diff --git a/api/types/filters/example_test.go b/api/types/filters/example_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6529be3250
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/types/filters/example_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+package filters
+
+func ExampleArgs_MatchKVList() {
+	args := NewArgs(
+		Arg("label", "image=foo"),
+		Arg("label", "state=running"))
+
+	// returns true because there are no values for bogus
+	args.MatchKVList("bogus", nil)
+
+	// returns false because there are no sources
+	args.MatchKVList("label", nil)
+
+	// returns true because all sources are matched
+	args.MatchKVList("label", map[string]string{
+		"image": "foo",
+		"state": "running",
+	})
+
+	// returns false because the values do not match
+	args.MatchKVList("label", map[string]string{
+		"image": "other",
+	})
+}
diff --git a/api/types/filters/parse.go b/api/types/filters/parse.go
index 363d4540bb..d45d0528fb 100644
--- a/api/types/filters/parse.go
+++ b/api/types/filters/parse.go
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-// Package filters provides helper function to parse and handle command line
-// filter, used for example in docker ps or docker images commands.
+/*Package filters provides tools for encoding a mapping of keys to a set of
+multiple values.
+*/
 package filters
 
 import (
@@ -11,27 +12,34 @@ import (
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/versions"
 )
 
-// Args stores filter arguments as map key:{map key: bool}.
-// It contains an aggregation of the map of arguments (which are in the form
-// of -f 'key=value') based on the key, and stores values for the same key
-// in a map with string keys and boolean values.
-// e.g given -f 'label=label1=1' -f 'label=label2=2' -f 'image.name=ubuntu'
-// the args will be {"image.name":{"ubuntu":true},"label":{"label1=1":true,"label2=2":true}}
+// Args stores a mapping of keys to a set of multiple values.
 type Args struct {
 	fields map[string]map[string]bool
 }
 
-// NewArgs initializes a new Args struct.
-func NewArgs() Args {
-	return Args{fields: map[string]map[string]bool{}}
+// KeyValuePair are used to initialize a new Args
+type KeyValuePair struct {
+	Key   string
+	Value string
 }
 
-// ParseFlag parses the argument to the filter flag. Like
+// Arg creates a new KeyValuePair for initializing Args
+func Arg(key, value string) KeyValuePair {
+	return KeyValuePair{Key: key, Value: value}
+}
+
+// NewArgs returns a new Args populated with the initial args
+func NewArgs(initialArgs ...KeyValuePair) Args {
+	args := Args{fields: map[string]map[string]bool{}}
+	for _, arg := range initialArgs {
+		args.Add(arg.Key, arg.Value)
+	}
+	return args
+}
+
+// ParseFlag parses a key=value string and adds it to an Args.
 //
-//   `docker ps -f 'created=today' -f 'image.name=ubuntu*'`
-//
-// If prev map is provided, then it is appended to, and returned. By default a new
-// map is created.
+// Deprecated: Use Args.Add()
 func ParseFlag(arg string, prev Args) (Args, error) {
 	filters := prev
 	if len(arg) == 0 {
@@ -52,74 +60,95 @@ func ParseFlag(arg string, prev Args) (Args, error) {
 	return filters, nil
 }
 
-// ErrBadFormat is an error returned in case of bad format for a filter.
+// ErrBadFormat is an error returned when a filter is not in the form key=value
+//
+// Deprecated: this error will be removed in a future version
 var ErrBadFormat = errors.New("bad format of filter (expected name=value)")
 
-// ToParam packs the Args into a string for easy transport from client to server.
+// ToParam encodes the Args as args JSON encoded string
+//
+// Deprecated: use ToJSON
 func ToParam(a Args) (string, error) {
-	// this way we don't URL encode {}, just empty space
+	return ToJSON(a)
+}
+
+// MarshalJSON returns a JSON byte representation of the Args
+func (args Args) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
+	if len(args.fields) == 0 {
+		return []byte{}, nil
+	}
+	return json.Marshal(args.fields)
+}
+
+// ToJSON returns the Args as a JSON encoded string
+func ToJSON(a Args) (string, error) {
 	if a.Len() == 0 {
 		return "", nil
 	}
-
-	buf, err := json.Marshal(a.fields)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-	return string(buf), nil
+	buf, err := json.Marshal(a)
+	return string(buf), err
 }
 
