diff --git a/fabric-client/lib/Client.js b/fabric-client/lib/Client.js
index 5d35823470..0f7315b3eb 100644
--- a/fabric-client/lib/Client.js
+++ b/fabric-client/lib/Client.js
@@ -403,6 +403,7 @@ var Client = class {
 		let proto_config_signature = new _configtxProto.ConfigSignature();
 		proto_config_signature.setSignatureHeader(signature_header_bytes);
 		proto_config_signature.setSignature(signature_bytes);
+
 		return proto_config_signature;
 	}
 
@@ -522,7 +523,8 @@ var Client = class {
 			logger.debug('_createOrUpdateChannel - have config_update');
 			var proto_config_Update_envelope = new _configtxProto.ConfigUpdateEnvelope();
 			proto_config_Update_envelope.setConfigUpdate(request.config);
-			proto_config_Update_envelope.setSignatures(request.signatures);
+			var signatures = _stringToSignature(request.signatures);
+			proto_config_Update_envelope.setSignatures(signatures);
 
 			var proto_channel_header = Channel._buildChannelHeader(
 				_commonProto.HeaderType.CONFIG_UPDATE,
@@ -1301,4 +1303,23 @@ function _getChaincodePackageData(request, devMode) {
 	});
 }
 
+// internal utility method to check and convert any strings to protobuf signatures
+function _stringToSignature(string_signatures) {
+	var signatures = [];
+	for(var i in string_signatures) {
+		let signature = string_signatures[i];
+		// check for properties rather than object type
+		if(signature && signature.signature_header && signature.signature) {
+			logger.debug('_stringToSignature - signature is protobuf');
+		}
+		else {
+			logger.debug('_stringToSignature - signature is string');
+			var signature_bytes = Buffer.from(signature, 'hex');
+			signature = _configtxProto.ConfigSignature.decode(signature_bytes);
+		}
+		signatures.push(signature);
+	}
+	return signatures;
+}
+
 module.exports = Client;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/integration/e2e/create-channel.js b/test/integration/e2e/create-channel.js
index 43789fba0a..f852616d9c 100644
--- a/test/integration/e2e/create-channel.js
+++ b/test/integration/e2e/create-channel.js
@@ -142,13 +142,16 @@ test('\n\n***** SDK Built config update  create flow  *****\n\n', function(t) {
 
 		// sign the config
 		var signature = client.signChannelConfig(config);
+		// convert signature to a storable string
+		// fabric-client SDK will convert back during create
+		var string_signature = signature.toBuffer().toString('hex');
 		t.pass('Successfully signed config update');
 		// collect signature from org1 admin
 		// TODO: signature counting against policies on the orderer
 		// at the moment is being investigated, but it requires this
 		// weird double-signature from each org admin
-		signatures.push(signature);
-		signatures.push(signature);
+		signatures.push(string_signature);
+		signatures.push(string_signature);
 
 		// make sure we do not reuse the user
 		client._userContext = null;
diff --git a/test/unit/client.js b/test/unit/client.js
index 8fc140157a..215426a442 100644
--- a/test/unit/client.js
+++ b/test/unit/client.js
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ var testutil = require('./util.js');
 
 var caImport;
 
+var grpc = require('grpc');
+var _configtxProto = grpc.load(__dirname + '/../../fabric-client/lib/protos/common/configtx.proto').common;
+var rewire = require('rewire');
+var ClientRewired = rewire('fabric-client/lib/Client.js');
+
 test('\n\n ** index.js **\n\n', function (t) {
 	t.equals(typeof hfc, 'function');
 
@@ -1074,3 +1079,28 @@ test('\n\n ** test related APIs for create channel **\n\n', function (t) {
 
 	t.end();
 });
+
+test('\n\n ** test internal method to rebuild ConfigSignatures **\n\n', function (t) {
+	var some_proto_signatures = [];
+	var proto_config_signature = new _configtxProto.ConfigSignature();
+	proto_config_signature.setSignatureHeader(Buffer.from('signature_header_bytes'));
+	proto_config_signature.setSignature(Buffer.from('signature_bytes'));
+	some_proto_signatures.push(proto_config_signature);
+	var string_config_signature = proto_config_signature.toBuffer().toString('hex');
+	some_proto_signatures.push(string_config_signature);
+
+	var _stringToSignature = ClientRewired.__get__('_stringToSignature');
+	var all_proto_signatures = _stringToSignature(some_proto_signatures);
+	for(let i in all_proto_signatures) {
+		var start_header = proto_config_signature.getSignatureHeader().toBuffer().toString();
+		var start_sig = proto_config_signature.getSignature().toBuffer().toString();
+		var decode_header = all_proto_signatures[i].getSignatureHeader().toBuffer().toString();
+		var decode_sig = all_proto_signatures[i].getSignature().toBuffer().toString();
+		logger.info(' headers  are ==> %s :: %s', start_header, decode_header);
+		logger.info(' signatures are ==> %s :: %s', start_sig, decode_sig);
+
+		t.equals(start_header, decode_header, 'check signature headers are the same');
+		t.equals(start_sig, decode_sig, 'check signatures are the same');
+	}
+	t.end();
+});
\ No newline at end of file