diff --git a/src/actions.js b/src/actions.js
index be419a4..928c5c6 100644
--- a/src/actions.js
+++ b/src/actions.js
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 import last from 'lodash/last'
 import initial from 'lodash/initial'
 import {
-  compileJSONPointer, toEsonPath, esonToJson, findNextProp,
+  compileJSONPointer, getInEson, esonToJson, findNextProp,
   pathsFromSelection, findRootPath, findSelectionIndices
 } from './eson'
 import { findUniqueName } from  './utils/stringUtils'
-import { getIn } from  './utils/immutabilityHelpers'
 import { isObject, stringConvert } from  './utils/typeUtils'
 import { compareAsc, compareDesc, strictShallowEqual } from './utils/arrayUtils'
 
@@ -19,9 +18,7 @@ import { compareAsc, compareDesc, strictShallowEqual } from './utils/arrayUtils'
  */
 export function changeValue (data, path, value) {
   // console.log('changeValue', data, value)
-
-  const esonPath = toEsonPath(data, path)
-  const oldDataValue = getIn(data, esonPath)
+  const oldDataValue = getInEson(data, path)
 
   return [{
     op: 'replace',
@@ -43,9 +40,7 @@ export function changeValue (data, path, value) {
  */
 export function changeProperty (data, parentPath, oldProp, newProp) {
   // console.log('changeProperty', parentPath, oldProp, newProp)
-
-  const esonPath = toEsonPath(data, parentPath)
-  const parent = getIn(data, esonPath)
+  const parent = getInEson(data, parentPath)
 
   // prevent duplicate property names
   const uniqueNewProp = findUniqueName(newProp, parent.props.map(p => p.name))
@@ -68,8 +63,7 @@ export function changeProperty (data, parentPath, oldProp, newProp) {
  * @return {Array}
  */
 export function changeType (data, path, type) {
-  const esonPath = toEsonPath(data, path)
-  const oldValue = esonToJson(getIn(data, esonPath))
+  const oldValue = esonToJson(getInEson(data, path))
   const newValue = convertType(oldValue, type)
 
   // console.log('changeType', path, type, oldValue, newValue)
@@ -102,7 +96,7 @@ export function duplicate (data, selection) {
   }
 
   const rootPath = findRootPath(selection)
-  const root = getIn(data, toEsonPath(data, rootPath))
+  const root = getInEson(data, rootPath)
   const { maxIndex } = findSelectionIndices(root, rootPath, selection)
   const paths = pathsFromSelection(data, selection)
 
@@ -147,8 +141,7 @@ export function duplicate (data, selection) {
  */
 export function insertBefore (data, path, values) {  // TODO: find a better name and define datastructure for values
   const parentPath = initial(path)
-  const esonPath = toEsonPath(data, parentPath)
-  const parent = getIn(data, esonPath)
+  const parent = getInEson(data, parentPath)
 
   if (parent.type === 'Array') {
     const startIndex = parseInt(last(path))
@@ -192,7 +185,7 @@ export function insertBefore (data, path, values) {  // TODO: find a better name
  */
 export function replace (data, selection, values) {  // TODO: find a better name and define datastructure for values
   const rootPath = findRootPath(selection)
-  const root = getIn(data, toEsonPath(data, rootPath))
+  const root = getInEson(data, rootPath)
   const { minIndex, maxIndex } = findSelectionIndices(root, rootPath, selection)
 
   if (root.type === 'Array') {
@@ -245,8 +238,7 @@ export function replace (data, selection, values) {  // TODO: find a better name
 export function append (data, parentPath, type) {
   // console.log('append', parentPath, value)
 
-  const esonPath = toEsonPath(data, parentPath)
-  const parent = getIn(data, esonPath)
+  const parent = getInEson(data, parentPath)
   const value = createEntry(type)
 
   if (parent.type === 'Array') {
@@ -310,8 +302,7 @@ export function sort (data, path, order = null) {
   // console.log('sort', path, order)
 
   const compare = order === 'desc' ? compareDesc : compareAsc
-  const esonPath = toEsonPath(data, path)
-  const object = getIn(data, esonPath)
+  const object = getInEson(data, path)
 
   if (object.type === 'Array') {
     const orderedItems = object.items.slice(0)
diff --git a/src/components/TreeMode.js b/src/components/TreeMode.js
index 449fb47..9e268f7 100644
--- a/src/components/TreeMode.js
+++ b/src/components/TreeMode.js
@@ -4,17 +4,15 @@ import { createElement as h, Component } from 'react'
 import isEqual from 'lodash/isEqual'
 import reverse from 'lodash/reverse'
 import initial from 'lodash/initial'
-import last from 'lodash/last'
 import Hammer from 'react-hammerjs'
 import jump from '../assets/jump.js/src/jump'
 import Ajv from 'ajv'
 
