diff --git a/moto/sns/models.py b/moto/sns/models.py
index 4fa72a7d0..0ccf60ea9 100644
--- a/moto/sns/models.py
+++ b/moto/sns/models.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class Topic(object):
         self.display_name = ""
         self.policy = json.dumps(DEFAULT_TOPIC_POLICY)
         self.delivery_policy = ""
-        self.effective_delivery_policy = DEFAULT_EFFECTIVE_DELIVERY_POLICY
+        self.effective_delivery_policy = json.dumps(DEFAULT_EFFECTIVE_DELIVERY_POLICY)
         self.arn = make_arn_for_topic(
             self.account_id, name, sns_backend.region_name)
 
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ DEFAULT_TOPIC_POLICY = {
     }]
 }
 
-DEFAULT_EFFECTIVE_DELIVERY_POLICY = json.dumps({
+DEFAULT_EFFECTIVE_DELIVERY_POLICY = {
     'http': {
         'disableSubscriptionOverrides': False,
         'defaultHealthyRetryPolicy': {
@@ -330,4 +330,4 @@ DEFAULT_EFFECTIVE_DELIVERY_POLICY = json.dumps({
             'backoffFunction': 'linear'
         }
     }
-})
+}
diff --git a/tests/test_sns/test_publishing.py b/tests/test_sns/test_publishing.py
index 718bce5c4..51042675f 100644
--- a/tests/test_sns/test_publishing.py
+++ b/tests/test_sns/test_publishing.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from freezegun import freeze_time
 import sure  # noqa
 
 from moto.packages.responses import responses
-from moto import mock_sns, mock_sns_deprecated, mock_sqs_deprecated
+from moto import mock_sns_deprecated, mock_sqs_deprecated
 
 
 @mock_sqs_deprecated
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ def test_publish_to_sqs_in_different_region():
 
 
 @freeze_time("2013-01-01")
-@mock_sns
 @mock_sns_deprecated
 def test_publish_to_http():
     responses.add(
diff --git a/tests/test_sns/test_topics.py b/tests/test_sns/test_topics.py
index cbb4849c8..1b039c51d 100644
--- a/tests/test_sns/test_topics.py
+++ b/tests/test_sns/test_topics.py
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ def test_topic_attributes():
     attributes["SubscriptionsConfirmed"].should.equal(0)
     attributes["SubscriptionsDeleted"].should.equal(0)
     attributes["DeliveryPolicy"].should.equal("")
-    attributes["EffectiveDeliveryPolicy"].should.equal(
+    json.loads(attributes["EffectiveDeliveryPolicy"]).should.equal(
         DEFAULT_EFFECTIVE_DELIVERY_POLICY)
 
     # boto can't handle prefix-mandatory strings:
diff --git a/tests/test_sns/test_topics_boto3.py b/tests/test_sns/test_topics_boto3.py
index bfa9b5d1f..4702744c3 100644
--- a/tests/test_sns/test_topics_boto3.py
+++ b/tests/test_sns/test_topics_boto3.py
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ def test_topic_attributes():
     attributes["SubscriptionsConfirmed"].should.equal('0')
     attributes["SubscriptionsDeleted"].should.equal('0')
     attributes["DeliveryPolicy"].should.equal("")
-    attributes["EffectiveDeliveryPolicy"].should.equal(
+    json.loads(attributes["EffectiveDeliveryPolicy"]).should.equal(
         DEFAULT_EFFECTIVE_DELIVERY_POLICY)
 
     # boto can't handle prefix-mandatory strings: