diff --git a/x/nexus/keeper/wasm_message_route.go b/x/nexus/keeper/wasm_message_route.go
index 251579ca8..9395d0188 100644
--- a/x/nexus/keeper/wasm_message_route.go
+++ b/x/nexus/keeper/wasm_message_route.go
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ import (
 	types "github.com/axelarnetwork/axelar-core/x/nexus/types"
 )
 
+type req struct {
+	RouteMessages []exported.WasmMessage `json:"route_messages"`
+}
+
 // NewMessageRoute creates a new message route
 func NewMessageRoute(nexus types.Nexus, account types.AccountKeeper, wasm types.WasmKeeper) exported.MessageRoute {
 	return func(ctx sdk.Context, _ exported.RoutingContext, msg exported.GeneralMessage) error {
@@ -22,7 +26,7 @@ func NewMessageRoute(nexus types.Nexus, account types.AccountKeeper, wasm types.
 			return fmt.Errorf("gateway is not set")
 		}
 
-		bz, err := json.Marshal(exported.FromGeneralMessage(msg))
+		bz, err := json.Marshal(req{RouteMessages: []exported.WasmMessage{exported.FromGeneralMessage(msg)}})
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil
 		}
diff --git a/x/nexus/keeper/wasm_message_route_test.go b/x/nexus/keeper/wasm_message_route_test.go
index d1ed09efc..4ead139eb 100644
--- a/x/nexus/keeper/wasm_message_route_test.go
+++ b/x/nexus/keeper/wasm_message_route_test.go
@@ -86,9 +86,14 @@ func TestNewMessageRoute(t *testing.T) {
 					assert.Equal(t, wasmK.ExecuteCalls()[0].Caller, moduleAddr)
 					assert.Empty(t, wasmK.ExecuteCalls()[0].Coins)
 
-					var actual nexus.WasmMessage
+					type req struct {
+						RouteMessages []nexus.WasmMessage `json:"route_messages"`
+					}
+
+					var actual req
 					assert.NoError(t, json.Unmarshal(wasmK.ExecuteCalls()[0].Msg, &actual))
-					assert.Equal(t, nexus.FromGeneralMessage(msg), actual)
+					assert.Len(t, actual.RouteMessages, 1)
+					assert.Equal(t, nexus.FromGeneralMessage(msg), actual.RouteMessages[0])
 				}),
 		).
 		Run(t)