diff --git a/gapic/schema/wrappers.py b/gapic/schema/wrappers.py
index 9dabdfa4da..aa474e0e4e 100644
--- a/gapic/schema/wrappers.py
+++ b/gapic/schema/wrappers.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 import json
 import re
 from itertools import chain
-from typing import (Any, cast, Dict, FrozenSet, Iterable, List, Mapping,
+from typing import (Any, cast, Dict, FrozenSet, Iterator, Iterable, List, Mapping,
                     ClassVar, Optional, Sequence, Set, Tuple, Union)
 from google.api import annotations_pb2      # type: ignore
 from google.api import client_pb2
@@ -757,17 +757,79 @@ class HttpRule:
     uri: str
     body: Optional[str]
 
-    @property
-    def path_fields(self) -> List[Tuple[str, str]]:
+    def path_fields(self, method: "~.Method") -> List[Tuple[Field, str, str]]:
         """return list of (name, template) tuples extracted from uri."""
-        return [(match.group("name"), match.group("template"))
+        input = method.input
+        return [(input.get_field(*match.group("name").split(".")), match.group("name"), match.group("template"))
                 for match in path_template._VARIABLE_RE.finditer(self.uri)]
 
-    @property
-    def sample_request(self) -> str:
+    def sample_request(self, method: "~.Method") -> str:
         """return json dict for sample request matching the uri template."""
-        sample = utils.sample_from_path_fields(self.path_fields)
-        return json.dumps(sample)
+
+        def sample_from_path_fields(paths: List[Tuple["wrappers.Field", str, str]]) -> Dict[Any, Any]:
+            """Construct a dict for a sample request object from a list of fields
+               and template patterns.
+
+            Args:
+                  paths: a list of tuples, each with a (segmented) name and a pattern.
+            Returns:
+                  A new nested dict with the templates instantiated.
+            """
+
+            request: Dict[str, Any] = {}
+
+            def _sample_names() -> Iterator[str]:
+                sample_num: int = 0
+                while True:
+                    sample_num += 1
+                    yield "sample{}".format(sample_num)
+
+            def add_field(obj, path, value):
+                """Insert a field into a nested dict and return the (outer) dict.
+                 Keys and sub-dicts are inserted if necessary to create the path.
+                 e.g. if obj, as passed in, is {}, path is "a.b.c", and value is
+                 "hello", obj will be updated to:
+                  {'a':
+                     {'b':
+                      {
+                      'c': 'hello'
+                      }
+                     }
+                  }
+
+                Args:
+                  obj: a (possibly) nested dict (parsed json)
+                  path: a segmented field name, e.g. "a.b.c"
+                    where each part is a dict key.
+                  value: the value of the new key.
+                Returns:
+                      obj, possibly modified
+                Raises:
+                      AttributeError if the path references a key that is
+                  not a dict.: e.g. path='a.b', obj = {'a':'abc'}
+                """
+
+                segments = path.split('.')
+                leaf = segments.pop()
+                subfield = obj
+                for segment in segments:
+                    subfield = subfield.setdefault(segment, {})
+                subfield[leaf] = value
+                return obj
+
+            sample_names = _sample_names()
+            for field, path, template in paths:
+                sample_value = re.sub(
+                    r"(\*\*|\*)",
+                    lambda n: next(sample_names),
+                    template or '*'
+                ) if field.type == PrimitiveType.build(str) else field.mock_value_original_type
+                add_field(request, path, sample_value)
+
+            return request
+
+        sample = sample_from_path_fields(self.path_fields(method))
+        return sample
 
     @classmethod
     def try_parse_http_rule(cls, http_rule) -> Optional['HttpRule']:
diff --git a/gapic/templates/%namespace/%name_%version/%sub/services/%service/transports/rest.py.j2 b/gapic/templates/%namespace/%name_%version/%sub/services/%service/transports/rest.py.j2
index a94ce42c53..0d0998cf43 100644
--- a/gapic/templates/%namespace/%name_%version/%sub/services/%service/transports/rest.py.j2
+++ b/gapic/templates/%namespace/%name_%version/%sub/services/%service/transports/rest.py.j2
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ class {{service.name}}RestTransport({{service.name}}Transport):
     {% if method.input.required_fields %}
     __{{ method.name | snake_case }}_required_fields_default_values =  {
     {% for req_field in method.input.required_fields if req_field.is_primitive %}
-        "{{ req_field.name | camel_case }}" : {% if req_field.field_pb.default_value is string %}"{{req_field.field_pb.default_value }}"{% else %}{{ req_field.field_pb.default_value }}{% endif %},{# default is str #}
+        "{{ req_field.name | camel_case }}" : {% if req_field.field_pb.type == 9 %}"{{req_field.field_pb.default_value }}"{% else %}{{ req_field.type.python_type(req_field.field_pb.default_value or 0) }}{% endif %},{# default is str #}
     {% endfor %}
     }
 
diff --git a/gapic/templates/tests/unit/gapic/%name_%version/%sub/test_%service.py.j2 b/gapic/templates/tests/unit/gapic/%name_%version/%sub/test_%service.py.j2
index fdcec0eeaa..4cd8c37bf3 100644
--- a/gapic/templates/tests/unit/gapic/%name_%version/%sub/test_%service.py.j2
+++ b/gapic/templates/tests/unit/gapic/%name_%version/%sub/test_%service.py.j2
@@ -1134,11 +1134,11 @@ def test_{{ method_name }}_rest(transport: str = 'rest', request_type={{ method.
     )
 
