diff --git a/watcher/src/watchers/CosmwasmWatcher.ts b/watcher/src/watchers/CosmwasmWatcher.ts
index 65d61391..ca2a8aa3 100644
--- a/watcher/src/watchers/CosmwasmWatcher.ts
+++ b/watcher/src/watchers/CosmwasmWatcher.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { makeBlockKey, makeVaaKey } from '../databases/utils';
 import { Watcher } from './Watcher';
 import { SHA256 } from 'jscrypto/SHA256';
 import { Base64 } from 'jscrypto/Base64';
+import { isBase64Encoded } from './utils';
 
 export class CosmwasmWatcher extends Watcher {
   latestBlockTag: string;
@@ -112,14 +113,27 @@ export class CosmwasmWatcher extends Watcher {
                   // only care about _contract_address, message.sender and message.sequence
                   const numAttrs = attrs.length;
                   for (let k = 0; k < numAttrs; k++) {
-                    const key = Buffer.from(attrs[k].key, 'base64').toString().toLowerCase();
+                    let base64Encoded: boolean = false;
+                    let key: string;
+                    if (isBase64Encoded(attrs[k].key)) {
+                      key = Buffer.from(attrs[k].key, 'base64').toString().toLowerCase();
+                      base64Encoded = true;
+                    } else {
+                      key = attrs[k].key.toLowerCase();
+                    }
                     this.logger.debug('Encoded Key = ' + attrs[k].key + ', decoded = ' + key);
                     if (key === 'message.sender') {
-                      emitter = Buffer.from(attrs[k].value, 'base64').toString();
+                      emitter = base64Encoded
+                        ? Buffer.from(attrs[k].value, 'base64').toString()
+                        : attrs[k].value;
                     } else if (key === 'message.sequence') {
-                      sequence = Buffer.from(attrs[k].value, 'base64').toString();
+                      sequence = base64Encoded
+                        ? Buffer.from(attrs[k].value, 'base64').toString()
+                        : attrs[k].value;
                     } else if (key === '_contract_address' || key === 'contract_address') {
-                      let addr = Buffer.from(attrs[k].value, 'base64').toString();
+                      let addr = base64Encoded
+                        ? Buffer.from(attrs[k].value, 'base64').toString()
+                        : attrs[k].value;
                       if (addr === address) {
                         coreContract = true;
                       }
diff --git a/watcher/src/watchers/__tests__/CosmwasmWatcher.test.ts b/watcher/src/watchers/__tests__/CosmwasmWatcher.test.ts
index 7cfcfd64..48413486 100644
--- a/watcher/src/watchers/__tests__/CosmwasmWatcher.test.ts
+++ b/watcher/src/watchers/__tests__/CosmwasmWatcher.test.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { InjectiveExplorerWatcher } from '../InjectiveExplorerWatcher';
 import { SeiExplorerWatcher } from '../SeiExplorerWatcher';
 import { WormchainWatcher } from '../WormchainWatcher';
 import { INITIAL_DEPLOYMENT_BLOCK_BY_CHAIN } from '@wormhole-foundation/wormhole-monitor-common';
+import { isBase64Encoded } from '../utils';
 
 jest.setTimeout(60000);
 
@@ -213,3 +214,24 @@ test('getMessagesForBlocks(wormchain)', async () => {
     '4D861F1BE86325D227FA006CA2745BBC6748AF5B5E0811DE536D02792928472A:3104/aeb534c45c3049d380b9d9b966f9895f53abd4301bfaff407fa09dea8ae7a924/0',
   ]);
 });
+
+test('isBase64Encoded', async () => {
+  const msg1: string = 'message.sender';
+  const bmsg1: string = Buffer.from(msg1).toString('base64');
+  const msg2: string = 'message.sequence';
+  const bmsg2: string = Buffer.from(msg1).toString('base64');
+  const msg3: string = '_contract.address';
+  const bmsg3: string = Buffer.from(msg1).toString('base64');
+  expect(isBase64Encoded(msg1)).toBe(false);
+  expect(isBase64Encoded(msg2)).toBe(false);
+  expect(isBase64Encoded(msg3)).toBe(false);
+  expect(isBase64Encoded(bmsg1)).toBe(true);
+  expect(isBase64Encoded(bmsg2)).toBe(true);
+  expect(isBase64Encoded(bmsg3)).toBe(true);
+
+  // This test shows the risk involved with checking for base64 encoding.
+  // The following is, actually, clear text.  But it passes the base64 encoding check.
+  // So, passing addresses into the check should be done with caution.
+  const addr: string = 'terra12mrnzvhx3rpej6843uge2yyfppfyd3u9c3uq223q8sl48huz9juqffcnhp';
+  expect(isBase64Encoded(addr)).toBe(true);
+});
diff --git a/watcher/src/watchers/utils.ts b/watcher/src/watchers/utils.ts
index 099d7338..c4f0e5bc 100644
--- a/watcher/src/watchers/utils.ts
+++ b/watcher/src/watchers/utils.ts
@@ -61,3 +61,17 @@ export function makeFinalizedWatcher(chainName: ChainName): Watcher {
     throw new Error(`Attempted to create finalized watcher for unsupported chain ${chainName}`);
   }
 }
+
+// This function uses a regex string to check if the input could
+// possibly be base64 encoded.
+//
+// WARNING:  There are clear text strings that are NOT base64 encoded
+//           that will pass this check.
+export function isBase64Encoded(input: string): boolean {
+  const b64Regex = new RegExp('^(?:[A-Za-z0-9+/]{4})*(?:[A-Za-z0-9+/]{2}==|[A-Za-z0-9+/]{3}=)?$');
+  const match = b64Regex.exec(input);
+  if (match) {
+    return true;
+  }
+  return false;
+}