diff --git a/lib/api/alert.js b/lib/api/alert.js
index 1e392a2..197b086 100644
--- a/lib/api/alert.js
+++ b/lib/api/alert.js
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 var util = require('util');
-var v8type = require('v8type');
 
 
 var alert_api = function(){};
@@ -19,8 +18,8 @@ alert_api.prototype.add_alert = function(alert, callback){
      * `callback` an optional function to get called with the results of the api call
      *     callback(error, result, status_code)
     */
-    if(!v8type.is(alert, v8type.OBJECT)){
-	throw new Error('`alert` parameter must be an object');
+    if(typeof alert != 'object'){
+        throw new Error('`alert` parameter must be an object');
     }
 
     if(!alert['query']){
@@ -46,8 +45,8 @@ alert_api.prototype.update_alert = function(alert_id, alert, callback){
      * `callback` an optional function to get called with the results of the api call
      *     callback(error, result, status_code)
     */
-    if(!v8type.is(alert, v8type.OBJECT)){
-	throw new Error('`alert` parameter must be an object');
+    if(typeof alert != 'object'){
+    throw new Error('`alert` parameter must be an object');
     }
 
     if(!alert['query']){
diff --git a/lib/api/dash.js b/lib/api/dash.js
index b59505e..e6b76a3 100644
--- a/lib/api/dash.js
+++ b/lib/api/dash.js
@@ -1,21 +1,20 @@
 var util = require('util');
-var v8type = require('v8type');
 
 var validate_dashboard = function(dashboard){
-    if(!v8type.of(dashboard, v8type.OBJECT)){
-	throw new Error('`dashboard` parameter must be an object');
+    if(typeof dashboard != 'object'){
+        throw new Error('`dashboard` parameter must be an object');
     }
 
-    if(!v8type.of(dashboard['title'], v8type.STRING)){
-	throw new Error('`dashboard["title"]` must be a string');
+    if(dashboard['title'] != 'string'){
+        throw new Error('`dashboard["title"]` must be a string');
     }
 
-    if(!v8type.of(dashboard['description'], v8type.STRING)){
-	throw new Error('`dashboard["description"]` must be a string');
+    if(typeof dashboard['description'] != 'string'){
+        throw new Error('`dashboard["description"]` must be a string');
     }
 
-    if(!v8type.of(dashboard['graphs'], v8type.ARRAY)){
-	throw new Error('`dashboard["graphs"]` must be an array');
+    if(typeof dashboard['graphs'] != 'object'){
+        throw new Error('`dashboard["graphs"]` must be an array');
     }
 
     for(var i in dashboard['graphs']){
diff --git a/lib/api/event.js b/lib/api/event.js
index 17f280e..ed33c36 100644
--- a/lib/api/event.js
+++ b/lib/api/event.js
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 var extend = require('extend');
 var util = require('util');
-var v8type = require('v8type');
 
 
 var event_api  = function(){};
@@ -34,9 +33,9 @@ event_api.prototype.stream = function(start, end, filter, callback){
     // this is the only case we have to check
     // if we have `event_api(1234, 5678, callback)` then
     // we want to push callback back
-    if(arguments.length == 3 && v8type.is(arguments[2], v8type.FUNCTION)){
-	callback = arguments[2];
-	filter = {};
+    if(arguments.length == 3 && typeof arguments[2] == 'function'){
+        callback = arguments[2];
+        filter = {};
     }
 
     // validate the filters we were given and append to `query`
@@ -44,11 +43,11 @@ event_api.prototype.stream = function(start, end, filter, callback){
     if(filter['priority'] && ['low', 'normal'].indexOf(filter['priority'].toLowerCase()) >= 0){
 	query['priority'] = filter['priority'].toLowerCase();
     }
-    if(filter['sources'] && v8type.is(filter['sources'], v8type.ARRAY)){
-	query['sources'] = filter['sources'].join();
+    if(filter['sources'] && typeof filter['sources'] == 'object'){
+        query['sources'] = filter['sources'].join();
     }
-    if(filter['tags'] && v8type.is(filter['tags'], v8type.ARRAY)){
-	query['tags'] = filter['tags'].join();
+    if(filter['tags'] && typeof filter['tags'] == 'object'){
+        query['tags'] = filter['tags'].join();
     }
 
     params = {
@@ -192,8 +191,8 @@ event_api.prototype.update_comment = function(comment_id, comment, callback){
      * `callback` an optional callback to call with the result
      *     callback(error, result, status_code)
     */
-    if(!v8type.is(comment, v8type.OBJECT)){
-	throw new Error('`comment` parameter must be an object');
+    if(typeof comment != 'object'){
+        throw new Error('`comment` parameter must be an object');
     }
 
     this.request('PUT', util.format('/comments/%s', comment_id), {body: comment}, callback);
diff --git a/lib/api/metric.js b/lib/api/metric.js
index 7e391a3..2ff0640 100644
--- a/lib/api/metric.js
+++ b/lib/api/metric.js
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
-var v8type = require('v8type');
-
-
 var metric_api = function(){};
 
 metric_api.prototype.add_metric = function(metric, callback){
@@ -37,12 +34,12 @@ metric_api.prototype.add_metrics = function(metrics, callback){
      * `callback` an optional function to call with the results
      *     callback(metric, [callback])
     */
-    if(!v8type.is(metrics, v8type.OBJECT)){
-	throw new Error('`metrics` parameter must be an object');
+    if(typeof metrics != 'object'){
+        throw new Error('`metrics` parameter must be an object');
     }
 
-    if(!metrics['series'] || !v8type.is(metrics['series'], v8type.ARRAY)){
-	throw new Error('`metrics["series"]` parameter must be an array');
+    if(!metrics['series'] || typeof metrics['series'] != 'object'){
+        throw new Error('`metrics["series"]` parameter must be an array');
     }
 
     for(var i in metrics['series']){
@@ -51,9 +48,9 @@ metric_api.prototype.add_metrics = function(metrics, callback){
 	    throw new Error('metric["metric"] is required');
 	}
 
-	if(!metric['points'] || !v8type.is(metric['points'], v8type.ARRAY)){
-	    throw new Error('metric["points"] must be an array');
-	}
+        if(!metric['points'] || typeof metric['points'] != 'object'){
+            throw new Error('metric["points"] must be an array');
+        }
     }
 
     this.request('POST', '/series', {body: metrics}, callback);
diff --git a/lib/api/screen.js b/lib/api/screen.js
index a379482..4845e1c 100644
--- a/lib/api/screen.js
+++ b/lib/api/screen.js
@@ -1,24 +1,23 @@
 var util = require('util');
-var v8type = require('v8type');
 
 var validate_screenboard = function(screenboard){
-    if(!v8type.of(screenboard, v8type.OBJECT)){
+    if(typeof screenboard != 'object'){
         throw new Error('`screenboard` parameter must be an object');
     }
 
-    if(!v8type.of(screenboard['board_title'], v8type.STRING)){
+    if(typeof screenboard['board_title'] != 'string'){
         throw new Error('`screenboard["board_title"]` must be a string');
     }
 
-    if(screenboard['width'] != undefined && !v8type.of(screenboard['width'], v8type.NUMBER)){
+    if(screenboard['width'] != undefined && typeof screenboard['width'] != 'number'){
         throw new Error('`screenboard["width"]` must be a number');
     }
 
-    if(screenboard['height'] != undefined && !v8type.of(screenboard['height'], v8type.NUMBER)){
+    if(screenboard['height'] != undefined && typeof screenboard['height'] != 'number'){
         throw new Error('`screenboard["height"]` must be a number');
     }
 
-    if(!v8type.of(screenboard['widgets'], v8type.ARRAY)){
+    if(typeof screenboard['widgets'] != 'object'){
         throw new Error('`screenboard["widgets"]` must be an array');
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/api/snapshot.js b/lib/api/snapshot.js
index a2cabed..d96c80d 100644
--- a/lib/api/snapshot.js
+++ b/lib/api/snapshot.js
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 var extend = require('extend');
 var util = require('util');
-var v8type = require('v8type');
 
 
 var snapshot_api  = function(){};
@@ -22,7 +21,7 @@ snapshot_api.prototype.add_snapshot = function(snapshot, callback){
      * `callback` is an optional function for the result
      *     callback(error, result, status_code)
     */
-    if(!v8type.is(snapshot, v8type.OBJECT)){
+    if(typeof snapshot != 'object'){
         throw new Error('`snapshot` parameter must be an object');
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/api/tag.js b/lib/api/tag.js
index 8eeb906..e9213f8 100644
--- a/lib/api/tag.js
+++ b/lib/api/tag.js
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 var util = require('util');
-var v8type = require('v8type');
 
 var tag_api = function(){};
 
@@ -14,9 +13,9 @@ tag_api.prototype.all_tags = function(source, callback){
      * `callback` is an optional function to call with the results of the api call
      *     callback(error, result, status_code)
     */
-    if(arguments.length < 2 && v8type.is(arguments[0], v8type.FUNCTION)){
-	callback = arguments[0];
-	source = undefined;
+    if(arguments.length < 2 && typeof arguments[0] == 'function'){
+        callback = arguments[0];
+        source = undefined;
     }
 
     params = {
@@ -38,9 +37,9 @@ tag_api.prototype.host_tags = function(host, source, callback){
      * `callback` is an optional function to call with the results of the api call
      *     callback(error, result, status_code)
     */
-    if(arguments.length < 3 && v8type.is(arguments[1], v8type.FUNCTION)){
-	callback = arguments[1];
-	source = undefined;
+    if(arguments.length < 3 && typeof arguments[1] == 'function'){
+        callback = arguments[1];
+        source = undefined;
     }
 