     # send a request that will satisfy transcoding
-    request_init = {{ method.http_options[0].sample_request}}
+    request_init = {{ method.http_options[0].sample_request(method) }}
     {% for field in method.body_fields.values() %}
     {% if not field.oneof or field.proto3_optional %}
     {# ignore oneof fields that might conflict with sample_request #}
-    request_init["{{ field.name }}"] = {{ field.mock_value }}
+    request_init["{{ field.name }}"] = {{ field.mock_value_original_type }}
     {% endif %}
     {% endfor %}
     request = request_type(request_init)
@@ -1221,10 +1221,10 @@ def test_{{ method_name }}_rest_required_fields(request_type={{ method.input.ide
 
     request_init = {}
     {% for req_field in method.input.required_fields if req_field.is_primitive %}
-    {% if req_field.field_pb.default_value is string %}
+    {% if req_field.field_pb.type == 9 %}
     request_init["{{ req_field.name }}"] = "{{ req_field.field_pb.default_value }}"
     {% else %}
-    request_init["{{ req_field.name }}"] = {{ req_field.field_pb.default_value }}
+    request_init["{{ req_field.name }}"] = {{ req_field.type.python_type(req_field.field_pb.default_value or 0) }}
     {% endif %}{# default is str #}
     {% endfor %}
     request = request_type(request_init)
@@ -1324,10 +1324,10 @@ def test_{{ method_name }}_rest_required_fields(request_type={{ method.input.ide
                 {% for req_field in method.input.required_fields if req_field.is_primitive %}
                 (
                     "{{ req_field.name | camel_case }}",
-                    {% if req_field.field_pb.default_value is string %}
+                    {% if req_field.field_pb.type == 9 %}
                     "{{ req_field.field_pb.default_value }}",
                     {% else %}
-                    {{ req_field.field_pb.default_value }},
+                    {{ req_field.type.python_type(req_field.field_pb.default_value or 0) }},
                     {% endif %}{# default is str #}
                 ),
                 {% endfor %}
@@ -1346,11 +1346,11 @@ def test_{{ method_name }}_rest_bad_request(transport: str = 'rest', request_typ
     )
 
     # send a request that will satisfy transcoding
-    request_init = {{ method.http_options[0].sample_request}}
+    request_init = {{ method.http_options[0].sample_request(method) }}
     {% for field in method.body_fields.values() %}
     {% if not field.oneof or field.proto3_optional %}
     {# ignore oneof fields that might conflict with sample_request #}
-    request_init["{{ field.name }}"] = {{ field.mock_value }}
+    request_init["{{ field.name }}"] = {{ field.mock_value_original_type }}
     {% endif %}
     {% endfor %}
     request = request_type(request_init)
@@ -1411,7 +1411,7 @@ def test_{{ method_name }}_rest_flattened(transport: str = 'rest'):
         req.return_value = response_value
 
         # get arguments that satisfy an http rule for this method
-        sample_request = {{ method.http_options[0].sample_request }}
+        sample_request = {{ method.http_options[0].sample_request(method) }}
 
         # get truthy value for each flattened field
         mock_args = dict(
@@ -1531,7 +1531,7 @@ def test_{{ method_name }}_rest_pager(transport: str = 'rest'):
                 return_val.status_code = 200
             req.side_effect = return_values
 
-            sample_request = {{ method.http_options[0].sample_request }}
+            sample_request = {{ method.http_options[0].sample_request(method) }}
             {% for field in method.body_fields.values() %}
             {% if not field.oneof or field.proto3_optional %}
             {# ignore oneof fields that might conflict with sample_request #}
diff --git a/gapic/utils/__init__.py b/gapic/utils/__init__.py
index 5000d78b49..047cc4f300 100644
--- a/gapic/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/gapic/utils/__init__.py
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 from gapic.utils.reserved_names import RESERVED_NAMES
 from gapic.utils.rst import rst
 from gapic.utils.uri_conv import convert_uri_fieldnames
-from gapic.utils.uri_sample import sample_from_path_fields
 
