diff --git a/nodes/core/core/80-template.html b/nodes/core/core/80-template.html
index 351023d25..12c87b5a3 100644
--- a/nodes/core/core/80-template.html
+++ b/nodes/core/core/80-template.html
@@ -24,6 +24,14 @@
         <input type="text" id="node-input-field" placeholder="payload" style="width:250px;">
         <input type="hidden" id="node-input-fieldType">
     </div>
+    <div class="form-row">
+        <label for="node-input-syntax"><i class="fa fa-code"></i> <span data-i18n="template.label.syntax"></span></label>
+        <select id="node-input-syntax" style="width:180px;">
+            <option value="mustache" data-i18n="template.label.mustache"></option>
+            <option value="plain" data-i18n="template.label.plain"></option>
+        </select>
+    </div>
+
     <div class="form-row" style="position: relative; margin-bottom: 0px;">
         <label for="node-input-template"><i class="fa fa-file-code-o"></i> <span data-i18n="template.label.template"></span></label>
         <input type="hidden" id="node-input-template" autofocus="autofocus">
@@ -45,12 +53,13 @@
         <div style="height: 250px; min-height:150px;" class="node-text-editor" id="node-input-template-editor" ></div>
     </div>
     <div class="form-row">
-        <label for="node-input-syntax"><i class="fa fa-code"></i> <span data-i18n="template.label.syntax"></span></label>
-        <select id="node-input-syntax" style="width:180px;">
-            <option value="mustache" data-i18n="template.label.mustache"></option>
-            <option value="plain" data-i18n="template.label.plain"></option>
+        <label for="node-input-output"><i class="fa fa-long-arrow-right"></i> <span data-i18n="template.label.output"></span></label>
+        <select id="node-input-output" style="width:180px;">
+            <option value="str" data-i18n="template.label.plain"></option>
+            <option value="json" data-i18n="template.label.json"></option>
         </select>
     </div>
+
 </script>
 
 <script type="text/x-red" data-help-name="template">
@@ -83,6 +92,7 @@
             format: {value:"handlebars"},
             syntax: {value:"mustache"},
             template: {value:"This is the payload: {{payload}} !"},
+            output: {value:"str"}
         },
         inputs:1,
         outputs:1,
diff --git a/nodes/core/core/80-template.js b/nodes/core/core/80-template.js
index c03388b30..541a6b8a5 100644
--- a/nodes/core/core/80-template.js
+++ b/nodes/core/core/80-template.js
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
     var mustache = require("mustache");
 
     /**
-     * Custom Mustache Context capable to resolve message property and node 
-     * flow and global context 
+     * Custom Mustache Context capable to resolve message property and node
+     * flow and global context
      */
     function NodeContext(msg, nodeContext) {
         this.msgContext = new mustache.Context(msg);
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
         this.template = n.template;
         this.syntax = n.syntax || "mustache";
         this.fieldType = n.fieldType || "msg";
+        this.outputFormat = n.output || "str";
 
         var node = this;
         node.on("input", function(msg) {
@@ -68,6 +69,10 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                 } else {
                     value = node.template;
                 }
+                if (node.outputFormat === "json") {
+                    value = JSON.parse(value);
+                }
+
                 if (node.fieldType === 'msg') {
                     RED.util.setMessageProperty(msg,node.field,value);
                 } else if (node.fieldType === 'flow') {
diff --git a/nodes/core/locales/en-US/messages.json b/nodes/core/locales/en-US/messages.json
index 7a13c2dd8..6bd28b834 100644
--- a/nodes/core/locales/en-US/messages.json
+++ b/nodes/core/locales/en-US/messages.json
@@ -168,8 +168,10 @@
             "property": "Set property",
             "format": "Syntax Highlight",
             "syntax": "Format",
+            "output": "Output as",
             "mustache": "Mustache template",
-            "plain": "Plain text"
+            "plain": "Plain text",
+            "json": "Parsed JSON"
         },
         "templatevalue": "This is the payload: {{payload}} !"
     },