diff --git a/source/dyaml/parser.d b/source/dyaml/parser.d
index 28a67d5..10fcab3 100644
--- a/source/dyaml/parser.d
+++ b/source/dyaml/parser.d
@@ -346,23 +346,20 @@ final class Parser
             while(scanner_.checkToken(TokenID.Directive))
             {
                 immutable token = scanner_.getToken();
-                //Name and value are separated by '\0'.
-                const parts = token.value.split("\0");
-                const name = parts[0];
-                if(name == "YAML")
+                const value = token.value;
+                if(token.directive == DirectiveType.YAML)
                 {
-                    enforce(YAMLVersion_ is null, 
+                    enforce(YAMLVersion_ is null,
                             new Error("Duplicate YAML directive", token.startMark));
-                    const minor = parts[1].split(".")[0];
-                    enforce(minor == "1", 
+                    const minor = value.split(".")[0];
+                    enforce(minor == "1",
                             new Error("Incompatible document (version 1.x is required)",
                                       token.startMark));
-                    YAMLVersion_ = parts[1];
+                    YAMLVersion_ = value;
                 }
-                else if(name == "TAG")
+                else if(token.directive == DirectiveType.TAG)
                 {
-                    assert(parts.length == 3, "Tag directive stored incorrectly in a token");
-                    auto handle = parts[1];
+                    auto handle = value[0 .. token.valueDivider];
 
                     foreach(ref pair; tagDirectives_)
                     {
@@ -371,8 +368,10 @@ final class Parser
                         enforce(h != handle, new Error("Duplicate tag handle: " ~ handle,
                                                        token.startMark));
                     }
-                    tagDirectives_ ~= TagDirective(handle, parts[2]);
+                    tagDirectives_ ~= TagDirective(handle, value[token.valueDivider .. $]);
                 }
+                // Any other directive type is ignored (only YAML and TAG are in YAML
+                // 1.1/1.2, any other directives are "reserved")
             }
 
             TagDirective[] value = tagDirectives_;
diff --git a/source/dyaml/scanner.d b/source/dyaml/scanner.d
index 4d8cd32..fc69c29 100644
--- a/source/dyaml/scanner.d
+++ b/source/dyaml/scanner.d
@@ -943,17 +943,28 @@ final class Scanner
                 throwIfError();
             }
             const name  = reader_.sliceBuilder.finish();
-            const value = name == "YAML" ? scanYAMLDirectiveValue(startMark):
-                          name == "TAG"  ? scanTagDirectiveValue(startMark) : "";
+            // Index where tag handle ends and suffix starts in a tag directive value.
+            uint tagHandleEnd = uint.max;
+            const value = name == "YAML"d ? scanYAMLDirectiveValue(startMark):
+                          name == "TAG"d  ? scanTagDirectiveValue(startMark, tagHandleEnd) : "";
 
             Mark endMark = reader_.mark;
 
-            if(!["YAML"d, "TAG"d].canFind(name)) { scanToNextBreak(); }
+            DirectiveType directive;
+            if(name == "YAML"d)     { directive = DirectiveType.YAML; }
+            else if(name == "TAG"d) { directive = DirectiveType.TAG; }
+            else
+            {
+                directive = DirectiveType.Reserved;
+                scanToNextBreak();
+            }
+
             scanDirectiveIgnoredLine(startMark);
             throwIfError();
 
             //Storing directive name and value in a single string, separated by zero.
-            return directiveToken(startMark, endMark, utf32To8(name ~ '\0' ~ value));
+            return directiveToken(startMark, endMark, utf32To8(value),
+                                  directive, tagHandleEnd);
         }
 
         /// Scan name of a directive token.
@@ -1010,12 +1021,14 @@ final class Scanner
         }
 
         /// Scan value of a tag directive.
-        dstring scanTagDirectiveValue(const Mark startMark) @safe pure
+        dstring scanTagDirectiveValue(const Mark startMark, ref uint handleLength)
+            @safe pure
         {
             findNextNonSpace();
             const handle = scanTagDirectiveHandle(startMark);
             findNextNonSpace();
-            return handle ~ '\0' ~ scanTagDirectivePrefix(startMark);
+            handleLength = cast(uint)handle.length;
+            return handle ~ scanTagDirectivePrefix(startMark);
         }
 
         ///Scan handle of a tag directive.
diff --git a/source/dyaml/token.d b/source/dyaml/token.d
index 44c29a6..8a46514 100644
--- a/source/dyaml/token.d
+++ b/source/dyaml/token.d
@@ -98,12 +98,15 @@ static assert(Token.sizeof <= 32, "Token has unexpected size");
 
 /// Construct a directive token.
 ///
-/// Params:  start = Start position of the token.
-///          end   = End position of the token.
-///          value = Value of the token.
-Token directiveToken(const Mark start, const Mark end, const string value)
+/// Params:  start     = Start position of the token.
+///          end       = End position of the token.
+///          value     = Value of the token.
+///          directive = Directive type (YAML or TAG in YAML 1.1).
+Token directiveToken(const Mark start, const Mark end, const string value, 
+                     DirectiveType directive, const uint nameEnd)
 {
-    return Token(value, start, end, TokenID.Directive);
+    return Token(value, start, end, TokenID.Directive, ScalarStyle.init, Encoding.init,
+                 directive, nameEnd);
 }
 
 /// Construct a simple (no value) token with specified type.