-// ToParamWithVersion packs the Args into a string for easy transport from client to server.
-// The generated string will depend on the specified version (corresponding to the API version).
+// ToParamWithVersion encodes Args as a JSON string. If version is less than 1.22
+// then the encoded format will use an older legacy format where the values are a
+// list of strings, instead of a set.
+//
+// Deprecated: Use ToJSON
 func ToParamWithVersion(version string, a Args) (string, error) {
-	// this way we don't URL encode {}, just empty space
 	if a.Len() == 0 {
 		return "", nil
 	}
 
-	// for daemons older than v1.10, filter must be of the form map[string][]string
-	var buf []byte
-	var err error
 	if version != "" && versions.LessThan(version, "1.22") {
-		buf, err = json.Marshal(convertArgsToSlice(a.fields))
-	} else {
-		buf, err = json.Marshal(a.fields)
+		buf, err := json.Marshal(convertArgsToSlice(a.fields))
+		return string(buf), err
 	}
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-	return string(buf), nil
+
+	return ToJSON(a)
 }
 
-// FromParam unpacks the filter Args.
+// FromParam decodes a JSON encoded string into Args
+//
+// Deprecated: use FromJSON
 func FromParam(p string) (Args, error) {
-	if len(p) == 0 {
-		return NewArgs(), nil
-	}
-
-	r := strings.NewReader(p)
-	d := json.NewDecoder(r)
-
-	m := map[string]map[string]bool{}
-	if err := d.Decode(&m); err != nil {
-		r.Seek(0, 0)
-
-		// Allow parsing old arguments in slice format.
-		// Because other libraries might be sending them in this format.
-		deprecated := map[string][]string{}
-		if deprecatedErr := d.Decode(&deprecated); deprecatedErr == nil {
-			m = deprecatedArgs(deprecated)
-		} else {
-			return NewArgs(), err
-		}
-	}
-	return Args{m}, nil
+	return FromJSON(p)
 }
 
-// Get returns the list of values associates with a field.
-// It returns a slice of strings to keep backwards compatibility with old code.
-func (filters Args) Get(field string) []string {
-	values := filters.fields[field]
+// FromJSON decodes a JSON encoded string into Args
+func FromJSON(p string) (Args, error) {
+	args := NewArgs()
+
+	if p == "" {
+		return args, nil
+	}
+
+	raw := []byte(p)
+	err := json.Unmarshal(raw, &args)
+	if err == nil {
+		return args, nil
+	}
+
+	// Fallback to parsing arguments in the legacy slice format
+	deprecated := map[string][]string{}
+	if legacyErr := json.Unmarshal(raw, &deprecated); legacyErr != nil {
+		return args, err
+	}
+
+	args.fields = deprecatedArgs(deprecated)
+	return args, nil
+}
+
+// UnmarshalJSON populates the Args from JSON encode bytes
+func (args Args) UnmarshalJSON(raw []byte) error {
+	if len(raw) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return json.Unmarshal(raw, &args.fields)
+}
+
+// Get returns the list of values associated with the key
+func (args Args) Get(key string) []string {
+	values := args.fields[key]
 	if values == nil {
 		return make([]string, 0)
 	}
@@ -130,37 +159,34 @@ func (filters Args) Get(field string) []string {
 	return slice
 }
 
-// Add adds a new value to a filter field.
-func (filters Args) Add(name, value string) {
-	if _, ok := filters.fields[name]; ok {
-		filters.fields[name][value] = true
+// Add a new value to the set of values
+func (args Args) Add(key, value string) {
+	if _, ok := args.fields[key]; ok {
+		args.fields[key][value] = true
 	} else {
-		filters.fields[name] = map[string]bool{value: true}
+		args.fields[key] = map[string]bool{value: true}
 	}
 }
 
