diff --git a/tests/Channels/ChannelReplicationTest.php b/tests/Channels/ChannelReplicationTest.php
index 4480442..adf1e9a 100644
--- a/tests/Channels/ChannelReplicationTest.php
+++ b/tests/Channels/ChannelReplicationTest.php
@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@ class ChannelReplicationTest extends TestCase
     {
         $connection = $this->getWebSocketConnection();
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:subscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'channel' => 'basic-channel',
             ],
-       ]));
+       ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onOpen($connection);
 
@@ -47,12 +47,12 @@ class ChannelReplicationTest extends TestCase
 
         $this->assertTrue($channel->hasConnections());
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:unsubscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'channel' => 'test-channel',
             ],
-       ]));
+       ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ class ChannelReplicationTest extends TestCase
 
         $connection = $this->getConnectedWebSocketConnection(['test-channel']);
 
-        $message = new Message('{"event": "client-test", "data": {}, "channel": "test-channel"}');
+        $message = new Message(['event' => 'client-test', 'data' => [], 'channel' => 'test-channel']);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ class ChannelReplicationTest extends TestCase
 
         $connection = $this->getConnectedWebSocketConnection(['test-channel']);
 
-        $message = new Message('{"event": "client-test", "data": {}, "channel": "test-channel"}');
+        $message = new Message(['event' => 'client-test', 'data' => [], 'channel' => 'test-channel']);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
@@ -147,9 +147,9 @@ class ChannelReplicationTest extends TestCase
     {
         $connection = $this->getConnectedWebSocketConnection();
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:ping',
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
diff --git a/tests/Channels/ChannelTest.php b/tests/Channels/ChannelTest.php
index a16a83d..333a38d 100644
--- a/tests/Channels/ChannelTest.php
+++ b/tests/Channels/ChannelTest.php
@@ -12,12 +12,12 @@ class ChannelTest extends TestCase
     {
         $connection = $this->getWebSocketConnection();
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:subscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'channel' => 'basic-channel',
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onOpen($connection);
 
@@ -37,12 +37,12 @@ class ChannelTest extends TestCase
 
         $this->assertTrue($channel->hasConnections());
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:unsubscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'channel' => 'test-channel',
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ class ChannelTest extends TestCase
 
         $connection = $this->getConnectedWebSocketConnection(['test-channel']);
 
-        $message = new Message('{"event": "client-test", "data": {}, "channel": "test-channel"}');
+        $message = new Message(['event' => 'client-test', 'data' => [], 'channel' => 'test-channel']);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class ChannelTest extends TestCase
 
         $connection = $this->getConnectedWebSocketConnection(['test-channel']);
 
-        $message = new Message('{"event": "client-test", "data": {}, "channel": "test-channel"}');
+        $message = new Message(['event' => 'client-test', 'data' => [], 'channel' => 'test-channel']);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
@@ -137,9 +137,9 @@ class ChannelTest extends TestCase
     {
         $connection = $this->getConnectedWebSocketConnection();
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:ping',
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
diff --git a/tests/Channels/PresenceChannelReplicationTest.php b/tests/Channels/PresenceChannelReplicationTest.php
index 822ef4e..4cbe2e0 100644
--- a/tests/Channels/PresenceChannelReplicationTest.php
+++ b/tests/Channels/PresenceChannelReplicationTest.php
@@ -33,14 +33,14 @@ class PresenceChannelReplicationTest extends TestCase
 
         $signature = "{$connection->socketId}:presence-channel:".json_encode($channelData);
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:subscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'auth' => $connection->app->key.':'.hash_hmac('sha256', $signature, $connection->app->secret),
                 'channel' => 'presence-channel',
                 'channel_data' => json_encode($channelData),
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
@@ -67,14 +67,14 @@ class PresenceChannelReplicationTest extends TestCase
 
