diff --git a/ably/ably-tests.ts b/ably/ably-tests.ts
index aa08ca226e..da4714d21a 100644
--- a/ably/ably-tests.ts
+++ b/ably/ably-tests.ts
@@ -237,3 +237,17 @@ client.stats({ limit: 50 }, function(err, statsPage) {        // statsPage as Pa
 // Fetching the Ably service time
 
 client.time({}, function(err, time) {}); // time is in ms since epoch
+
+// Getting decoded Message objects from JSON
+var messages = Ably.Realtime.Message.fromEncodedArray([{ id: 'foo' }]);
+console.log(messages[0].id);
+
+var message = Ably.Rest.Message.fromEncoded({ id: 'foo' });
+console.log(message.id);
+
+// Getting decoded PresenceMessage objects from JSON
+var presenceMessages = Ably.Realtime.PresenceMessage.fromEncodedArray([{ id: 'foo' }]);
+console.log(presenceMessages[0].action);
+
+var presenceMessage = Ably.Rest.PresenceMessage.fromEncoded({ id: 'foo' });
+console.log(presenceMessage.action);
diff --git a/ably/index.d.ts b/ably/index.d.ts
index b8cad7ae69..bf69daafc3 100644
--- a/ably/index.d.ts
+++ b/ably/index.d.ts
@@ -295,6 +295,8 @@ declare namespace ablyLib {
   type realtimePresenceGetCallback = (error: ErrorInfo, messages: PresenceMessage[]) => void;
   type tokenDetailsCallback = (error: ErrorInfo, Results: TokenDetails) => void;
   type tokenRequestCallback = (error: ErrorInfo, Results: TokenRequest) => void;
+  type fromEncoded<T> = (JsonObject: any, channelOptions?: ChannelOptions) => T;
+  type fromEncodedArray<T> = (JsonArray: any[], channelOptions?: ChannelOptions) => T[];
 
   // Internal Classes
   class EventEmitter<T> {
@@ -358,8 +360,8 @@ declare namespace ablyLib {
 
   class Message {
     constructor();
-    fromEncoded: (JsonObject: string, channelOptions: ChannelOptions) => Message;
-    fromEncodedArray: (JsonArray: string, channelOptions: ChannelOptions) => Message[];
+    static fromEncoded: fromEncoded<Message>;
+    static fromEncodedArray: fromEncodedArray<Message>;
     clientId: string;
     connectionId: string;
     data: any;
@@ -370,9 +372,15 @@ declare namespace ablyLib {
     timestamp: number;
   }
 
+  interface MessageStatic {
+    fromEncoded: fromEncoded<Message>;
+    fromEncodedArray: fromEncodedArray<Message>;
+  }
+
   class PresenceMessage {
-    fromEncoded: (JsonObject: any, channelOptions?: ChannelOptions) => PresenceMessage;
-    fromEncodedArray: (JsonArray: any[], channelOptions?: ChannelOptions) => PresenceMessage[];
+    constructor();
+    static fromEncoded: fromEncoded<PresenceMessage>;
+    static fromEncodedArray: fromEncodedArray<PresenceMessage>;
     action: PresenceAction;
     clientId: string;
     connectionId: string;
@@ -382,6 +390,11 @@ declare namespace ablyLib {
     timestamp: number;
   }
 
+  interface PresenceMessageStatic {
+    fromEncoded: fromEncoded<PresenceMessage>;
+    fromEncodedArray: fromEncodedArray<PresenceMessage>;
+  }
+
   interface Crypto {
     generateRandomKey: (callback: (error: ErrorInfo, key: string) => void) => void;
   }
@@ -432,6 +445,8 @@ declare namespace ablyLib {
 export declare class Rest {
   constructor(options: ablyLib.ClientOptions | string);
   static Crypto: ablyLib.Crypto;
+  static Message: ablyLib.MessageStatic;
+  static PresenceMessage: ablyLib.PresenceMessageStatic;
   auth: ablyLib.Auth;
   channels: ablyLib.Channels<ablyLib.Channel>;
   request: (method: string, path: string, params?: any, body?: any[] | any, headers?: any, callback?: (error: ablyLib.ErrorInfo, response: ablyLib.HttpPaginatedResponse) => void) => void;
@@ -442,6 +457,8 @@ export declare class Rest {
 export declare class Realtime {
   constructor(options: ablyLib.ClientOptions | string);
   static Crypto: ablyLib.Crypto;
+  static Message: ablyLib.MessageStatic;
+  static PresenceMessage: ablyLib.PresenceMessageStatic;
   auth: ablyLib.Auth;
   channels: ablyLib.Channels<ablyLib.RealtimeChannel>;
   clientId: string;