diff --git a/client/builder/builder.go b/client/builder/builder.go
index f36cc159d..31e518949 100644
--- a/client/builder/builder.go
+++ b/client/builder/builder.go
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ func GetFromAddress() (from sdk.Address, err error) {
 }
 
 // sign and build the transaction from the msg
-func SignAndBuild(msg sdk.Msg, cdc *wire.Codec) ([]byte, error) {
+func SignAndBuild(signMsg sdk.StdSignMsg, cdc *wire.Codec) ([]byte, error) {
 
 	keybase, err := keys.GetKeyBase()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ func SignAndBuild(msg sdk.Msg, cdc *wire.Codec) ([]byte, error) {
 	name := viper.GetString(client.FlagName)
 
 	// sign and build
-	bz := msg.GetSignBytes()
+	bz := signMsg.Bytes()
 	buf := client.BufferStdin()
 	prompt := fmt.Sprintf("Password to sign with '%s':", name)
 	passphrase, err := client.GetPassword(prompt, buf)
@@ -115,14 +115,14 @@ func SignAndBuild(msg sdk.Msg, cdc *wire.Codec) ([]byte, error) {
 	}}
 
 	// marshal bytes
-	tx := sdk.NewStdTx(msg, sigs)
+	tx := sdk.NewStdTx(signMsg.Msg, sigs)
 
 	return cdc.MarshalBinary(tx)
 }
 
 // sign and build the transaction from the msg
-func SignBuildBroadcast(msg sdk.Msg, cdc *wire.Codec) (*ctypes.ResultBroadcastTxCommit, error) {
-	txBytes, err := SignAndBuild(msg, cdc)
+func SignBuildBroadcast(signMsg sdk.StdSignMsg, cdc *wire.Codec) (*ctypes.ResultBroadcastTxCommit, error) {
+	txBytes, err := SignAndBuild(signMsg, cdc)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/examples/basecoin/x/cool/commands/tx.go b/examples/basecoin/x/cool/commands/tx.go
index 2b1654680..71e80c98e 100644
--- a/examples/basecoin/x/cool/commands/tx.go
+++ b/examples/basecoin/x/cool/commands/tx.go
@@ -5,8 +5,11 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/builder"
+	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/wire"
 
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/examples/basecoin/x/cool"
@@ -30,9 +33,17 @@ func QuizTxCmd(cdc *wire.Codec) *cobra.Command {
 
 			// create the message
 			msg := cool.NewQuizMsg(from, args[0])
+			chainID := viper.GetString(client.FlagChainID)
+			sequence := int64(viper.GetInt(client.FlagSequence))
+
+			signMsg := sdk.StdSignMsg{
+				ChainID:   chainID,
+				Sequences: []int64{sequence},
+				Msg:       msg,
+			}
 
 			// build and sign the transaction, then broadcast to Tendermint
-			res, err := builder.SignBuildBroadcast(msg, cdc)
+			res, err := builder.SignBuildBroadcast(signMsg, cdc)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -61,9 +72,17 @@ func SetTrendTxCmd(cdc *wire.Codec) *cobra.Command {
 
 			// create the message
 			msg := cool.NewSetTrendMsg(from, args[0])
+			chainID := viper.GetString(client.FlagChainID)
+			sequence := int64(viper.GetInt(client.FlagSequence))
+
+			signMsg := sdk.StdSignMsg{
+				ChainID:   chainID,
+				Sequences: []int64{sequence},
+				Msg:       msg,
+			}
 
 			// build and sign the transaction, then broadcast to Tendermint
-			res, err := builder.SignBuildBroadcast(msg, cdc)
+			res, err := builder.SignBuildBroadcast(signMsg, cdc)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
diff --git a/types/tx_msg.go b/types/tx_msg.go
index 63f934726..141f9d050 100644
--- a/types/tx_msg.go
+++ b/types/tx_msg.go
@@ -80,6 +80,19 @@ type StdSignDoc struct {
 	AltBytes  []byte  `json:"alt_bytes"` // TODO: do we really want this ?
 }
 
+// StdSignMsg is a convenience structure for passing along
+// a Msg with the other requirements for a StdSignDoc before
+// it is signed. For use in the CLI
+type StdSignMsg struct {
+	ChainID   string
+	Sequences []int64
+	Msg       Msg
+}
+
+func (msg StdSignMsg) Bytes() []byte {
+	return StdSignBytes(msg.ChainID, msg.Sequences, msg.Msg)
+}
+
 func StdSignBytes(chainID string, sequences []int64, msg Msg) []byte {
 	bz, err := json.Marshal(StdSignDoc{
 		ChainID:   chainID,
diff --git a/x/bank/commands/sendtx.go b/x/bank/commands/sendtx.go
index 7e6dd463d..6ce0097a8 100644
--- a/x/bank/commands/sendtx.go
+++ b/x/bank/commands/sendtx.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/builder"
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/wire"
@@ -50,8 +51,17 @@ func (c commander) sendTxCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	chainID := viper.GetString(client.FlagChainID)
+	sequence := int64(viper.GetInt(client.FlagSequence))
+
+	signMsg := sdk.StdSignMsg{
+		ChainID:   chainID,
+		Sequences: []int64{sequence},
+		Msg:       msg,
+	}
+
 	// build and sign the transaction, then broadcast to Tendermint
-	res, err := builder.SignBuildBroadcast(msg, c.cdc)
+	res, err := builder.SignBuildBroadcast(signMsg, c.cdc)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}