diff --git a/include/nlohmann/json.hpp b/include/nlohmann/json.hpp
index 8c9bef03d..a827b037b 100644
--- a/include/nlohmann/json.hpp
+++ b/include/nlohmann/json.hpp
@@ -1642,6 +1642,9 @@ class basic_json
             std::for_each(init.begin(), init.end(), [this](const detail::json_ref<basic_json>& element_ref)
             {
                 auto element = element_ref.moved_or_copied();
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                (*element.m_value.array)[1].m_parent = this;
+#endif
                 m_value.object->emplace(
                     std::move(*((*element.m_value.array)[0].m_value.string)),
                     std::move((*element.m_value.array)[1]));
@@ -1652,6 +1655,12 @@ class basic_json
             // the initializer list describes an array -> create array
             m_type = value_t::array;
             m_value.array = create<array_t>(init.begin(), init.end());
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+            for (auto& element : *m_value.array)
+            {
+                element.m_parent = this;
+            }
+#endif
         }
 
         assert_invariant();
@@ -2696,6 +2705,49 @@ class basic_json
     /// @}
 
   private:
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+    std::string diagnostics()
+    {
+        std::string result;
+        for (basic_json* current = this; current->m_parent != nullptr; current = current->m_parent)
+        {
+            switch (current->m_parent->type())
+            {
+                case value_t::array:
+                {
+                    for (std::size_t i = 0; i < current->m_parent->m_value.array->size(); ++i)
+                    {
+                        if (current->m_parent->m_value.array->operator[](i) == *current)
+                        {
+                            result = "/" + std::to_string(i) + result;
+                            continue;
+                        }
+                    }
+                    break;
+                }
+
+                case value_t::object:
+                {
+                    for (auto it : *current->m_parent->m_value.object)
+                    {
+                        if (it.second == *current)
+                        {
+                            result = "/" + it.first + result;
+                            continue;
+                        }
+                    }
+                    break;
+                }
+
+                default:
+                    break;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return result;
+    }
+#endif
+
     //////////////////
     // value access //
     //////////////////
@@ -3318,7 +3370,13 @@ class basic_json
         {
             JSON_TRY
             {
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                reference result = m_value.array->at(idx);
+                result.m_parent = this;
+                return result;
+#else
                 return m_value.array->at(idx);
+#endif
             }
             JSON_CATCH (std::out_of_range&)
             {
@@ -3416,7 +3474,13 @@ class basic_json
         {
             JSON_TRY
             {
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                reference result = m_value.object->at(key);
+                result.m_parent = this;
+                return result;
+#else
                 return m_value.object->at(key);
+#endif
             }
             JSON_CATCH (std::out_of_range&)
             {
@@ -3525,9 +3589,18 @@ class basic_json
                 m_value.array->insert(m_value.array->end(),
                                       idx - m_value.array->size() + 1,
                                       basic_json());
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                m_value.array->back().m_parent = this;
+#endif
             }
 
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+            reference result = m_value.array->operator[](idx);
+            result.m_parent = this;
+            return result;
+#else
             return m_value.array->operator[](idx);
+#endif
         }
 
         JSON_THROW(type_error::create(305, "cannot use operator[] with a numeric argument with " + std::string(type_name())));
@@ -3603,7 +3676,13 @@ class basic_json
         // operator[] only works for objects
         if (JSON_HEDLEY_LIKELY(is_object()))
         {
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+            reference result = m_value.object->operator[](key);
+            result.m_parent = this;
+            return result;
+#else
             return m_value.object->operator[](key);
+#endif
         }
 
         JSON_THROW(type_error::create(305, "cannot use operator[] with a string argument with " + std::string(type_name())));
@@ -3693,7 +3772,13 @@ class basic_json
         // at only works for objects
         if (JSON_HEDLEY_LIKELY(is_object()))
         {
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+            reference result = m_value.object->operator[](key);
+            result.m_parent = this;
+            return result;
+#else
             return m_value.object->operator[](key);
+#endif
         }
 
         JSON_THROW(type_error::create(305, "cannot use operator[] with a string argument with " + std::string(type_name())));
@@ -5249,6 +5334,9 @@ class basic_json
 
         // add element to array (move semantics)
         m_value.array->push_back(std::move(val));
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+        m_value.array->back().m_parent = this;
+#endif
         // if val is moved from, basic_json move constructor marks it null so we do not call the destructor
     }
 
@@ -5284,6 +5372,9 @@ class basic_json
 
         // add element to array
         m_value.array->push_back(val);
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+        m_value.array->back().m_parent = this;
+#endif
     }
 
     /*!
@@ -5332,8 +5423,13 @@ class basic_json
             assert_invariant();
         }
 
-        // add element to array
+        // add element to object
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+        auto res = m_value.object->insert(val);
+        res.first->second.m_parent = this;
+#else
         m_value.object->insert(val);
+#endif
     }
 
     /*!
@@ -5437,9 +5533,18 @@ class basic_json
 
         // add element to array (perfect forwarding)
 #ifdef JSON_HAS_CPP_17
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+        reference result = m_value.array->emplace_back(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+        result.m_parent = this;
+        return result;
+#else
         return m_value.array->emplace_back(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+#endif
 #else
         m_value.array->emplace_back(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+        m_value.array->back().m_parent = this;
+#endif
         return m_value.array->back();
 #endif
     }
@@ -6967,6 +7072,11 @@ class basic_json
     /// the value of the current element
     json_value m_value = {};
 