-import { updateIn, getIn, setIn } from '../utils/immutabilityHelpers'
+import { setIn } from '../utils/immutabilityHelpers'
 import { parseJSON } from '../utils/jsonUtils'
-import { findUniqueName } from '../utils/stringUtils'
 import { enrichSchemaError } from '../utils/schemaUtils'
 import {
-    jsonToEson, esonToJson, toEsonPath, pathExists,
+    jsonToEson, esonToJson, getInEson, updateInEson, pathExists,
     expand, expandPath, addErrors,
     search, applySearchResults, nextSearchResult, previousSearchResult,
     applySelection, pathsFromSelection, contentsFromPaths,
@@ -548,10 +546,8 @@ export default class TreeMode extends Component {
 
   handleExpand = (path, expanded, recurse) => {
     if (recurse) {
-      const esonPath = toEsonPath(this.state.data, path)
-
       this.setState({
-        data: updateIn(this.state.data, esonPath, function (child) {
+        data: updateInEson(this.state.data, path, function (child) {
           return expand(child, (path) => true, expanded)
         })
       })
@@ -986,7 +982,7 @@ export default class TreeMode extends Component {
    * @return {boolean} Returns true when expanded, false otherwise
    */
   isExpanded (path) {
-    return getIn(this.state.data, toEsonPath(this.state.data, path)).expanded
+    return getInEson(this.state.data, path).expanded
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/eson.js b/src/eson.js
index 3121d2a..b0d9cf4 100644
--- a/src/eson.js
+++ b/src/eson.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
  * All functions are pure and don't mutate the ESON.
  */
 
-import { setIn, getIn, updateIn } from './utils/immutabilityHelpers'
+import { setIn, getIn, updateIn, deleteIn } from './utils/immutabilityHelpers'
 import { isObject } from  './utils/typeUtils'
 import isEqual from 'lodash/isEqual'
 import times from 'lodash/times'
@@ -174,7 +174,35 @@ export function toJsonPath (eson: ESON, esonPath: ESONPath) : JSONPath {
   }
 }
 
-type ExpandCallback = (Path) => boolean
+/**
+ * Get a nested property from an ESON object using a JSON path
+ */
+export function getInEson (eson: ESON, jsonPath: JSONPath) {
+  return getIn(eson, toEsonPath(eson, jsonPath))
+}
+
+/**
+ * Set the value of a nested property in an ESON object using a JSON path
+ */
+export function setInEson (eson: ESON, jsonPath: JSONPath, value: JSONType) {
+  return setIn(eson, toEsonPath(eson, jsonPath), value)
+}
+
+/**
+ * Set the value of a nested property in an ESON object using a JSON path
+ */
+export function updateInEson (eson: ESON, jsonPath: JSONPath, callback) {
+  return updateIn(eson, toEsonPath(eson, jsonPath), callback)
+}
+
+/**
+ * Set the value of a nested property in an ESON object using a JSON path
+ */
+export function deleteInEson (eson: ESON, jsonPath: JSONPath) : JSONType {
+  // with initial we remove the 'value' property,
+  // we want to remove the whole item from the items array
+  return deleteIn(eson, initial(toEsonPath(eson, jsonPath)))
+}
 
 /**
  * Expand or collapse one or multiple items or properties
@@ -263,7 +291,7 @@ export function search (eson: ESON, text: string): ESONPointer[] {
           // only add search result when this is an object property name,
           // don't add search result for array indices
           const parentPath = initial(path)
-          const parent = getIn(eson, toEsonPath(eson, parentPath))
+          const parent = getInEson(eson, parentPath)
           if (parent.type === 'Object') {
             results.push({path, area: 'property'})
           }
@@ -374,7 +402,7 @@ export function applySelection (eson: ESON, selection: Selection) {
     // find the parent node shared by both start and end of the selection
     const rootPath = findRootPath(selection)
 
-    return updateIn(eson, toEsonPath(eson, rootPath), (root) => {
+    return updateInEson(eson, rootPath, (root) => {
       const { minIndex, maxIndex } = findSelectionIndices(root, rootPath, selection)
 
       const childsKey = (root.type === 'Object') ? 'props' : 'items' // property name of the array with props/items
@@ -415,7 +443,7 @@ export function findSelectionIndices (root: ESON, rootPath: JSONPath, selection:
 export function pathsFromSelection (eson: ESON, selection: Selection): JSONPath[] {
   // find the parent node shared by both start and end of the selection
   const rootPath = findRootPath(selection)
-  const root = getIn(eson, toEsonPath(eson, rootPath))
+  const root = getInEson(eson, rootPath)
 
   const { minIndex, maxIndex } = findSelectionIndices(root, rootPath, selection)
 
