diff --git a/lib/pubsub/topic.js b/lib/pubsub/topic.js
index 53ced5ac507..1e7d1d8997c 100644
--- a/lib/pubsub/topic.js
+++ b/lib/pubsub/topic.js
@@ -131,8 +131,11 @@ Topic.prototype.publishRaw = function(message, callback) {
   if (!util.is(message.data, 'string') && !util.is(message.data, 'buffer')) {
     message.data = new Buffer(JSON.stringify(message.data)).toString('base64');
   }
-  message.topic = this.name;
-  this.makeReq_('POST', 'topics/publish', null, message, callback);
+  var body = {
+    message: message,
+    topic: this.name
+  };
+  this.makeReq_('POST', 'topics/publish', null, body, callback);
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/test/pubsub/topic.js b/test/pubsub/topic.js
index 800076b0a52..52514733626 100644
--- a/test/pubsub/topic.js
+++ b/test/pubsub/topic.js
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ describe('Topic', function() {
 
       it('should stringify non-strings & non-buffers', function(done) {
         topic.makeReq_ = function(method, path, qs, body) {
-          assert.deepEqual(body.data, messageObjDecoded);
+          assert.deepEqual(body.message.data, messageObjDecoded);
           done();
         };
         topic.publishRaw({ data: messageObj }, assert.ifError);
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ describe('Topic', function() {
         topic.makeReq_ = function(method, path, qs, body) {
           assert.equal(method, 'POST');
           assert.equal(path, 'topics/publish');
-          assert.deepEqual(body.message, messageRaw.message);
+          assert.deepEqual(body.message.data, messageRaw.data);
           done();
         };
         topic.publishRaw(messageRaw, assert.ifError);