 
 __all__ = (
@@ -44,7 +43,6 @@
     'partition',
     'RESERVED_NAMES',
     'rst',
-    'sample_from_path_fields',
     'sort_lines',
     'to_snake_case',
     'to_camel_case',
diff --git a/gapic/utils/uri_sample.py b/gapic/utils/uri_sample.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 0eba82220f..0000000000
--- a/gapic/utils/uri_sample.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,78 +0,0 @@
-# Copyright 2021 Google LLC
-#
-# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
-# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
-# You may obtain a copy of the License at
-#
-#     https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-#
-# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
-# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
-# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
-# limitations under the License.
-
-from typing import Any, Generator, Dict, List, Tuple
-import re
-
-
-def _sample_names() -> Generator[str, None, None]:
-    sample_num: int = 0
-    while True:
-        sample_num += 1
-        yield "sample{}".format(sample_num)
-
-
-def add_field(obj, path, value):
-    """Insert a field into a nested dict and return the (outer) dict.
-     Keys and sub-dicts are inserted if necessary to create the path.
-     e.g. if obj, as passed in, is {}, path is "a.b.c", and value is
-     "hello", obj will be updated to:
-      {'a':
-         {'b':
-          {
-          'c': 'hello'
-          }
-         }
-      }
-
-    Args:
-      obj: a (possibly) nested dict (parsed json)
-      path: a segmented field name, e.g. "a.b.c"
-        where each part is a dict key.
-      value: the value of the new key.
-    Returns:
-          obj, possibly modified
-    Raises:
-          AttributeError if the path references a key that is
-      not a dict.: e.g. path='a.b', obj = {'a':'abc'}
-    """
-    segments = path.split('.')
-    leaf = segments.pop()
-    subfield = obj
-    for segment in segments:
-        subfield = subfield.setdefault(segment, {})
-    subfield[leaf] = value
-    return obj
-
-
-def sample_from_path_fields(paths: List[Tuple[str, str]]) -> Dict[Any, Any]:
-    """Construct a dict for a sample request object from a list of fields
-       and template patterns.
-
-    Args:
-          paths: a list of tuples, each with a (segmented) name and a pattern.
-    Returns:
-          A new nested dict with the templates instantiated.
-    """
-
-    request: Dict[str, Any] = {}
-    sample_names = _sample_names()
-
-    for path, template in paths:
-        sample_value = re.sub(
-            r"(\*\*|\*)",
-            lambda n: next(sample_names), template if template else '*'
-        )
-        add_field(request, path, sample_value)
-    return request
diff --git a/tests/fragments/test_required_non_string.proto b/tests/fragments/test_required_non_string.proto
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fb055d6019
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fragments/test_required_non_string.proto
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2021  Google LLC
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+syntax = "proto3";
+
+package google.fragment;
+
+import "google/api/client.proto";
+import "google/api/field_behavior.proto";
+import "google/api/annotations.proto";
+
+service RestService {
+  option (google.api.default_host) = "my.example.com";
+
+  rpc MyMethod(MethodRequest) returns (MethodResponse) {
+    option (google.api.http) = {
+      get: "/restservice/v1/mass_kg/{mass_kg}/length_cm/{length_cm}"
+    };
+  }
+}
+
+
+message MethodRequest {
+  int32 mass_kg = 1 [(google.api.field_behavior) = REQUIRED];
+  float length_cm = 2 [(google.api.field_behavior) = REQUIRED];
+}
+
+message MethodResponse {
+  string name = 1;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/unit/schema/wrappers/test_method.py b/tests/unit/schema/wrappers/test_method.py
index 774f81b172..889dc629a3 100644
--- a/tests/unit/schema/wrappers/test_method.py
+++ b/tests/unit/schema/wrappers/test_method.py
@@ -470,9 +470,29 @@ def test_method_http_options_generate_sample():
     http_rule = http_pb2.HttpRule(
         get='/v1/{resource.id=projects/*/regions/*/id/**}/stuff',
     )
-    method = make_method('DoSomething', http_rule=http_rule)
-    sample = method.http_options[0].sample_request
-    assert json.loads(sample) == {'resource': {
+
+    method = make_method(
+        'DoSomething',
+        make_message(
+            name="Input",
+            fields=[
+                make_field(
+                    name="resource",
+                    number=1,
+                    type=11,
+                    message=make_message(
+                        "Resource",
+                        fields=[
+                            make_field(name="id", type=9),
+                        ],
+                    ),
+                ),
+            ],
+        ),
+        http_rule=http_rule,
+    )
+    sample = method.http_options[0].sample_request(method)
+    assert sample == {'resource': {
         'id': 'projects/sample1/regions/sample2/id/sample3'}}
 
 
@@ -480,9 +500,28 @@ def test_method_http_options_generate_sample_implicit_template():
     http_rule = http_pb2.HttpRule(
         get='/v1/{resource.id}/stuff',
     )
-    method = make_method('DoSomething', http_rule=http_rule)
-    sample = method.http_options[0].sample_request
-    assert json.loads(sample) == {'resource': {
+    method = make_method(
+        'DoSomething',
+        make_message(
+            name="Input",
+            fields=[
+                make_field(
+                    name="resource",
+                    number=1,
+                    message=make_message(
+                        "Resource",
+                        fields=[
+                            make_field(name="id", type=9),
+                        ],
+                    ),
+                ),
+            ],
+        ),
+        http_rule=http_rule,
+    )
+
+    sample = method.http_options[0].sample_request(method)
+    assert sample == {'resource': {
         'id': 'sample1'}}