         $signature = "{$connection->socketId}:presence-channel:".json_encode($channelData);
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:subscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'auth' => $connection->app->key.':'.hash_hmac('sha256', $signature, $connection->app->secret),
                 'channel' => 'presence-channel',
                 'channel_data' => json_encode($channelData),
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
@@ -89,13 +89,13 @@ class PresenceChannelReplicationTest extends TestCase
         $this->getPublishClient()
             ->resetAssertions();
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:unsubscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'auth' => $connection->app->key.':'.hash_hmac('sha256', $signature, $connection->app->secret),
                 'channel' => 'presence-channel',
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
@@ -117,14 +117,14 @@ class PresenceChannelReplicationTest extends TestCase
 
         $signature = "{$connection->socketId}:presence-channel:".json_encode($channelData);
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:subscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'auth' => $connection->app->key.':'.hash_hmac('sha256', $signature, $connection->app->secret),
                 'channel' => 'presence-channel',
                 'channel_data' => json_encode($channelData),
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
diff --git a/tests/Channels/PresenceChannelTest.php b/tests/Channels/PresenceChannelTest.php
index a72d94f..f6481af 100644
--- a/tests/Channels/PresenceChannelTest.php
+++ b/tests/Channels/PresenceChannelTest.php
@@ -15,13 +15,13 @@ class PresenceChannelTest extends TestCase
 
         $connection = $this->getWebSocketConnection();
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:subscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'auth' => 'invalid',
                 'channel' => 'presence-channel',
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onOpen($connection);
 
@@ -46,14 +46,14 @@ class PresenceChannelTest extends TestCase
 
         $signature = "{$connection->socketId}:presence-channel:".json_encode($channelData);
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:subscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'auth' => $connection->app->key.':'.hash_hmac('sha256', $signature, $connection->app->secret),
                 'channel' => 'presence-channel',
                 'channel_data' => json_encode($channelData),
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
@@ -77,14 +77,14 @@ class PresenceChannelTest extends TestCase
 
         $signature = "{$connection->socketId}:presence-channel:".json_encode($channelData);
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:subscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'auth' => $connection->app->key.':'.hash_hmac('sha256', $signature, $connection->app->secret),
                 'channel' => 'presence-channel',
                 'channel_data' => json_encode($channelData),
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
@@ -92,13 +92,13 @@ class PresenceChannelTest extends TestCase
             'channel' => 'presence-channel',
         ]);
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:unsubscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'auth' => $connection->app->key.':'.hash_hmac('sha256', $signature, $connection->app->secret),
                 'channel' => 'presence-channel',
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
     }
@@ -118,14 +118,14 @@ class PresenceChannelTest extends TestCase
 
         $signature = "{$connection->socketId}:presence-channel:".json_encode($channelData);
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:subscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'auth' => $connection->app->key.':'.hash_hmac('sha256', $signature, $connection->app->secret),
                 'channel' => 'presence-channel',
                 'channel_data' => json_encode($channelData),
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
@@ -150,13 +150,13 @@ class PresenceChannelTest extends TestCase
 
         $signature = "{$connection->socketId}:presence-channel:".json_encode($channelData);
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:unsubscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'auth' => $connection->app->key.':'.hash_hmac('sha256', $signature, $connection->app->secret),
                 'channel' => 'presence-channel',
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
diff --git a/tests/Channels/PrivateChannelReplicationTest.php b/tests/Channels/PrivateChannelReplicationTest.php
index cc4bab7..3a16412 100644
--- a/tests/Channels/PrivateChannelReplicationTest.php
+++ b/tests/Channels/PrivateChannelReplicationTest.php
@@ -25,13 +25,13 @@ class PrivateChannelReplicationTest extends TestCase
 
         $connection = $this->getWebSocketConnection();
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:subscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'auth' => 'invalid',
                 'channel' => 'private-channel',
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onOpen($connection);
 
@@ -49,13 +49,13 @@ class PrivateChannelReplicationTest extends TestCase
 
         $hashedAppSecret = hash_hmac('sha256', $signature, $connection->app->secret);
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:subscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'auth' => "{$connection->app->key}:{$hashedAppSecret}",
                 'channel' => 'private-channel',
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
diff --git a/tests/Channels/PrivateChannelTest.php b/tests/Channels/PrivateChannelTest.php
index 6b8d9b6..91f48d0 100644
--- a/tests/Channels/PrivateChannelTest.php
+++ b/tests/Channels/PrivateChannelTest.php
@@ -15,13 +15,13 @@ class PrivateChannelTest extends TestCase
 