     params = {
@@ -62,9 +61,9 @@ tag_api.prototype.host_tags_by_source = function(host, source, callback){
      * `callback` is an optional function to call with the results of the api call
      *     callback(error, result, status_code)
     */
-    if(arguments.length < 3 && v8type.is(arguments[1], v8type.FUNCTION)){
-	callback = arguments[1];
-	source = undefined;
+    if(arguments.length < 3 && typeof arguments[1] == 'function'){
+        callback = arguments[1];
+        source = undefined;
     }
 
     params = {
@@ -88,13 +87,13 @@ tag_api.prototype.add_tags = function(host, tags, source, callback){
      * `callback` is an optional function to call with the results of the api call
      *     callback(error, result, status_code)
     */
-    if(!v8type.is(tags, v8type.ARRAY)){
-	throw new Error('`tags` parameter must be an array');
+    if(typeof tags != 'object'){
+        throw new Error('`tags` parameter must be an array');
     }
 
-    if(arguments.length < 4 && v8type.is(arguments[2], v8type.FUNCTION)){
-	callback = arguments[2];
-	source = undefined;
+    if(arguments.length < 4 && typeof arguments[2] == 'function'){
+        callback = arguments[2];
+        source = undefined;
     }
 
     params = {
@@ -121,13 +120,13 @@ tag_api.prototype.update_tags = function(host, tags, source, callback){
      * `callback` is an optional function to call with the results of the api call
      *     callback(error, result, status_code)
     */
-    if(!v8type.is(tags, v8type.ARRAY)){
-	throw new Error('`tags` parameter must be an array');
+    if(typeof tags != 'object'){
+        throw new Error('`tags` parameter must be an array');
     }
 
-    if(arguments.length < 4 && v8type.is(arguments[2], v8type.FUNCTION)){
-	callback = arguments[2];
-	source = undefined;
+    if(arguments.length < 4 && typeof arguments[2] == 'function'){
+        callback = arguments[2];
+        source = undefined;
     }
 
     params = {
@@ -153,9 +152,9 @@ tag_api.prototype.detach_tags = function(host, source, callback){
      * `callback` is an optional function to call with the results of the api call
      *     callback(error, result, status_code)
     */
-    if(arguments.length < 3 && v8type.is(arguments[1], v8type.FUNCTION)){
-	callback = arguments[1];
-	source = undefined;
+    if(arguments.length < 3 && typeof arguments[1] == 'function'){
+        callback = arguments[1];
+        source = undefined;
     }
 
     params = {
diff --git a/lib/http_client.js b/lib/http_client.js
index 699ad87..3d759d5 100644
--- a/lib/http_client.js
+++ b/lib/http_client.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ var extend = require('extend');
 var https = require('https');
 var url = require('url');
 var util = require('util');
-var v8type = require('v8type');
 
 
 var client = function(options){
@@ -68,20 +67,20 @@ client.prototype.request = function(method, path, params, callback){
      * `callback` an optional function to obtain the results of the api call
      *     callback(error, result)
     */
-    if(arguments.length == 3 && v8type.is(arguments[2], v8type.FUNCTION)){
-	callback = arguments[2];
-	params = {};
+    if(arguments.length == 3 && typeof arguments[2] == 'function'){
+        callback = arguments[2];
+        params = {};
     }
 
     params = params || {};
-    var body = v8type.is(params['body'], v8type.OBJECT)? JSON.stringify(params['body']) : params['body'];
+    var body = (typeof params['body'] == 'object')? JSON.stringify(params['body']) : params['body'];
     var query = {
 	'api_key': this.api_key,
 	'application_key': this.app_key,
     };
 
-    if(v8type.is(params['query'], v8type.OBJECT)){
-	extend(query, params['query']);
+    if(typeof params['query'] == 'object'){
+        extend(query, params['query']);
     }
 
     path = url.format({
@@ -104,11 +103,11 @@ client.prototype.request = function(method, path, params, callback){
     }
 
     var req = https.request(http_options, function(res){
-	res.on('error', function(err){
-	    if(v8type.is(callback, v8type.FUNCTION)){
-		callback(err, null, res.statusCode);
-	    }
-	});
+        res.on('error', function(err){
+            if(typeof callback == 'function'){
+                callback(err, null, res.statusCode);
+            }
+        });
 
 	var data = '';
 	res.on('data', function(chunk){
@@ -123,10 +122,10 @@ client.prototype.request = function(method, path, params, callback){
 		data = null;
 	    }
 
-	    if(v8type.is(callback, v8type.FUNCTION)){
-		callback(error, data, res.statusCode);
-	    }
-	});
+            if(typeof callback == 'function'){
+                callback(error, data, res.statusCode);
+            }
+        });
     });
 
     if(['POST', 'PUT'].indexOf(http_options['method']) >= 0){
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 32882ee..5954eee 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@
   "readmeFilename": "README.md",
   "gitHead": "f388635a5ab4f4da25702dc0999385d437bdf2bc",
   "dependencies": {
-    "extend": "~1.1.3",
-    "v8type": "~0.1.0"
+    "extend": "~1.1.3"
   }
 }