diff --git a/x/gov/abci_test.go b/x/gov/abci_test.go
index 79db8f81a..c82019be7 100644
--- a/x/gov/abci_test.go
+++ b/x/gov/abci_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	abci "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/abci/types"
 
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/simapp"
+	simappcodec "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/simapp/codec"
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/gov"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/staking"
@@ -27,11 +28,12 @@ func TestTickExpiredDepositPeriod(t *testing.T) {
 	require.False(t, inactiveQueue.Valid())
 	inactiveQueue.Close()
 
-	newProposalMsg := gov.NewMsgSubmitProposal(
+	newProposalMsg, err := simappcodec.NewMsgSubmitProposal(
 		gov.ContentFromProposalType("test", "test", gov.ProposalTypeText),
 		sdk.Coins{sdk.NewInt64Coin(sdk.DefaultBondDenom, 5)},
 		addrs[0],
 	)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	res, err := govHandler(ctx, newProposalMsg)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -78,11 +80,12 @@ func TestTickMultipleExpiredDepositPeriod(t *testing.T) {
 	require.False(t, inactiveQueue.Valid())
 	inactiveQueue.Close()
 
-	newProposalMsg := gov.NewMsgSubmitProposal(
+	newProposalMsg, err := simappcodec.NewMsgSubmitProposal(
 		gov.ContentFromProposalType("test", "test", gov.ProposalTypeText),
 		sdk.Coins{sdk.NewInt64Coin(sdk.DefaultBondDenom, 5)},
 		addrs[0],
 	)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	res, err := govHandler(ctx, newProposalMsg)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -100,11 +103,12 @@ func TestTickMultipleExpiredDepositPeriod(t *testing.T) {
 	require.False(t, inactiveQueue.Valid())
 	inactiveQueue.Close()
 
-	newProposalMsg2 := gov.NewMsgSubmitProposal(
+	newProposalMsg2, err := simappcodec.NewMsgSubmitProposal(
 		gov.ContentFromProposalType("test2", "test2", gov.ProposalTypeText),
 		sdk.Coins{sdk.NewInt64Coin(sdk.DefaultBondDenom, 5)},
 		addrs[0],
 	)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	res, err = govHandler(ctx, newProposalMsg2)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -156,11 +160,12 @@ func TestTickPassedDepositPeriod(t *testing.T) {
 	require.False(t, activeQueue.Valid())
 	activeQueue.Close()
 
-	newProposalMsg := gov.NewMsgSubmitProposal(
+	newProposalMsg, err := simappcodec.NewMsgSubmitProposal(
 		gov.ContentFromProposalType("test2", "test2", gov.ProposalTypeText),
 		sdk.Coins{sdk.NewInt64Coin(sdk.DefaultBondDenom, 5)},
 		addrs[0],
 	)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	res, err := govHandler(ctx, newProposalMsg)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -211,7 +216,8 @@ func TestTickPassedVotingPeriod(t *testing.T) {
 	activeQueue.Close()
 
 	proposalCoins := sdk.Coins{sdk.NewCoin(sdk.DefaultBondDenom, sdk.TokensFromConsensusPower(5))}
-	newProposalMsg := gov.NewMsgSubmitProposal(TestProposal, proposalCoins, addrs[0])
+	newProposalMsg, err := simappcodec.NewMsgSubmitProposal(TestProposal, proposalCoins, addrs[0])
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	res, err := govHandler(ctx, newProposalMsg)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
diff --git a/x/gov/handler.go b/x/gov/handler.go
index 4e4aee2c5..27945d928 100644
--- a/x/gov/handler.go
+++ b/x/gov/handler.go
@@ -30,12 +30,12 @@ func NewHandler(keeper Keeper) sdk.Handler {
 }
 
 func handleMsgSubmitProposal(ctx sdk.Context, keeper Keeper, msg MsgSubmitProposal) (*sdk.Result, error) {
-	proposal, err := keeper.SubmitProposal(ctx, msg.Content)
+	proposal, err := keeper.SubmitProposal(ctx, msg.GetContent())
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	votingStarted, err := keeper.AddDeposit(ctx, proposal.ProposalID, msg.Proposer, msg.InitialDeposit)
+	votingStarted, err := keeper.AddDeposit(ctx, proposal.ProposalID, msg.GetProposer(), msg.GetInitialDeposit())
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -44,11 +44,11 @@ func handleMsgSubmitProposal(ctx sdk.Context, keeper Keeper, msg MsgSubmitPropos
 		sdk.NewEvent(
 			sdk.EventTypeMessage,
 			sdk.NewAttribute(sdk.AttributeKeyModule, types.AttributeValueCategory),
-			sdk.NewAttribute(sdk.AttributeKeySender, msg.Proposer.String()),
+			sdk.NewAttribute(sdk.AttributeKeySender, msg.GetProposer().String()),
 		),
 	)
 
-	submitEvent := sdk.NewEvent(types.EventTypeSubmitProposal, sdk.NewAttribute(types.AttributeKeyProposalType, msg.Content.ProposalType()))
+	submitEvent := sdk.NewEvent(types.EventTypeSubmitProposal, sdk.NewAttribute(types.AttributeKeyProposalType, msg.GetContent().ProposalType()))
 	if votingStarted {
 		submitEvent = submitEvent.AppendAttributes(
 			sdk.NewAttribute(types.AttributeKeyVotingPeriodStart, fmt.Sprintf("%d", proposal.ProposalID)),