         $connection = $this->getWebSocketConnection();
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:subscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'auth' => 'invalid',
                 'channel' => 'private-channel',
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onOpen($connection);
 
@@ -39,13 +39,13 @@ class PrivateChannelTest extends TestCase
 
         $hashedAppSecret = hash_hmac('sha256', $signature, $connection->app->secret);
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:subscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'auth' => "{$connection->app->key}:{$hashedAppSecret}",
                 'channel' => 'private-channel',
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
diff --git a/tests/ConnectionTest.php b/tests/ConnectionTest.php
index 0aba6ec..3e17566 100644
--- a/tests/ConnectionTest.php
+++ b/tests/ConnectionTest.php
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class ConnectionTest extends TestCase
     {
         $connection = $this->getWebSocketConnection();
 
-        $message = new Message('{"event": "pusher:ping"}');
+        $message = new Message(['event' => 'pusher:ping']);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onOpen($connection);
 
diff --git a/tests/Messages/PusherClientMessageTest.php b/tests/Messages/PusherClientMessageTest.php
index a97aed7..fed8e98 100644
--- a/tests/Messages/PusherClientMessageTest.php
+++ b/tests/Messages/PusherClientMessageTest.php
@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@ class PusherClientMessageTest extends TestCase
     {
         $connection = $this->getConnectedWebSocketConnection(['test-channel']);
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'client-test',
             'channel' => 'test-channel',
             'data' => [
                 'client-event' => 'test',
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
 
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@ class PusherClientMessageTest extends TestCase
         $connection1 = $this->getConnectedWebSocketConnection(['test-channel']);
         $connection2 = $this->getConnectedWebSocketConnection(['test-channel']);
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'client-test',
             'channel' => 'test-channel',
             'data' => [
                 'client-event' => 'test',
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection1, $message);
 
diff --git a/tests/Mocks/Message.php b/tests/Mocks/Message.php
index 3b0706c..4a9be32 100644
--- a/tests/Mocks/Message.php
+++ b/tests/Mocks/Message.php
@@ -2,17 +2,35 @@
 
 namespace BeyondCode\LaravelWebSockets\Tests\Mocks;
 
-class Message extends \Ratchet\RFC6455\Messaging\Message
+use Ratchet\RFC6455\Messaging\Message as BaseMessage;
+
+class Message extends BaseMessage
 {
+    /**
+     * The payload as array.
+     *
+     * @var array
+     */
     protected $payload;
 
-    public function __construct($payload)
+    /**
+     * Create a new message instance.
+     *
+     * @param  array  $payload
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function __construct(array $payload)
     {
         $this->payload = $payload;
     }
 
-    public function getPayload()
+    /**
+     * Get the payload as json-encoded string.
+     *
+     * @return string
+     */
+    public function getPayload(): string
     {
-        return $this->payload;
+        return json_encode($this->payload);
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/TestCase.php b/tests/TestCase.php
index b0c7b7a..81bd261 100644
--- a/tests/TestCase.php
+++ b/tests/TestCase.php
@@ -160,12 +160,12 @@ abstract class TestCase extends \Orchestra\Testbench\TestCase
         $this->pusherServer->onOpen($connection);
 
         foreach ($channelsToJoin as $channel) {
-            $message = new Message(json_encode([
+            $message = new Message([
                 'event' => 'pusher:subscribe',
                 'data' => [
                     'channel' => $channel,
                 ],
-            ]));
+            ]);
 
             $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);
         }
@@ -194,14 +194,14 @@ abstract class TestCase extends \Orchestra\Testbench\TestCase
 
         $signature = "{$connection->socketId}:{$channel}:".json_encode($channelData);
 
-        $message = new Message(json_encode([
+        $message = new Message([
             'event' => 'pusher:subscribe',
             'data' => [
                 'auth' => $connection->app->key.':'.hash_hmac('sha256', $signature, $connection->app->secret),
                 'channel' => $channel,
                 'channel_data' => json_encode($channelData),
             ],
-        ]));
+        ]);
 
         $this->pusherServer->onMessage($connection, $message);