diff --git a/fbchat/_client.py b/fbchat/_client.py
index bfee672..788ef95 100644
--- a/fbchat/_client.py
+++ b/fbchat/_client.py
@@ -122,7 +122,8 @@ class Client(object):
         payload = self._generatePayload(query)
         r = self._state._session.get(prefix_url(url), params=payload)
         try:
-            return check_request(r)
+            content = check_request(r)
+            return to_json(content)
         except FBchatFacebookError as e:
             if error_retries > 0 and self._fix_fb_errors(e.fb_error_code):
                 return self._get(url, query=query, error_retries=error_retries - 1)
@@ -132,11 +133,11 @@ class Client(object):
         payload = self._generatePayload(query)
         r = self._state._session.post(prefix_url(url), data=payload, files=files)
         try:
+            content = check_request(r)
             if as_graphql:
-                content = check_request(r, as_json=False)
                 return graphql_response_to_json(content)
             else:
-                return check_request(r)
+                return to_json(content)
         except FBchatFacebookError as e:
             if error_retries > 0 and self._fix_fb_errors(e.fb_error_code):
                 return self._post(
diff --git a/fbchat/_util.py b/fbchat/_util.py
index 81751bb..4406ae7 100644
--- a/fbchat/_util.py
+++ b/fbchat/_util.py
@@ -156,11 +156,11 @@ def check_json(j):
     handle_generic_error(j)
 
 
-def check_request(r, as_json=True):
+def check_request(r):
     check_http_code(r.status_code)
     content = get_decoded_r(r)
     check_content(content)
-    return to_json(content) if as_json else content
+    return content
 
 
 def check_http_code(code):