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+    /// a pointer to a parent value (for debugging purposes)
+    basic_json* m_parent = nullptr;
+#endif
+
     //////////////////////////////////////////
     // binary serialization/deserialization //
     //////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp b/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp
index 8b6344f92..f27a63ff2 100644
--- a/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp
+++ b/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp
@@ -18266,6 +18266,9 @@ class basic_json
             std::for_each(init.begin(), init.end(), [this](const detail::json_ref<basic_json>& element_ref)
             {
                 auto element = element_ref.moved_or_copied();
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                (*element.m_value.array)[1].m_parent = this;
+#endif
                 m_value.object->emplace(
                     std::move(*((*element.m_value.array)[0].m_value.string)),
                     std::move((*element.m_value.array)[1]));
@@ -18276,6 +18279,12 @@ class basic_json
             // the initializer list describes an array -> create array
             m_type = value_t::array;
             m_value.array = create<array_t>(init.begin(), init.end());
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+            for (auto& element : *m_value.array)
+            {
+                element.m_parent = this;
+            }
+#endif
         }
 
         assert_invariant();
@@ -19320,6 +19329,49 @@ class basic_json
     /// @}
 
   private:
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+    std::string diagnostics()
+    {
+        std::string result;
+        for (basic_json* current = this; current->m_parent != nullptr; current = current->m_parent)
+        {
+            switch (current->m_parent->type())
+            {
+                case value_t::array:
+                {
+                    for (std::size_t i = 0; i < current->m_parent->m_value.array->size(); ++i)
+                    {
+                        if (current->m_parent->m_value.array->operator[](i) == *current)
+                        {
+                            result = "/" + std::to_string(i) + result;
+                            continue;
+                        }
+                    }
+                    break;
+                }
+
+                case value_t::object:
+                {
+                    for (auto it : *current->m_parent->m_value.object)
+                    {
+                        if (it.second == *current)
+                        {
+                            result = "/" + it.first + result;
+                            continue;
+                        }
+                    }
+                    break;
+                }
+
+                default:
+                    break;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return result;
+    }
+#endif
+
     //////////////////
     // value access //
     //////////////////
@@ -19942,7 +19994,13 @@ class basic_json
         {
             JSON_TRY
             {
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                reference result = m_value.array->at(idx);
+                result.m_parent = this;
+                return result;
+#else
                 return m_value.array->at(idx);
+#endif
             }
             JSON_CATCH (std::out_of_range&)
             {
@@ -20040,7 +20098,13 @@ class basic_json
         {
             JSON_TRY
             {
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                reference result = m_value.object->at(key);
+                result.m_parent = this;
+                return result;
+#else
                 return m_value.object->at(key);
+#endif
             }
             JSON_CATCH (std::out_of_range&)
             {
@@ -20149,9 +20213,18 @@ class basic_json
                 m_value.array->insert(m_value.array->end(),
                                       idx - m_value.array->size() + 1,
                                       basic_json());
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                m_value.array->back().m_parent = this;
+#endif
             }
 
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+            reference result = m_value.array->operator[](idx);
+            result.m_parent = this;
+            return result;
+#else
             return m_value.array->operator[](idx);
+#endif
         }
 
         JSON_THROW(type_error::create(305, "cannot use operator[] with a numeric argument with " + std::string(type_name())));
@@ -20227,7 +20300,13 @@ class basic_json
         // operator[] only works for objects
         if (JSON_HEDLEY_LIKELY(is_object()))
         {
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+            reference result = m_value.object->operator[](key);
+            result.m_parent = this;
+            return result;
+#else
             return m_value.object->operator[](key);
+#endif
         }
 
         JSON_THROW(type_error::create(305, "cannot use operator[] with a string argument with " + std::string(type_name())));
@@ -20317,7 +20396,13 @@ class basic_json
         // at only works for objects
         if (JSON_HEDLEY_LIKELY(is_object()))
         {
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+            reference result = m_value.object->operator[](key);
+            result.m_parent = this;
+            return result;
+#else
             return m_value.object->operator[](key);
+#endif
         }
 
         JSON_THROW(type_error::create(305, "cannot use operator[] with a string argument with " + std::string(type_name())));
@@ -21873,6 +21958,9 @@ class basic_json
 
         // add element to array (move semantics)
         m_value.array->push_back(std::move(val));
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+        m_value.array->back().m_parent = this;
+#endif
         // if val is moved from, basic_json move constructor marks it null so we do not call the destructor
     }
 
@@ -21908,6 +21996,9 @@ class basic_json
 
         // add element to array
         m_value.array->push_back(val);
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+        m_value.array->back().m_parent = this;
+#endif
     }
 
     /*!
@@ -21956,8 +22047,13 @@ class basic_json
             assert_invariant();
         }
 
-        // add element to array
+        // add element to object
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+        auto res = m_value.object->insert(val);
+        res.first->second.m_parent = this;
+#else
         m_value.object->insert(val);
+#endif
     }
 
     /*!
@@ -22061,9 +22157,18 @@ class basic_json
 
         // add element to array (perfect forwarding)
 #ifdef JSON_HAS_CPP_17
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+        reference result = m_value.array->emplace_back(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+        result.m_parent = this;
+        return result;
+#else
         return m_value.array->emplace_back(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+#endif
 #else
         m_value.array->emplace_back(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+        m_value.array->back().m_parent = this;
+#endif
         return m_value.array->back();
 #endif
     }
@@ -23591,6 +23696,11 @@ class basic_json
     /// the value of the current element
     json_value m_value = {};
 
+#ifdef JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+    /// a pointer to a parent value (for debugging purposes)
+    basic_json* m_parent = nullptr;
+#endif
+
     //////////////////////////////////////////
     // binary serialization/deserialization //
     //////////////////////////////////////////