diff --git a/tests/test_apigateway.py b/tests/test_apigateway.py
index a0adf3949..18cea5f5a 100644
--- a/tests/test_apigateway.py
+++ b/tests/test_apigateway.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ def test_schema(self):
             Schema=d
         )
         model.validate()
-        self.assertEqual(model.properties['Schema'], '{"c": "d"}')
+        self.assertEqual(model.properties['Schema'], {"c": "d"})
 
         # Check invalid Schema type
         with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
diff --git a/tests/test_cloudwatch.py b/tests/test_cloudwatch.py
index cc281a79d..459f69265 100644
--- a/tests/test_cloudwatch.py
+++ b/tests/test_cloudwatch.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def test_dashboard(self):
             DashboardBody=d
         )
         dashboard.validate()
-        self.assertEqual(dashboard.properties['DashboardBody'], '{"c": "d"}')
+        self.assertEqual(dashboard.properties['DashboardBody'], {"c": "d"})
 
         # Check invalid Dashboard type
         with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
diff --git a/troposphere/validators.py b/troposphere/validators.py
index b6e1ef34c..a2250ec79 100644
--- a/troposphere/validators.py
+++ b/troposphere/validators.py
@@ -224,11 +224,16 @@ def json_checker(name, prop):
         # Verify it is a valid json string
         json.loads(prop)
         return prop
-    elif isinstance(prop, dict):
-        # Convert the dict to a basestring
-        return json.dumps(prop)
     elif isinstance(prop, AWSHelperFn):
         return prop
+    elif isinstance(prop, dict):
+        # Recursively validate JSON
+        for attr, attr_val in prop.items():
+            if isinstance(attr_val, basestring):
+                json.dumps(attr_val)
+            elif isinstance(attr_val, dict):
+                prop[attr] = json_checker(attr, attr_val)
+        return prop
     else:
         raise ValueError("%s must be a str or dict" % name)