diff --git a/templates/bidirectional-widget-plugin/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/src/js/src/{{ cookiecutter.__js_plugin_view_obj }}.tsx b/templates/bidirectional-widget-plugin/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/src/js/src/{{ cookiecutter.__js_plugin_view_obj }}.tsx
index 5dcc47812..ef8187e28 100644
--- a/templates/bidirectional-widget-plugin/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/src/js/src/{{ cookiecutter.__js_plugin_view_obj }}.tsx	
+++ b/templates/bidirectional-widget-plugin/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/src/js/src/{{ cookiecutter.__js_plugin_view_obj }}.tsx	
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ export function {{ cookiecutter.__js_plugin_view_obj }}(props: WidgetComponentPr
             const text = detail.getDataAsString();
             if (text) {
               setText(text);
+              widget.sendMessage("message acknowledged", []);
             }
           }
       );
diff --git a/templates/bidirectional-widget-plugin/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/src/{{ cookiecutter.__src_folder_name }}/{{ cookiecutter.__type_file_name }}.py b/templates/bidirectional-widget-plugin/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/src/{{ cookiecutter.__src_folder_name }}/{{ cookiecutter.__type_file_name }}.py
index 2f9650dd6..5d2003740 100644
--- a/templates/bidirectional-widget-plugin/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/src/{{ cookiecutter.__src_folder_name }}/{{ cookiecutter.__type_file_name }}.py	
+++ b/templates/bidirectional-widget-plugin/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/src/{{ cookiecutter.__src_folder_name }}/{{ cookiecutter.__type_file_name }}.py	
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import io
 from typing import Any
 from deephaven.plugin.object_type import MessageStream, BidirectionalObjectType
 
@@ -44,7 +45,11 @@ def on_data(self, payload: bytes, references: list[Any]) -> None:
         Returns:
             The payload to send to the client and the references to send to the client
         """
-        pass
+        # This is where you would process the payload.
+        # This is just an acknowledgement that the payload was received,
+        # so print.
+        payload = io.BytesIO(payload).read().decode()
+        print(f"Received payload: {payload}")
 
     def on_close(self) -> None:
         """