diff --git a/rester/__init__.py b/rester/__init__.py
index e69de29..59cd959 100644
--- a/rester/__init__.py
+++ b/rester/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+from . import apirunner
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rester/exc.py b/rester/exc.py
index 5f3c7d7..f90d50d 100644
--- a/rester/exc.py
+++ b/rester/exc.py
@@ -65,6 +65,17 @@ def _build_param_dict(self, test_step):
                 params[key] = self.case.variables.expand(value)
         return params
 
+    def _build_data_dict(self, test_step):
+        data = {}
+        if hasattr(test_step, 'payload') and test_step.payload is not None:
+            print "PAYLOAD %r", test_step.payload
+            print "PAYLOAD ITEMS %r", test_step.payload.items()
+            for key, value in test_step.payload.items():
+                print "KEY %r", key
+                print "VALUE %r", value
+                data[key] = self.case.variables.expand(value)
+        return data
+
     def _execute_test_step(self, test_step):
         http_client = HttpClient(**self.case.request_opts)
         failures = Failure([], None)
@@ -83,9 +94,13 @@ def _execute_test_step(self, test_step):
             # process and set up params
             params = self._build_param_dict(test_step)
 
+            # process and set up data
+            data = self._build_data_dict(test_step)
+
             url = self.case.variables.expand(test_step.apiUrl)
             self.logger.debug('Evaluated URL : %s', url)
-            response_wrapper = http_client.request(url, method, headers, params, is_raw)
+            self.logger.debug('Sending Data : %s', data)
+            response_wrapper = http_client.request(url, method, headers, params, data, is_raw)
 
             # expected_status = getattr(getattr(test_step, 'asserts'), 'status', 200)
             # if response_wrapper.status != expected_status:
diff --git a/rester/http.py b/rester/http.py
index 1c8888c..3a9da05 100644
--- a/rester/http.py
+++ b/rester/http.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class HttpClient(object):
     def __init__(self, **kwargs):
         self.extra_request_opts = kwargs
 
-    def request(self, api_url, method, headers, params, is_raw):
+    def request(self, api_url, method, headers, params, data, is_raw):
         self.logger.info(
             '\n Invoking REST Call... api_url: %s, method: %s, headers %s : ', api_url, method, headers)
 
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ def request(self, api_url, method, headers, params, is_raw):
         except AttributeError:
             self.logger.error('undefined HTTP method!!! %s', method)
             raise
-        response = func(api_url, headers=headers, params=params, **self.extra_request_opts)
+        response = func(api_url, headers=headers, params=params, json=data, **self.extra_request_opts)
 
         if is_raw or 'application/json' not in response.headers['content-type']:
             payload = {"__raw__": response.text}