diff --git a/app.go b/app.go
index e3a589adb877..721c1ff6bd80 100644
--- a/app.go
+++ b/app.go
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/version"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/auth"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/auth/ante"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/auth/vesting"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/bank"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/crisis"
 	distr "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/distribution"
@@ -79,16 +78,6 @@ var (
 	}
 )
 
-// MakeCodec - custom tx codec
-func MakeCodec() *codec.Codec {
-	var cdc = codec.New()
-	ModuleBasics.RegisterCodec(cdc)
-	vesting.RegisterCodec(cdc)
-	sdk.RegisterCodec(cdc)
-	codec.RegisterCrypto(cdc)
-	return cdc
-}
-
 // Verify app interface at compile time
 var _ App = (*SimApp)(nil)
 
@@ -135,6 +124,9 @@ func NewSimApp(
 	invCheckPeriod uint, baseAppOptions ...func(*bam.BaseApp),
 ) *SimApp {
 
+	appCodec := NewAppCodec()
+
+	// TODO: Remove cdc in favor of appCodec once all modules are migrated.
 	cdc := MakeCodec()
 
 	bApp := bam.NewBaseApp(appName, logger, db, auth.DefaultTxDecoder(cdc), baseAppOptions...)
@@ -180,7 +172,7 @@ func NewSimApp(
 		app.cdc, keys[supply.StoreKey], app.AccountKeeper, app.BankKeeper, maccPerms,
 	)
 	stakingKeeper := staking.NewKeeper(
-		app.cdc, keys[staking.StoreKey], app.BankKeeper, app.SupplyKeeper, app.subspaces[staking.ModuleName],
+		appCodec.Staking, keys[staking.StoreKey], app.BankKeeper, app.SupplyKeeper, app.subspaces[staking.ModuleName],
 	)
 	app.MintKeeper = mint.NewKeeper(
 		app.cdc, keys[mint.StoreKey], app.subspaces[mint.ModuleName], &stakingKeeper,
diff --git a/codec.go b/codec.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8f87e7e324b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codec.go
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package simapp
+
+import (
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/codec"
+	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/auth/vesting"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/staking"
+)
+
+// AppCodec defines the application-level codec. This codec contains all the
+// required module-specific codecs that are to be provided upon initialization.
+type AppCodec struct {
+	amino *codec.Codec
+
+	Staking *staking.Codec
+}
+
+func NewAppCodec() *AppCodec {
+	amino := MakeCodec()
+
+	return &AppCodec{
+		amino:   amino,
+		Staking: staking.NewCodec(amino),
+	}
+}
+
+// MakeCodec creates and returns a reference to an Amino codec that has all the
+// necessary types and interfaces registered. This codec is provided to all the
+// modules the application depends on.
+//
+// NOTE: This codec will be deprecated in favor of AppCodec once all modules are
+// migrated.
+func MakeCodec() *codec.Codec {
+	var cdc = codec.New()
+	ModuleBasics.RegisterCodec(cdc)
+	vesting.RegisterCodec(cdc)
+	sdk.RegisterCodec(cdc)
+	codec.RegisterCrypto(cdc)
+	return cdc
+}