diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6d65416915..e34a1468b7 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Changelog
 
 BREAKING CHANGES
+* msg.GetSignBytes() now returns bech32-encoded addresses in all cases
 
 FEATURES
 
diff --git a/x/auth/stdtx.go b/x/auth/stdtx.go
index 4858ae0b43..e08f77ee48 100644
--- a/x/auth/stdtx.go
+++ b/x/auth/stdtx.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package auth
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
+
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 	crypto "github.com/tendermint/go-crypto"
 )
@@ -83,11 +85,11 @@ func (fee StdFee) Bytes() []byte {
 // and the Sequence numbers for each signature (prevent
 // inchain replay and enforce tx ordering per account).
 type StdSignDoc struct {
-	ChainID   string  `json:"chain_id"`
-	Sequences []int64 `json:"sequences"`
-	FeeBytes  []byte  `json:"fee_bytes"`
-	MsgBytes  []byte  `json:"msg_bytes"`
-	AltBytes  []byte  `json:"alt_bytes"`
+	ChainID   string          `json:"chain_id"`
+	Sequences []int64         `json:"sequences"`
+	FeeBytes  json.RawMessage `json:"fee_bytes"`
+	MsgBytes  json.RawMessage `json:"msg_bytes"`
+	AltBytes  json.RawMessage `json:"alt_bytes"`
 }
 
 // StdSignBytes returns the bytes to sign for a transaction.
@@ -96,8 +98,8 @@ func StdSignBytes(chainID string, sequences []int64, fee StdFee, msg sdk.Msg) []
 	bz, err := msgCdc.MarshalJSON(StdSignDoc{
 		ChainID:   chainID,
 		Sequences: sequences,
-		FeeBytes:  fee.Bytes(),
-		MsgBytes:  msg.GetSignBytes(),
+		FeeBytes:  json.RawMessage(fee.Bytes()),
+		MsgBytes:  json.RawMessage(msg.GetSignBytes()),
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)