-// Del removes a value from a filter field.
-func (filters Args) Del(name, value string) {
-	if _, ok := filters.fields[name]; ok {
-		delete(filters.fields[name], value)
-		if len(filters.fields[name]) == 0 {
-			delete(filters.fields, name)
+// Del removes a value from the set
+func (args Args) Del(key, value string) {
+	if _, ok := args.fields[key]; ok {
+		delete(args.fields[key], value)
+		if len(args.fields[key]) == 0 {
+			delete(args.fields, key)
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-// Len returns the number of fields in the arguments.
-func (filters Args) Len() int {
-	return len(filters.fields)
+// Len returns the number of keys in the mapping
+func (args Args) Len() int {
+	return len(args.fields)
 }
 
-// MatchKVList returns true if the values for the specified field matches the ones
-// from the sources.
-// e.g. given Args are {'label': {'label1=1','label2=1'}, 'image.name', {'ubuntu'}},
-//      field is 'label' and sources are {'label1': '1', 'label2': '2'}
-//      it returns true.
-func (filters Args) MatchKVList(field string, sources map[string]string) bool {
-	fieldValues := filters.fields[field]
+// MatchKVList returns true if all the pairs in sources exist as key=value
+// pairs in the mapping at key, or if there are no values at key.
+func (args Args) MatchKVList(key string, sources map[string]string) bool {
+	fieldValues := args.fields[key]
 
 	//do not filter if there is no filter set or cannot determine filter
 	if len(fieldValues) == 0 {
@@ -171,8 +197,8 @@ func (filters Args) MatchKVList(field string, sources map[string]string) bool {
 		return false
 	}
 
-	for name2match := range fieldValues {
-		testKV := strings.SplitN(name2match, "=", 2)
+	for value := range fieldValues {
+		testKV := strings.SplitN(value, "=", 2)
 
 		v, ok := sources[testKV[0]]
 		if !ok {
@@ -186,16 +212,13 @@ func (filters Args) MatchKVList(field string, sources map[string]string) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
-// Match returns true if the values for the specified field matches the source string
-// e.g. given Args are {'label': {'label1=1','label2=1'}, 'image.name', {'ubuntu'}},
-//      field is 'image.name' and source is 'ubuntu'
-//      it returns true.
-func (filters Args) Match(field, source string) bool {
-	if filters.ExactMatch(field, source) {
+// Match returns true if any of the values at key match the source string
+func (args Args) Match(field, source string) bool {
+	if args.ExactMatch(field, source) {
 		return true
 	}
 
-	fieldValues := filters.fields[field]
+	fieldValues := args.fields[field]
 	for name2match := range fieldValues {
 		match, err := regexp.MatchString(name2match, source)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -208,9 +231,9 @@ func (filters Args) Match(field, source string) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-// ExactMatch returns true if the source matches exactly one of the filters.
-func (filters Args) ExactMatch(field, source string) bool {
-	fieldValues, ok := filters.fields[field]
+// ExactMatch returns true if the source matches exactly one of the values.
+func (args Args) ExactMatch(key, source string) bool {
+	fieldValues, ok := args.fields[key]
 	//do not filter if there is no filter set or cannot determine filter
 	if !ok || len(fieldValues) == 0 {
 		return true
@@ -220,14 +243,15 @@ func (filters Args) ExactMatch(field, source string) bool {
 	return fieldValues[source]
 }
 
-// UniqueExactMatch returns true if there is only one filter and the source matches exactly this one.
-func (filters Args) UniqueExactMatch(field, source string) bool {
-	fieldValues := filters.fields[field]
+// UniqueExactMatch returns true if there is only one value and the source
+// matches exactly the value.
+func (args Args) UniqueExactMatch(key, source string) bool {
+	fieldValues := args.fields[key]
 	//do not filter if there is no filter set or cannot determine filter
 	if len(fieldValues) == 0 {
 		return true
 	}
-	if len(filters.fields[field]) != 1 {
+	if len(args.fields[key]) != 1 {
 		return false
 	}
 
@@ -235,14 +259,14 @@ func (filters Args) UniqueExactMatch(field, source string) bool {
 	return fieldValues[source]
 }
 
-// FuzzyMatch returns true if the source matches exactly one of the filters,
-// or the source has one of the filters as a prefix.
-func (filters Args) FuzzyMatch(field, source string) bool {
-	if filters.ExactMatch(field, source) {
+// FuzzyMatch returns true if the source matches exactly one value,  or the
+// source has one of the values as a prefix.
+func (args Args) FuzzyMatch(key, source string) bool {
+	if args.ExactMatch(key, source) {
 		return true
 	}
 