@@ -613,7 +641,7 @@ export function pathExists (eson: ESON, path: JSONPath) {
 export function resolvePathIndex (eson, path) {
   if (path[path.length - 1] === '-') {
     const parentPath = path.slice(0, path.length - 1)
-    const parent = getIn(eson, toEsonPath(eson, parentPath))
+    const parent = getInEson(eson, parentPath)
 
     if (parent.type === 'Array') {
       const index = parent.items.length
diff --git a/src/patchEson.js b/src/patchEson.js
index 9f2724d..1c396c0 100644
--- a/src/patchEson.js
+++ b/src/patchEson.js
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 import isEqual from 'lodash/isEqual'
 import initial from 'lodash/initial'
+import last from 'lodash/last'
 
 import type { ESON, Path, ESONPatch } from './types'
-import { setIn, updateIn, getIn, deleteIn, insertAt } from './utils/immutabilityHelpers'
+import { setIn, updateIn, getIn, insertAt } from './utils/immutabilityHelpers'
 import {
   jsonToEson, esonToJson, toEsonPath,
+  getInEson, setInEson, deleteInEson,
   parseJSONPointer, compileJSONPointer,
   expandAll, pathExists, resolvePathIndex, findPropertyIndex, findNextProp, getId
 } from './eson'
@@ -126,11 +128,10 @@ export function patchEson (eson: ESON, patch: ESONPatch, expand = expandAll) {
  * @return {{data: ESON, revert: ESONPatch}}
  */
 export function replace (data: ESON, path: Path, value: ESON) {
-  const esonPath = toEsonPath(data, path)
-  const oldValue = getIn(data, esonPath)
+  const oldValue = getInEson(data, path)
 
   return {
-    data: setIn(data, esonPath, value),
+    data: setInEson(data, path, value),
     revert: [{
       op: 'replace',
       path: compileJSONPointer(path),
@@ -148,23 +149,19 @@ export function replace (data: ESON, path: Path, value: ESON) {
  * @param {string} path
  * @return {{data: ESON, revert: ESONPatch}}
  */
+// FIXME: path should be a path instead of a string? (all functions in patchEson)
 export function remove (data: ESON, path: string) {
   // console.log('remove', path)
   const pathArray = parseJSONPointer(path)
 
-  const parentPath = pathArray.slice(0, pathArray.length - 1)
-  const parent = getIn(data, toEsonPath(data, parentPath))
-  const dataValue = getIn(data, toEsonPath(data, pathArray))
+  const parentPath = initial(pathArray)
+  const parent = getInEson(data, parentPath)
+  const dataValue = getInEson(data, pathArray)
   const value = esonToJson(dataValue)
 
   if (parent.type === 'Array') {
-    const esonPath = toEsonPath(data, pathArray)
-
-    // remove the 'value' property, we want to remove the whole item from the items array
-    esonPath.pop()
-
     return {
-      data: deleteIn(data, esonPath),
+      data: deleteInEson(data, pathArray),
       revert: [{
         op: 'add',
         path,
@@ -176,14 +173,10 @@ export function remove (data: ESON, path: string) {
     }
   }
   else { // object.type === 'Object'
-    const esonPath = toEsonPath(data, pathArray)
-    const prop = pathArray[pathArray.length - 1]
-
-    // remove the 'value' property, we want to remove the whole object property from props
-    esonPath.pop()
+    const prop = last(pathArray)
 
     return {
-      data: deleteIn(data, esonPath),
+      data: deleteInEson(data, pathArray),
       revert: [{
         op: 'add',
         path,
@@ -274,7 +267,7 @@ export function add (data: ESON, path: string, value: ESON, options, id = getId(
   }
 
   if (parent.type === 'Object' && pathExists(data, resolvedPath)) {
-    const oldValue = getIn(data, toEsonPath(data, resolvedPath))
+    const oldValue = getInEson(data, resolvedPath)
 
     return {
       data: updatedEson,
@@ -307,7 +300,7 @@ export function add (data: ESON, path: string, value: ESON, options, id = getId(
  * @private
  */
 export function copy (data: ESON, path: string, from: string, options) {
-  const value = getIn(data, toEsonPath(data, parseJSONPointer(from)))
+  const value = getInEson(data, parseJSONPointer(from))
 
   return add(data, path, value, options)
 }
@@ -329,7 +322,7 @@ export function move (data: ESON, path: string, from: string, options) {
   // FIXME: only reuse the existing id when move is renaming a property in the same object
 
   const parentPathFrom = initial(fromArray)
-  const parent = getIn(data, toEsonPath(data, parentPathFrom))
+  const parent = getInEson(data, parentPathFrom)
 
   const result1 = remove(data, from)
   const result2 = add(result1.data, path, dataValue, options, id)
@@ -379,7 +372,7 @@ export function test (data: ESON, path: string, value: any) {
     return new Error('Test failed, path not found')
   }
 
-  const actualValue = getIn(data, toEsonPath(data, pathArray))
+  const actualValue = getInEson(data, pathArray)
   if (!isEqual(esonToJson(actualValue), value)) {
     return new Error('Test failed, value differs')
   }