diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e914cca..c2a1972 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -101,3 +101,6 @@ to the integration request mapping, separating headers by a `:`.  For example:
 
 Remember, don't forget the `,`.  Then do the same as you did for Content-Type in the
 header mapping, e.g. `integration.response.body.Set-Cookie`.
+
+
+For JSON body posts, add the line `"body": $input.json('$'),` into the integration request mapping.
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index bbd8aa9..6c551c0 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -78,6 +78,13 @@ function mapEvent( event){
     }
     request.pathParams = parseParamString(event.pathParams);
 
+    if (event.body) {
+        //if json body, then load it in;
+        //depends on requestTemplates line: "body": $input.json('$')
+        request.body = event.body;
+        request._body = true;
+    }
+
     request.method = event["http-method"];
     request.url = reconstructUrl(event['resource-path'],request);
     delete request.allParams;