diff --git a/VisualEditor.hooks.php b/VisualEditor.hooks.php
index a2dc1d1ffb..c427d28bc9 100644
--- a/VisualEditor.hooks.php
+++ b/VisualEditor.hooks.php
@@ -35,6 +35,28 @@ class VisualEditorHooks {
 		return true;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Convert the content model of messages that are actually JSON to JSON.
+	 * This only affects validation and UI when saving and editing, not
+	 * loading the content.
+	 *
+	 * @param Title $title
+	 * @param string $model
+	 * @return bool
+	 */
+	public static function onContentHandlerDefaultModelFor( Title $title, &$model ) {
+		$messages = array(
+			'Visualeditor-cite-tool-definition.json',
+			'Visualeditor-specialcharinspector-characterlist-insert'
+		);
+
+		if ( $title->inNamespace( NS_MEDIAWIKI ) && in_array( $title->getText(), $messages ) ) {
+			$model = CONTENT_MODEL_JSON;
+		}
+
+		return true;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Changes the Edit tab and adds the VisualEditor tab.
 	 *
diff --git a/VisualEditor.php b/VisualEditor.php
index 4c3bf11ad5..9fd3bd464c 100644
--- a/VisualEditor.php
+++ b/VisualEditor.php
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ $wgConfigRegistry['visualeditor'] = 'GlobalVarConfig::newInstance';
 
 // Register Hooks
 $wgHooks['BeforePageDisplay'][] = 'VisualEditorHooks::onBeforePageDisplay';
+$wgHooks['ContentHandlerDefaultModelFor'][] = 'VisualEditorHooks::onContentHandlerDefaultModelFor';
 $wgHooks['DoEditSectionLink'][] = 'VisualEditorHooks::onDoEditSectionLink';
 $wgHooks['GetBetaFeaturePreferences'][] = 'VisualEditorHooks::onGetBetaPreferences';
 $wgHooks['GetPreferences'][] = 'VisualEditorHooks::onGetPreferences';