diff --git a/flows/contact_test.go b/flows/contact_test.go
index 2166ee631..95c287959 100644
--- a/flows/contact_test.go
+++ b/flows/contact_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package flows_test
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -34,6 +35,13 @@ func TestContact(t *testing.T) {
 				"roles": ["send", "receive"],
 				"country": "US"
 			}
+		],
+		"ticketers": [
+			{
+				"uuid": "d605bb96-258d-4097-ad0a-080937db2212",
+				"name": "Support Tickets",
+				"type": "mailgun"
+			}
 		]
 	}`))
 	require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -128,7 +136,7 @@ func TestContact(t *testing.T) {
 
 	assert.Equal(t, 0, contact.Tickets().Count())
 
-	ticket := flows.OpenTicket(sa.Ticketers().Get("19dc6346-9623-4fe4-be80-538d493ecdf5"), "New ticket", "I have issues")
+	ticket := flows.OpenTicket(sa.Ticketers().Get("d605bb96-258d-4097-ad0a-080937db2212"), "New ticket", "I have issues")
 	contact.Tickets().Add(ticket)
 
 	assert.Equal(t, 1, contact.Tickets().Count())
@@ -166,6 +174,16 @@ func TestContact(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.True(t, contact.ClearURNs()) // did have URNs
 	assert.False(t, contact.ClearURNs())
 	assert.Equal(t, flows.URNList{}, contact.URNs())
+
+	marshaled, err := jsonx.Marshal(contact)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	fmt.Println(string(marshaled))
+
+	unmarshaled, err := flows.ReadContact(sa, marshaled, assets.PanicOnMissing)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	assert.True(t, contact.Equal(unmarshaled))
 }
 
 func TestReadContact(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/flows/tickets.go b/flows/tickets.go
index d2ca09055..4f803d1ae 100644
--- a/flows/tickets.go
+++ b/flows/tickets.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/nyaruka/goflow/envs"
 	"github.com/nyaruka/goflow/excellent/types"
 	"github.com/nyaruka/goflow/utils"
-	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
 // TicketUUID is the UUID of a ticket
@@ -66,7 +65,7 @@ func (t *Ticket) Context(env envs.Environment) map[string]types.XValue {
 
 type ticketEnvelope struct {
 	UUID       TicketUUID                `json:"uuid"                   validate:"required,uuid4"`
-	Ticketer   *assets.TicketerReference `json:"ticketer"               validate:"required,dive"`
+	Ticketer   *assets.TicketerReference `json:"ticketer"               validate:"omitempty,dive"`
 	Subject    string                    `json:"subject"`
 	Body       string                    `json:"body"`
 	ExternalID string                    `json:"external_id,omitempty"`
@@ -78,7 +77,7 @@ func ReadTicket(sa SessionAssets, data []byte, missing assets.MissingCallback) (
 	e := &ticketEnvelope{}
 
 	if err := utils.UnmarshalAndValidate(data, e); err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "unable to read ticket")
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	ticketer := sa.Ticketers().Get(e.Ticketer.UUID)
diff --git a/flows/tickets_test.go b/flows/tickets_test.go
index c1073a111..c33e7076b 100644
--- a/flows/tickets_test.go
+++ b/flows/tickets_test.go
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ func TestTickets(t *testing.T) {
 		missingRefs = append(missingRefs, ref)
 	}
 
+	_, err = flows.ReadTicket(sa, []byte(`{}`), missing)
+	assert.EqualError(t, err, "field 'uuid' is required")
+
 	ticket1, err := flows.ReadTicket(sa, []byte(`{
 		"uuid": "349c851f-3f8e-4353-8bf2-8e90b6d73530", 
 		"ticketer": {"uuid": "0a0b5ce4-35c9-47b7-b124-40258f0a5b53", "name": "Deleted"},