diff --git a/x/gov/client/cli/parse.go b/x/gov/client/cli/parse.go
index dd9415f18..e29840db7 100644
--- a/x/gov/client/cli/parse.go
+++ b/x/gov/client/cli/parse.go
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ func parseSubmitProposalFlags() (*proposal, error) {
 
 	for _, flag := range ProposalFlags {
 		if viper.GetString(flag) != "" {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("--%s flag provided alongside --proposal, which is a noop", flag)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf(
+				"--%s flag provided alongside --proposal, which is a noop", flag)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/x/params/client/cli/tx.go b/x/params/client/cli/tx.go
index 67a890a51..6f5624083 100644
--- a/x/params/client/cli/tx.go
+++ b/x/params/client/cli/tx.go
@@ -77,7 +77,12 @@ Where proposal.json contains:
 			from := cliCtx.GetFromAddress()
 			content := paramproposal.NewParameterChangeProposal(proposal.Title, proposal.Description, proposal.Changes.ToParamChanges())
 
-			msg := govtypes.NewMsgSubmitProposal(content, proposal.Deposit, from)
+			deposit, err := sdk.ParseCoins(proposal.Deposit)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			msg := govtypes.NewMsgSubmitProposal(content, deposit, from)
 			if err := msg.ValidateBasic(); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
diff --git a/x/params/client/cli/tx_test.go b/x/params/client/cli/tx_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0f3cb5c49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x/params/client/cli/tx_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/codec"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/params/client/utils"
+)
+
+func TestParseProposal(t *testing.T) {
+	cdc := codec.New()
+	okJSON, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "proposal")
+	require.Nil(t, err, "unexpected error")
+	okJSON.WriteString(`
+{
+  "title": "Staking Param Change",
+  "description": "Update max validators",
+  "changes": [
+    {
+      "subspace": "staking",
+      "key": "MaxValidators",
+      "value": 1
+    }
+  ],
+  "deposit": "1000stake"
+}
+`)
+
+	proposal, err := utils.ParseParamChangeProposalJSON(cdc, okJSON.Name())
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	require.Equal(t, "Staking Param Change", proposal.Title)
+	require.Equal(t, "Update max validators", proposal.Description)
+	require.Equal(t, "1000stake", proposal.Deposit)
+	require.Equal(t, utils.ParamChangesJSON{
+		{
+			Subspace: "staking",
+			Key:      "MaxValidators",
+			Value:    []byte{0x31},
+		},
+	}, proposal.Changes)
+}
diff --git a/x/params/client/utils/utils.go b/x/params/client/utils/utils.go
index 231c5e2b0..2cac0b21a 100644
--- a/x/params/client/utils/utils.go
+++ b/x/params/client/utils/utils.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ type (
 		Title       string           `json:"title" yaml:"title"`
 		Description string           `json:"description" yaml:"description"`
 		Changes     ParamChangesJSON `json:"changes" yaml:"changes"`
-		Deposit     sdk.Coins        `json:"deposit" yaml:"deposit"`
+		Deposit     string           `json:"deposit" yaml:"deposit"`
 	}
 
 	// ParamChangeProposalReq defines a parameter change proposal request body.