diff --git a/youtube_dl/extractor/skillshare.py b/youtube_dl/extractor/skillshare.py
index 43a6113c2..39d15c862 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/extractor/skillshare.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/extractor/skillshare.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 # coding: utf-8
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
-import json
 from .common import InfoExtractor
 from .brightcove import BrightcoveNewIE
 
@@ -15,22 +14,22 @@ class SkillshareClassIE(InfoExtractor):
 
     def _real_extract(self, url):
         class_id = self._match_id(url)
-        class_json_data = json.loads(self._search_regex(r'(?P<json_line>{"userData":{.+});\n', self._download_webpage(url, class_id), 'class_json_data'))
-        account_id = str(class_json_data.get('pageData').get('videoPlayerData').get('brightcoveAccountId'))
-        lessons = class_json_data.get('pageData').get('videoPlayerData').get('units')[0].get('sessions')
+        class_json_data = self._parse_json(self._search_regex(r'(?P<json_line>{"userData":{.+});\n', self._download_webpage(url, class_id), 'class_json_data'), class_id)
+        account_id = str(class_json_data['pageData']['videoPlayerData']['brightcoveAccountId'])
+        lessons = class_json_data['pageData']['videoPlayerData']['units'][0]['sessions']
         entries = []
         for lesson in lessons:
-            lesson_id = str(lesson.get('id'))
+            lesson_id = str(lesson['id'])
             lesson_info_api_response = self._download_json("https://www.skillshare.com/sessions/{}/video".format(lesson_id), lesson_id)
             if 'video_hashed_id' not in lesson_info_api_response:
                 break
-            video_hashed_id = lesson_info_api_response.get('video_hashed_id')[3:]
+            video_hashed_id = lesson_info_api_response['video_hashed_id'][3:]
             entry = {
                 '_type': 'url_transparent',
                 'id': video_hashed_id,
-                'title': lesson.get('title'),
+                'title': lesson['title'],
                 'ie_key': BrightcoveNewIE.ie_key(),
                 'url': 'https://players.brightcove.net/{}/default_default/index.html?videoId={}'.format(account_id, video_hashed_id),
             }
             entries.append(entry)
-        return self.playlist_result(entries, class_id, class_json_data.get('pageData').get('headerData').get('title'), class_json_data.get("pageData").get('sectionData').get('description'))
+        return self.playlist_result(entries, class_id, class_json_data['pageData']['headerData']['title'], class_json_data["pageData"]['sectionData']['description'])