diff --git a/promenade/control/base.py b/promenade/control/base.py
index 19dee419..f25e5dcf 100644
--- a/promenade/control/base.py
+++ b/promenade/control/base.py
@@ -53,9 +53,11 @@ class BaseResource(object):
             raw_body = req.stream.read(req.content_length or 0)
             if raw_body is not None:
                 has_input = True
-                self.info(req.context, 'Input message body: %s' % raw_body)
+                LOG.info('Input message body: %s \nContext: %s' %
+                         (raw_body, req.context))
             else:
-                self.info(req.context, 'No message body specified')
+                LOG.info(
+                    'No message body specified. \nContext: %s' % req.context)
         if has_input:
             # read the json and validate if necessary
             try:
@@ -66,8 +68,8 @@ class BaseResource(object):
                     validate(json_body, json.loads(validate_json_schema))
                 return json_body
             except json.JSONDecodeError as jex:
-                self.error(req.context,
-                           "Invalid JSON in request: \n%s" % raw_body)
+                LOG.error('Invalid JSON in request: \n%s \nContext: %s' %
+                          (raw_body, req.context))
                 raise exc.InvalidFormatError(
                     title='JSON could not be decoded',
                     description='%s: Invalid JSON in body: %s' % (req.path,
diff --git a/tools/g2/stages/join-nodes.sh b/tools/g2/stages/join-nodes.sh
index eeba69f7..67686463 100755
--- a/tools/g2/stages/join-nodes.sh
+++ b/tools/g2/stages/join-nodes.sh
@@ -73,15 +73,14 @@ render_curl_url() {
     echo "${BASE_URL}?${DESIGN_REF}&${HOST_PARAMS}${LABEL_PARAMS}"
 }
 
-render_validate_url() {
-    BASE_URL="${BASE_PROM_URL}/api/v1.0/validatedesign"
+render_validate_body() {
     if [[ ${USE_DECKHAND} == 1 ]]; then
-        HREF="href=deckhand%2Bhttp://deckhand-int.ucp.svc.cluster.local:9000/api/v1.0/revisions/${DECKHAND_REVISION}/rendered-documents"
+        JSON="{\"rel\":\"design\",\"href\":\"deckhand+http://deckhand-int.ucp.svc.cluster.local:9000/api/v1.0/revisions/${DECKHAND_REVISION}/rendered-documents\",\"type\":\"application/x-yaml\"}"
     else
-        HREF="href=${NGINX_URL}/promenade.yaml"
+        JSON="{\"rel\":\"design\",\"href\":\"${NGINX_URL}/promenade.yaml\",\"type\":\"application/x-yaml\"}"
     fi
 
-    echo "${BASE_URL}?${HREF}"
+    echo ${JSON}
 }
 
 mkdir -p "${SCRIPT_DIR}"
@@ -115,7 +114,7 @@ for NAME in "${NODES[@]}"; do
     done
 
     log "Validating documents"
-    ssh_cmd "${VIA}" curl -v "${CURL_ARGS[@]}" -X POST "$(render_validate_url)"
+    ssh_cmd "${VIA}" curl -v "${CURL_ARGS[@]}" -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d $(render_validate_body) "${BASE_PROM_URL}/api/v1.0/validatedesign"
 
     JOIN_CURL_URL="$(render_curl_url "${NAME}" "${LABELS[@]}")"
     log "Fetching join script via: ${JOIN_CURL_URL}"