diff --git a/x/distribution/client/cli/tx.go b/x/distribution/client/cli/tx.go
index a033fd28d..12baebcf0 100644
--- a/x/distribution/client/cli/tx.go
+++ b/x/distribution/client/cli/tx.go
@@ -248,9 +248,18 @@ Where proposal.json contains:
 			}
 
 			from := cliCtx.GetFromAddress()
-			content := types.NewCommunityPoolSpendProposal(proposal.Title, proposal.Description, proposal.Recipient, proposal.Amount)
 
-			msg := gov.NewMsgSubmitProposal(content, proposal.Deposit, from)
+			amount, err := sdk.ParseCoins(proposal.Amount)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			content := types.NewCommunityPoolSpendProposal(proposal.Title, proposal.Description, proposal.Recipient, amount)
+
+			deposit, err := sdk.ParseCoins(proposal.Deposit)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			msg := gov.NewMsgSubmitProposal(content, deposit, from)
 			if err := msg.ValidateBasic(); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
diff --git a/x/distribution/client/cli/tx_test.go b/x/distribution/client/cli/tx_test.go
index 860b31fa6..d8f8b3921 100644
--- a/x/distribution/client/cli/tx_test.go
+++ b/x/distribution/client/cli/tx_test.go
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 package cli
 
 import (
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto/secp256k1"
 
@@ -77,3 +80,30 @@ func Test_splitAndCall_Splitting(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, err, "")
 	assert.Equal(t, 3, callCount)
 }
+
+func TestParseProposal(t *testing.T) {
+	cdc := codec.New()
+	okJSON, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "proposal")
+	require.Nil(t, err, "unexpected error")
+	okJSON.WriteString(`
+{
+  "title": "Community Pool Spend",
+  "description": "Pay me some Atoms!",
+  "recipient": "cosmos1s5afhd6gxevu37mkqcvvsj8qeylhn0rz46zdlq",
+  "amount": "1000stake",
+  "deposit": "1000stake"
+}
+`)
+
+	proposal, err := ParseCommunityPoolSpendProposalJSON(cdc, okJSON.Name())
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	addr, err := sdk.AccAddressFromBech32("cosmos1s5afhd6gxevu37mkqcvvsj8qeylhn0rz46zdlq")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	require.Equal(t, "Community Pool Spend", proposal.Title)
+	require.Equal(t, "Pay me some Atoms!", proposal.Description)
+	require.Equal(t, addr, proposal.Recipient)
+	require.Equal(t, "1000stake", proposal.Deposit)
+	require.Equal(t, "1000stake", proposal.Amount)
+}
diff --git a/x/distribution/client/cli/utils.go b/x/distribution/client/cli/utils.go
index 286016250..4d4169a7f 100644
--- a/x/distribution/client/cli/utils.go
+++ b/x/distribution/client/cli/utils.go
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ type (
 		Title       string         `json:"title" yaml:"title"`
 		Description string         `json:"description" yaml:"description"`
 		Recipient   sdk.AccAddress `json:"recipient" yaml:"recipient"`
-		Amount      sdk.Coins      `json:"amount" yaml:"amount"`
-		Deposit     sdk.Coins      `json:"deposit" yaml:"deposit"`
+		Amount      string         `json:"amount" yaml:"amount"`
+		Deposit     string         `json:"deposit" yaml:"deposit"`
 	}
 )