diff --git a/handlers/external/external.go b/handlers/external/external.go
index 97f3f6c2b..62ee86876 100644
--- a/handlers/external/external.go
+++ b/handlers/external/external.go
@@ -353,6 +353,11 @@ func (h *handler) SendMsg(ctx context.Context, msg courier.Msg) (courier.MsgStat
 		}
 		req.Header.Set("Content-Type", contentTypeHeader)
 
+		authorization := msg.Channel().StringConfigForKey(courier.ConfigSendAuthorization, "")
+		if authorization != "" {
+			req.Header.Set("Authorization", authorization)
+		}
+
 		headers := msg.Channel().ConfigForKey(courier.ConfigSendHeaders, map[string]interface{}{}).(map[string]interface{})
 
 		if len(headers) > 0 {
diff --git a/handlers/external/external_test.go b/handlers/external/external_test.go
index bbed3d214..8a9343c68 100644
--- a/handlers/external/external_test.go
+++ b/handlers/external/external_test.go
@@ -503,4 +503,14 @@ func TestSending(t *testing.T) {
 
 	RunChannelSendTestCases(t, nationalChannel, newHandler(), nationalGetSendTestCases, nil)
 
+	var jsonChannelWithSendAuthorization = courier.NewMockChannel("8eb23e93-5ecb-45ba-b726-3b064e0c56ab", "EX", "2020", "US",
+		map[string]interface{}{
+			"send_path":                     "",
+			courier.ConfigSendBody:          `{ "to":{{to}}, "text":{{text}}, "from":{{from}}, "quick_replies":{{quick_replies}} }`,
+			courier.ConfigContentType:       contentJSON,
+			courier.ConfigSendMethod:        http.MethodPost,
+			courier.ConfigSendAuthorization: "Token ABCDEF",
+		})
+	RunChannelSendTestCases(t, jsonChannelWithSendAuthorization, newHandler(), jsonSendTestCases, nil)
+
 }