diff --git a/flows/actions/testdata/send_msg.json b/flows/actions/testdata/send_msg.json
index d822fa210..93e8c4132 100644
--- a/flows/actions/testdata/send_msg.json
+++ b/flows/actions/testdata/send_msg.json
@@ -448,10 +448,19 @@
                             "uuid": "5722e1fd-fe32-4e74-ac78-3cf41a6adb7e",
                             "name": "affirmation"
                         },
-                        "variables": [
-                            "Ryan Lewis",
-                            "boy"
-                        ],
+                        "params": {
+                            "body": [
+                                {
+                                    "type": "text",
+                                    "value": "Ryan Lewis"
+                                },
+                                {
+                                    "type": "text",
+                                    "value": "boy"
+                                }
+
+                            ]
+                        },
                         "namespace": ""
                     },
                     "topic": "account",
@@ -529,10 +538,19 @@
                             "uuid": "5722e1fd-fe32-4e74-ac78-3cf41a6adb7e",
                             "name": "affirmation"
                         },
-                        "variables": [
-                            "Ryan Lewis",
-                            "niño"
-                        ],
+                        "params": {
+                            "body": [
+                                {
+                                    "type": "text",
+                                    "value": "Ryan Lewis"
+                                },
+                                {
+                                    "type": "text",
+                                    "value": "niño"
+                                }
+
+                            ]
+                        },
                         "namespace": ""
                     },
                     "locale": "spa"
diff --git a/flows/msg.go b/flows/msg.go
index 924c00327..3642d0b71 100644
--- a/flows/msg.go
+++ b/flows/msg.go
@@ -168,28 +168,41 @@ func (m *MsgOut) Locale() i18n.Locale { return m.Locale_ }
 // UnsendableReason returns the reason this message can't be sent (if any)
 func (m *MsgOut) UnsendableReason() UnsendableReason { return m.UnsendableReason_ }
 
+type TemplateParam struct {
+	Type  string `json:"type"`
+	Value string `json:"value"`
+}
+
 // MsgTemplating represents any substituted message template that should be applied when sending this message
 type MsgTemplating struct {
-	Template_  *assets.TemplateReference `json:"template"`
-	Variables_ []string                  `json:"variables,omitempty"`
-	Namespace_ string                    `json:"namespace"`
+	Template_  *assets.TemplateReference  `json:"template"`
+	Params_    map[string][]TemplateParam `json:"params,omitempty"`
+	Namespace_ string                     `json:"namespace"`
 }
 
 // Template returns the template this msg template is for
 func (t MsgTemplating) Template() *assets.TemplateReference { return t.Template_ }
 
-// Variables returns the variables that should be substituted in the template
-func (t MsgTemplating) Variables() []string { return t.Variables_ }
-
 // Namespace returns the namespace that should be for the template
 func (t MsgTemplating) Namespace() string { return t.Namespace_ }
 
+// Params returns the params that should be used for the template
+func (t MsgTemplating) Params() map[string][]TemplateParam { return t.Params_ }
+
 // NewMsgTemplating creates and returns a new msg template
 func NewMsgTemplating(template *assets.TemplateReference, variables []string, namespace string) *MsgTemplating {
+	params := map[string][]TemplateParam{}
+	if len(variables) > 0 {
+		params = map[string][]TemplateParam{"body": make([]TemplateParam, len(variables))}
+		for i, v := range variables {
+			params["body"][i] = TemplateParam{Type: "text", Value: v}
+		}
+	}
+
 	return &MsgTemplating{
 		Template_:  template,
-		Variables_: variables,
 		Namespace_: namespace,
+		Params_:    params,
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/flows/msg_test.go b/flows/msg_test.go
index 0b254a241..83c98b5a9 100644
--- a/flows/msg_test.go
+++ b/flows/msg_test.go
@@ -156,3 +156,40 @@ func TestBroadcastTranslations(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, flows.BroadcastTranslations{"spa": {Text: "Adios"}}, bt)
 }
+
+func TestMsgTemplating(t *testing.T) {
+	uuids.SetGenerator(uuids.NewSeededGenerator(12345))
+	defer uuids.SetGenerator(uuids.DefaultGenerator)
+
+	templateRef := assets.NewTemplateReference("61602f3e-f603-4c70-8a8f-c477505bf4bf", "Affirmation")
+
+	msgTemplating := flows.NewMsgTemplating(templateRef, []string{"Ryan Lewis", "boy"}, "0162a7f4_dfe4_4c96_be07_854d5dba3b2b")
+
+	assert.Equal(t, templateRef, msgTemplating.Template())
+	assert.Equal(t, "0162a7f4_dfe4_4c96_be07_854d5dba3b2b", msgTemplating.Namespace())
+	assert.Equal(t, map[string][]flows.TemplateParam{"body": {{Type: "text", Value: "Ryan Lewis"}, {Type: "text", Value: "boy"}}}, msgTemplating.Params())
+
+	// test marshaling our msg
+	marshaled, err := jsonx.Marshal(msgTemplating)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	test.AssertEqualJSON(t, []byte(`{
+		"namespace":"0162a7f4_dfe4_4c96_be07_854d5dba3b2b",
+		"params":{
+		  "body":[
+			{
+				"type": "text",
+				"value": "Ryan Lewis"
+			},
+			{
+				"type": "text",
+				"value": "boy"
+			}
+		  ]
+		},
+		"template":{
+		  "name":"Affirmation",
+		  "uuid":"61602f3e-f603-4c70-8a8f-c477505bf4bf"
+		}
+	  }`), marshaled, "JSON mismatch")
+}