diff --git a/app/models.py b/app/models.py
index 214979611..4f4a6cafc 100644
--- a/app/models.py
+++ b/app/models.py
@@ -582,6 +582,10 @@ class TemplateBase(db.Model):
     content = db.Column(db.Text, nullable=False)
     archived = db.Column(db.Boolean, nullable=False, default=False)
     subject = db.Column(db.Text)
+    is_letter_contact_blank = db.Column(db.Boolean, nullable=False, default=False)
+
+    # if is_letter_contact = True then service_letter_contact must be null.
+    CheckConstraint("Not(is_letter_contact_blank = True and service_letter_contact_id is not Null)")
 
     @declared_attr
     def service_id(cls):
diff --git a/app/schemas.py b/app/schemas.py
index 2afa6270d..a61dcba11 100644
--- a/app/schemas.py
+++ b/app/schemas.py
@@ -315,6 +315,9 @@ class BaseTemplateSchema(BaseSchema):
     reply_to = fields.Method("get_reply_to", 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
 
     class Meta:
diff --git a/app/template/rest.py b/app/template/rest.py
index 3f03ece60..2dba8f961 100644
--- a/app/template/rest.py
+++ b/app/template/rest.py
@@ -120,7 +120,6 @@ def get_template_by_id_and_service_id(service_id, template_id):
 def preview_template_by_id_and_service_id(service_id, template_id):
     fetched_template = dao_get_template_by_id_and_service_id(template_id=template_id, service_id=service_id)
     data = template_schema.dump(fetched_template).data
-
     template_object = get_template_instance(data, values=request.args.to_dict())
 
     if template_object.missing_data:
diff --git a/migrations/versions/0153_add_is_letter_contact_blank.py b/migrations/versions/0153_add_is_letter_contact_blank.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..974183a7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/versions/0153_add_is_letter_contact_blank.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+"""
+
+Revision ID: ea1c2f80a50e
+Revises: 0152_kill_service_free_fragments
+Create Date: 2018-01-04 10:27:01.014640
+
+"""
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+
+
+revision = '0153_add_is_letter_contact_blank'
+down_revision = '0152_kill_service_free_fragments'
+
+
+def upgrade():
+    op.add_column('templates', sa.Column('is_letter_contact_blank', sa.Boolean(), nullable=True))
+    op.add_column('templates_history', sa.Column('is_letter_contact_blank', sa.Boolean(), nullable=True))
+    op.execute("update templates set is_letter_contact_blank = false")
+    op.execute("update templates_history set is_letter_contact_blank = false")
+    op.alter_column("templates", "is_letter_contact_blank", nullable=False)
+    op.alter_column("templates_history", "is_letter_contact_blank", nullable=False)
+
+    op.create_check_constraint(
+        "ck_templates_contact_block_is_blank",
+        "templates",
+        "Not(is_letter_contact_blank = True and service_letter_contact_id is not Null)"
+    )
+    op.create_check_constraint(
+        "ck_templates_history_contact_block_is_blank",
+        "templates_history",
+        "Not(is_letter_contact_blank = True and service_letter_contact_id is not Null)"
+    )
+
+
+def downgrade():
+    op.drop_column('templates_history', 'is_letter_contact_blank')
+    op.drop_column('templates', 'is_letter_contact_blank')
diff --git a/tests/app/template/test_rest.py b/tests/app/template/test_rest.py
index 8f32458f1..67b46e099 100644
--- a/tests/app/template/test_rest.py
+++ b/tests/app/template/test_rest.py
@@ -581,7 +581,7 @@ 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.id)
+    assert json_resp['data']['reply_to'] == str(letter_contact.contact_block)
 
     template = Template.query.get(json_resp['data']['id'])
     from app.schemas import template_schema
@@ -622,7 +622,8 @@ 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'] == str(letter_contact.id)
+    assert json_resp['data']['reply_to'] == letter_contact.contact_block
+    assert not json_resp['data']['is_letter_contact_blank']
 
 
 def test_update_template_reply_to(client, sample_letter_template):