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                                                                  EXHIBIT 12 B1

                   CERTIFICATION OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER

                                CERTIFICATIONS
                                --------------

I, Ronald E. Robison, certify that:

1.  I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Morgan Stanley Mortgage
    Securities Trust;

2.  Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement
    of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
    statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such
    statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered
    by this report;

3.  Based on my knowledge, the financial statements and other financial
    information included in this report, fairly present in all material
    respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net
    assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to
    include a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the
    periods presented in this report;

4.  The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
    establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
    defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and
    internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d)
    under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have:

a)  designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
    disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision,
    to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including
    its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those
    entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being
    prepared;

b)  designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such
    internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our
    supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of
    financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for
    external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting
    principles;

c)  evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and
    procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the
    effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of a date
    within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report based on such
    evaluation; and

d)  disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal control
    over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's most
    recent fiscal half-year (the registrant's second fiscal half-year in the
    case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably
    likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over
    financial reporting; and

5.  The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed to the
    registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board
    of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

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a)  all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or
    operation of internal control  over financial reporting which are
    reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record,
    process, summarize, and report financial information; and

b)  any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
    employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal
    controls over financial reporting.

Date: June 20, 2006

                                          /s/ Ronald E. Robison
                                          ---------------------
                                          Ronald E. Robison
                                          Principal Executive Officer

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                                                                  EXHIBIT 12 B2

                  CERTIFICATION OF PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER

                                 CERTIFICATIONS
                                 --------------

I, Francis Smith, certify that:

1.  I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Morgan Stanley Mortgage
    Securities Trust;

2.  Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement
    of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
    statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such
    statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered
    by this report;

3.  Based on my knowledge, the financial statements and other financial
    information included in this report, fairly present in all material
    respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net
    assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to
    include a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the
    periods presented in this report;

4.  The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
    establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
    defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and
    internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d)
    under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have:

a)  designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
    disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision,
    to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including
    its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those
    entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being
    prepared;

b)  designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such
    internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our
    supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of
    financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for
    external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting
    principles;

c)  evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and
    procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the
    effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of a date
    within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report based on such
    evaluation; and

d) disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal control
    over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's most
    recent fiscal half-year (the registrant's second fiscal half-year in the
    case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably
    likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over
    financial reporting; and

5.  The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed to the
    registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board
    of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

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a)  all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or
    operation of internal control  over financial reporting which are
    reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record,
    process, summarize, and report financial information; and

b)  any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
    employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal
    controls over financial reporting.

    Date: June 20, 2006
                                          /s/ Francis Smith
                                          -----------------
                                          Francis Smith
                                          Principal Financial Officer