diff --git a/ext/oboe_metal/src/oboe.i b/ext/oboe_metal/src/oboe.i
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..65cf60a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/oboe_metal/src/oboe.i
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+%module oboe
+%{
+#include "oboe_api.h"
+#include "oboe_debug.h"
+%}
+%include "stdint.i"
+%include "std_string.i"
+
+%newobject Metadata::copy;
+%newobject Metadata::fromString;
+%newobject Metadata::createEvent;
+%newobject Metadata::makeRandom;
+
+%newobject Context::startTrace;
+%newobject Context::createEntry;
+%newobject Context::createEvent;
+%newobject Context::createExit;
+%newobject Context::copy;
+
+%newobject Event::startTrace;
+%newobject Event::getMetadata;
+
+%apply int *OUTPUT { int *do_metrics, int *do_sample, int *sample_rate, int *sample_source, int *type, int *auth, int *status};
+%apply double *OUTPUT { double *bucket_rate, double *bucket_cap};
+%apply std::string *OUTPUT { std::string *status_msg, std::string *auth_msg};
+%apply unsigned int& OUTPUT { unsigned int& counter, unsigned int& rate, unsigned int& source };
+
+%include "oboe_debug.h"
+%include "oboe_api.h"
diff --git a/solarwinds_apm.gemspec b/solarwinds_apm.gemspec
index f0bdd90..9b77aa1 100644
--- a/solarwinds_apm.gemspec
+++ b/solarwinds_apm.gemspec
@@ -48,10 +48,7 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   # OTEL dependencies
   s.add_dependency('opentelemetry-instrumentation-all', '>= 0.31.0')
   s.add_dependency('opentelemetry-sdk', '>= 1.2.0')
-
-  # this still gives a warning, would have to be pinned to a minor version
-  # but that is not necessary and may restrict other gems
-  s.add_dependency('json', '~> 2.0')
+  s.add_dependency('json')
 
   s.required_ruby_version = '>= 2.7.0'
   s.executables = s.files.grep(%r{^bin/}) { |f| File.basename(f) }