodes before this path got parsed.
 //
diff --git a/ast/node_test.go b/ast/node_test.go
index ac19abcbb..34ad726fd 100644
--- a/ast/node_test.go
+++ b/ast/node_test.go
@@ -1311,6 +1311,108 @@ func TestNodeSet(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestNodeReplace(t *testing.T) {
+	root, derr := NewParser(`{"count": 1, "name": "foo"}`).Parse()
+	if derr != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("decode failed: %v", derr.Error())
+	}
+
+	count := root.GetByPath("count")
+	if err := count.Replace(NewNumber("42")); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	val, err := root.GetByPath("count").Int64()
+	if err != nil || val != 42 {
+		t.Fatalf("exp: 42, got: %v, err: %v", val, err)
+	}
+
+	name := root.GetByPath("name")
+	if err := name.Replace(NewString("bar")); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	s, err := root.GetByPath("name").String()
+	if err != nil || s != "bar" {
+		t.Fatalf("exp: bar, got: %v, err: %v", s, err)
+	}
+
+	missing := root.Get("missing")
+	if err := missing.Replace(NewNumber("1")); err != ErrNotExist {
+		t.Fatalf("exp: ErrNotExist, got: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	raw := NewRaw(`{"x": 1}`)
+	x := raw.GetByPath("x")
+	if err := x.Replace(NewNumber("99")); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	n, err := raw.GetByPath("x").Int64()
+	if err != nil || n != 99 {
+		t.Fatalf("exp: 99, got: %v, err: %v", n, err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestNodeSetByPath(t *testing.T) {
+	root := NewObject(nil)
+
+	existed, err := root.SetByPath(NewNumber("1"), "a", "b", "c")
+	if existed || err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("exp: false, nil; got: %v, %v", existed, err)
+	}
+	val, err := root.GetByPath("a", "b", "c").Int64()
+	if err != nil || val != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("exp: 1, got: %v, err: %v", val, err)
+	}
+
+	existed, err = root.SetByPath(NewNumber("2"), "a", "b", "c")
+	if !existed || err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("exp: true, nil; got: %v, %v", existed, err)
+	}
+	val, err = root.GetByPath("a", "b", "c").Int64()
+	if err != nil || val != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("exp: 2, got: %v, err: %v", val, err)
+	}
+
+	existed, err = root.SetByPath(NewString("deep"), "arr", 2, "key")
+	if existed || err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("exp: false, nil; got: %v, %v", existed, err)
+	}
+	s, err := root.GetByPath("arr", 2, "key").String()
+	if err != nil || s != "deep" {
+		t.Fatalf("exp: deep, got: %v, err: %v", s, err)
+	}
+
+	ln, err := root.GetByPath("arr").Len()
+	if err != nil || ln != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("exp: array len 3, got: %v, err: %v", ln, err)
+	}
+
+	nullRoot, derr := NewParser(`{"a": null}`).Parse()
+	if derr != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("decode failed: %v", derr.Error())
+	}
+	existed, err = nullRoot.SetByPath(NewNumber("3"), "a", "b")
+	if existed || err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("exp: false, nil; got: %v, %v", existed, err)
+	}
+	val, err = nullRoot.GetByPath("a", "b").Int64()
+	if err != nil || val != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("exp: 3, got: %v, err: %v", val, err)
+	}
+
+	parsed, derr := NewParser(`{"statuses":[{"id":1}]}`).Parse()
+	if derr != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("decode failed: %v", derr.Error())
+	}
+	existed, err = parsed.SetByPath(NewNumber("111"), "statuses", 0, "id")
+	if !existed || err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("exp: true, nil; got: %v, %v", existed, err)
+	}
+	val, err = parsed.GetByPath("statuses", 0, "id").Int64()
+	if err != nil || val != 111 {
+		t.Fatalf("exp: 111, got: %v, err: %v", val, err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestNodeSetByIndex(t *testing.T) {
 	root, derr := NewParser(_TwitterJson).Parse()
 	if derr != 0 {