diff --git a/dbt/context/common.py b/dbt/context/common.py
index 063f8e44696..834e3cc3d19 100644
--- a/dbt/context/common.py
+++ b/dbt/context/common.py
@@ -233,13 +233,18 @@ def fn(string):
     return fn
 
 
-def fromjson(node):
-    def fn(string, default=None):
-        try:
-            return json.loads(string)
-        except ValueError as e:
-            return default
-    return fn
+def fromjson(string, default=None):
+    try:
+        return json.loads(string)
+    except ValueError as e:
+        return default
+
+
+def tojson(value, default=None):
+    try:
+        return json.dumps(value)
+    except ValueError as e:
+        return default
 
 
 def _return(value):
@@ -290,7 +295,8 @@ def generate(model, project, flat_graph, provider=None):
         "schema": model.get('schema', schema),
         "sql": model.get('injected_sql'),
         "sql_now": adapter.date_function(),
-        "fromjson": fromjson(model),
+        "fromjson": fromjson,
+        "tojson": tojson,
         "target": target,
         "this": dbt.utils.Relation(profile, adapter, model, use_temp=True)
     })
diff --git a/dbt/include/global_project/macros/materializations/helpers.sql b/dbt/include/global_project/macros/materializations/helpers.sql
index 1171be00f69..f6e0563dd1b 100644
--- a/dbt/include/global_project/macros/materializations/helpers.sql
+++ b/dbt/include/global_project/macros/materializations/helpers.sql
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 
 {% macro make_hook_config(sql, inside_transaction) %}
-    {{ {"sql": sql, "transaction": inside_transaction} | tojson }}
+    {{ tojson({"sql": sql, "transaction": inside_transaction}) }}
 {% endmacro %}
 
 
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 7960f2497be..262b002e96c 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 argparse>=1.2.1
-Jinja2>=2.9
+Jinja2>=2.8
 PyYAML>=3.11
 psycopg2==2.7.1
 sqlparse==0.2.3
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index cca8e9458ca..336d01dbfd9 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
         'scripts/dbt',
     ],
     install_requires=[
-        'Jinja2>=2.9',
+        'Jinja2>=2.8',
         'PyYAML>=3.11',
         'psycopg2==2.7.1',
         'sqlparse==0.2.3',