diff --git a/x/stake/client/cli/query.go b/x/stake/client/cli/query.go
index 145333e48..bb2a2b8db 100644
--- a/x/stake/client/cli/query.go
+++ b/x/stake/client/cli/query.go
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ func GetCmdQueryCandidate(storeName string, cdc *wire.Codec) *cobra.Command {
 
 			// parse out the candidate
 			candidate := new(stake.Candidate)
-			err = cdc.UnmarshalBinary(res, candidate)
+			err = cdc.UnmarshalJSON(res, candidate)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ func GetCmdQueryDelegatorBond(storeName string, cdc *wire.Codec) *cobra.Command
 
 			// parse out the bond
 			bond := new(stake.DelegatorBond)
-			err = cdc.UnmarshalBinary(res, bond)
+			err = cdc.UnmarshalJSON(res, bond)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
diff --git a/x/stake/client/rest/query.go b/x/stake/client/rest/query.go
index 8eb0e03ce..22175d75a 100644
--- a/x/stake/client/rest/query.go
+++ b/x/stake/client/rest/query.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func BondingStatusHandlerFn(storeName string, cdc *wire.Codec, kb keys.Keybase,
 		}
 
 		var bond stake.DelegatorBond
-		err = cdc.UnmarshalBinary(res, &bond)
+		err = cdc.UnmarshalJSON(res, &bond)
 		if err != nil {
 			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusInternalServerError)
 			w.Write([]byte(fmt.Sprintf("Couldn't decode bond. Error: %s", err.Error())))