diff --git a/src/bitcoin.h b/src/bitcoin.h
index 8c891e51..dd291dc2 100644
--- a/src/bitcoin.h
+++ b/src/bitcoin.h
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ struct gbtbase {
 	char nbit[12];
 	int coinbasevalue;
 	int height;
-	char *txn_data;
 	int transactions;
+	char *txn_data;
 	int merkles;
 	char merklehash[16][68];
 	json_t *json;
diff --git a/src/libckpool.c b/src/libckpool.c
index b958da6e..ab3f8e99 100644
--- a/src/libckpool.c
+++ b/src/libckpool.c
@@ -828,6 +828,7 @@ out:
 	return val;
 }
 
+
 /* Align a size_t to 4 byte boundaries for fussy arches */
 void align_len(size_t *len)
 {
diff --git a/src/stratifier.c b/src/stratifier.c
index 3d50881e..30b89a68 100644
--- a/src/stratifier.c
+++ b/src/stratifier.c
@@ -17,13 +17,94 @@
 #include "libckpool.h"
 #include "bitcoin.h"
 
+struct workbase {
+	/* GBT/shared variables */
+	char target[68];
+	double diff;
+	uint32_t version;
+	uint32_t curtime;
+	char prevhash[68];
+	char ntime[12];
+	char bbversion[12];
+	char nbit[12];
+	int coinbasevalue;
+	int height;
+	int transactions;
+	char *txn_data;
+	int merkles;
+	char merklehash[16][68];
+
+	/* Work variables */
+};
+
+typedef struct workbase workbase_t;
+
+/* No error checking with these, make sure we know they're valid already! */
+static inline void json_strcpy(char *buf, json_t *val, const char *key)
+{
+	strcpy(buf, json_string_value(json_object_get(val, key)));
+}
+
+static inline void json_dblcpy(double *dbl, json_t *val, const char *key)
+{
+	*dbl = json_real_value(json_object_get(val, key));
+}
+
+static inline void json_uintcpy(uint32_t *u32, json_t *val, const char *key)
+{
+	*u32 = (uint32_t)json_integer_value(json_object_get(val, key));
+}
+
+static inline void json_intcpy(int *i, json_t *val, const char *key)
+{
+	*i = json_integer_value(json_object_get(val, key));
+}
+
+static inline void json_strdup(char **buf, json_t *val, const char *key)
+{
+	*buf = strdup(json_string_value(json_object_get(val, key)));
+}
+
+/* This function assumes it will only receive a valid json gbt base template
+ * since checking should have been done earlier, and creates the base template
+ * for generating work templates. */
 static void update_base(ckpool_t *ckp)
 {
+	workbase_t wb;
+	json_t *val;
 	char *buf;
 
+	memset(&wb, 0, sizeof(wb));
 	buf = send_recv_proc(&ckp->generator, "getbase");
-	/* Do something with this buffer here */
+	if (unlikely(!buf)) {
+		LOGWARNING("Failed to get base from generator in update_base");
+		return;
+	}
+	val = json_loads(buf, 0, NULL);
 	dealloc(buf);
+
+	json_strcpy(wb.target, val, "target");
+	json_dblcpy(&wb.diff, val, "diff");
+	json_uintcpy(&wb.version, val, "version");
+	json_uintcpy(&wb.curtime, val, "curtime");
+	json_strcpy(wb.prevhash, val, "prevhash");
+	json_strcpy(wb.ntime, val, "ntime");
+	json_strcpy(wb.bbversion, val, "bbversion");
+	json_intcpy(&wb.coinbasevalue, val, "coinbasevalue");
+	json_intcpy(&wb.height, val, "height");
+	json_intcpy(&wb.transactions, val, "transactions");
+	if (wb.transactions)
+		json_strdup(&wb.txn_data, val, "txn_data");
+	json_intcpy(&wb.merkles, val, "merkles");
+	if (wb.merkles) {
+		json_t *arr;
+		int i;
+
+		arr = json_object_get(val, "merklehash");
+		for (i = 0; i < wb.merkles; i++)
+			strcpy(&wb.merklehash[i][0], json_string_value(json_array_get(arr, i)));
+	}
+	json_decref(val);
 }
 
 static int strat_loop(ckpool_t *ckp, proc_instance_t *pi)