diff --git a/lib/galaxy/tools/__init__.py b/lib/galaxy/tools/__init__.py
index e11b9607b51..0e65d5ba700 100755
--- a/lib/galaxy/tools/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/tools/__init__.py
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ class DefaultToolState( object ):
         value = params_to_strings( tool.inputs, self.inputs, app )
         value["__page__"] = self.page
         value["__rerun_remap_job_id__"] = self.rerun_remap_job_id
-        return json.dumps( value )
+        return value
 
     def decode( self, values, tool, app ):
         """
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/workflow/modules.py b/lib/galaxy/workflow/modules.py
index c0a2719bf22..b69c256d94e 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/workflow/modules.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/workflow/modules.py
@@ -787,9 +787,8 @@ class ToolModule( WorkflowModule ):
         """
         if self.tool:
             state = super( ToolModule, self ).decode_runtime_state( runtime_state )
-            state_dict = loads( runtime_state )
-            if RUNTIME_STEP_META_STATE_KEY in state_dict:
-                self.__restore_step_meta_runtime_state( loads( state_dict[ RUNTIME_STEP_META_STATE_KEY ] ) )
+            if RUNTIME_STEP_META_STATE_KEY in runtime_state:
+                self.__restore_step_meta_runtime_state( loads( runtime_state[ RUNTIME_STEP_META_STATE_KEY ] ) )
             return state
         else:
             raise ToolMissingException( "Tool %s missing. Cannot recover runtime state." % self.tool_id )