-	fieldValues := filters.fields[field]
+	fieldValues := args.fields[key]
 	for prefix := range fieldValues {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(source, prefix) {
 			return true
@@ -251,9 +275,17 @@ func (filters Args) FuzzyMatch(field, source string) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-// Include returns true if the name of the field to filter is in the filters.
-func (filters Args) Include(field string) bool {
-	_, ok := filters.fields[field]
+// Include returns true if the key exists in the mapping
+//
+// Deprecated: use Contains
+func (args Args) Include(field string) bool {
+	_, ok := args.fields[field]
+	return ok
+}
+
+// Contains returns true if the key exists in the mapping
+func (args Args) Contains(field string) bool {
+	_, ok := args.fields[field]
 	return ok
 }
 
@@ -265,10 +297,10 @@ func (e invalidFilter) Error() string {
 
 func (invalidFilter) InvalidParameter() {}
 
-// Validate ensures that all the fields in the filter are valid.
-// It returns an error as soon as it finds an invalid field.
-func (filters Args) Validate(accepted map[string]bool) error {
-	for name := range filters.fields {
+// Validate compared the set of accepted keys against the keys in the mapping.
+// An error is returned if any mapping keys are not in the accepted set.
+func (args Args) Validate(accepted map[string]bool) error {
+	for name := range args.fields {
 		if !accepted[name] {
 			return invalidFilter(name)
 		}
@@ -276,13 +308,14 @@ func (filters Args) Validate(accepted map[string]bool) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// WalkValues iterates over the list of filtered values for a field.
-// It stops the iteration if it finds an error and it returns that error.
-func (filters Args) WalkValues(field string, op func(value string) error) error {
-	if _, ok := filters.fields[field]; !ok {
+// WalkValues iterates over the list of values for a key in the mapping and calls
+// op() for each value. If op returns an error the iteration stops and the
+// error is returned.
+func (args Args) WalkValues(field string, op func(value string) error) error {
+	if _, ok := args.fields[field]; !ok {
 		return nil
 	}
-	for v := range filters.fields[field] {
+	for v := range args.fields[field] {
 		if err := op(v); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/api/types/filters/parse_test.go b/api/types/filters/parse_test.go
index ccd1684a07..c5dd2bc3db 100644
--- a/api/types/filters/parse_test.go
+++ b/api/types/filters/parse_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ package filters
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
 func TestParseArgs(t *testing.T) {
@@ -16,23 +19,18 @@ func TestParseArgs(t *testing.T) {
 		args = NewArgs()
 		err  error
 	)
+
 	for i := range flagArgs {
 		args, err = ParseFlag(flagArgs[i], args)
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Errorf("failed to parse %s: %s", flagArgs[i], err)
-		}
-	}
-	if len(args.Get("created")) != 1 {
-		t.Error("failed to set this arg")
-	}
-	if len(args.Get("image.name")) != 2 {
-		t.Error("the args should have collapsed")
+		require.NoError(t, err)
 	}
+	assert.Len(t, args.Get("created"), 1)
+	assert.Len(t, args.Get("image.name"), 2)
 }
 
 func TestParseArgsEdgeCase(t *testing.T) {
-	var filters Args
-	args, err := ParseFlag("", filters)
+	var args Args
+	args, err := ParseFlag("", args)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -233,9 +231,8 @@ func TestArgsMatch(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	for args, field := range matches {
-		if args.Match(field, source) != true {
-			t.Fatalf("Expected true for %v on %v, got false", source, args)
-		}
+		assert.True(t, args.Match(field, source),
+			"Expected field %s to match %s", field, source)
 	}
 
 	differs := map[*Args]string{
@@ -258,9 +255,8 @@ func TestArgsMatch(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	for args, field := range differs {
-		if args.Match(field, source) != false {
-			t.Fatalf("Expected false for %v on %v, got true", source, args)
-		}
+		assert.False(t, args.Match(field, source),
+			"Expected field %s to not match %s", field, source)
 	}
 }