diff --git a/app/schemas.py b/app/schemas.py
index a61dcba11..ed4c914ef 100644
--- a/app/schemas.py
+++ b/app/schemas.py
@@ -311,15 +311,15 @@ class NotificationModelSchema(BaseSchema):
 
 
 class BaseTemplateSchema(BaseSchema):
-
     reply_to = fields.Method("get_reply_to", allow_none=True)
+    reply_to_text = fields.Method("get_reply_to_text", allow_none=True)
 
     def get_reply_to(self, template):
-        if template.template_type == 'letter':
-            text = template.get_reply_to_text()
-            return text
         return template.reply_to
 
+    def get_reply_to_text(self, template):
+        return template.get_reply_to_text()
+
     class Meta:
         model = models.Template
         exclude = ("service_id", "jobs", "service_letter_contact_id")
diff --git a/tests/app/template/test_rest.py b/tests/app/template/test_rest.py
index 67b46e099..ab2533e0f 100644
--- a/tests/app/template/test_rest.py
+++ b/tests/app/template/test_rest.py
@@ -581,7 +581,8 @@ def test_create_a_template_with_reply_to(admin_request, sample_user):
     json_resp = admin_request.post('template.create_template', service_id=service.id, _data=data, _expected_status=201)
 
     assert json_resp['data']['template_type'] == 'letter'
-    assert json_resp['data']['reply_to'] == str(letter_contact.contact_block)
+    assert json_resp['data']['reply_to'] == str(letter_contact.id)
+    assert json_resp['data']['reply_to_text'] == letter_contact.contact_block
 
     template = Template.query.get(json_resp['data']['id'])
     from app.schemas import template_schema
@@ -622,7 +623,8 @@ def test_get_template_reply_to(client, sample_letter_template):
     json_resp = json.loads(resp.get_data(as_text=True))
 
     assert 'service_letter_contact_id' not in json_resp['data']
-    assert json_resp['data']['reply_to'] == letter_contact.contact_block
+    assert json_resp['data']['reply_to'] == str(letter_contact.id)
+    assert json_resp['data']['reply_to_text'] == letter_contact.contact_block
     assert not json_resp['data']['is_letter_contact_blank']