diff --git a/lib/att/codekit/model/speech.rb b/lib/att/codekit/model/speech.rb
index 943a185..6f10c6f 100644
--- a/lib/att/codekit/model/speech.rb
+++ b/lib/att/codekit/model/speech.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ module Model
 
       # Response of a speech request
       class SpeechResponse < ImmutableStruct.new(:id, :status, :nbest)
+
+        attr_accessor :original_json
+
         # @!attribute [r] id
         #   @return [String] the id of the request made
         # @!attribute [r] status
@@ -20,7 +23,9 @@ class SpeechResponse < ImmutableStruct.new(:id, :status, :nbest)
         #
         # @return [SpeechResponse] a parsed object
         def self.createFromJson(json)
-          self.createFromParsedJson(JSON.parse(json))
+          newobj = self.createFromParsedJson(JSON.parse(json))
+          newobj.original_json = json
+          newobj
         end
 
         # Factory method to create an object from a json string
diff --git a/lib/att/codekit/service/speech.rb b/lib/att/codekit/service/speech.rb
index 1b8b73a..43b6457 100644
--- a/lib/att/codekit/service/speech.rb
+++ b/lib/att/codekit/service/speech.rb
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ def stdSpeechToText(file, opts={})
 
           x_arg_val = URI.escape(xArgs)
 
-          filecontents = File.read(file)
+          filecontents = File.read(file, :mode => "rb")
 
           filetype = CloudService.getMimeType file
 
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ def customSpeechToText(audio_file, dictionary, grammar, opts={})
           }
           file_part = {
             :headers => fheaders,
-            :data => File.read(audio_file)
+            :data => File.read(audio_file, :mode => "rb")
           }
 
           multipart = [dict_part, grammar_part, file_part]