diff --git a/src/chunk.cc b/src/chunk.cc
index 044aa376d..762a8475b 100644
--- a/src/chunk.cc
+++ b/src/chunk.cc
@@ -238,6 +238,10 @@ namespace Astroid {
 
   }
 
+  bool Chunk::is_content_type (const char * major, const char * minor) {
+    return (mime_object != NULL) && g_mime_content_type_is_type (content_type, major, minor);
+  }
+
   ustring Chunk::viewable_text (bool html = true, bool verbose) {
     if (isencrypted && !crypt->decrypted) {
       if (verbose) {
@@ -258,7 +262,7 @@ namespace Astroid {
       LOG (debug) << "chunk: body: part";
 
 
-      if (g_mime_content_type_is_type (content_type, "text", "plain")) {
+      if (is_content_type ("text", "plain")) {
         LOG (debug) << "chunk: plain text (out html: " << html << ")";
 
         GMimeDataWrapper * content = g_mime_part_get_content (
@@ -328,7 +332,7 @@ namespace Astroid {
 
         content_stream = filter_stream;
 
-      } else if (g_mime_content_type_is_type (content_type, "text", "html")) {
+      } else if (is_content_type ("text", "html")) {
         LOG (debug) << "chunk: html text";
 
         GMimeDataWrapper * content = g_mime_part_get_content (
diff --git a/src/chunk.hh b/src/chunk.hh
index eaea150d9..30d224b0e 100644
--- a/src/chunk.hh
+++ b/src/chunk.hh
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ namespace Astroid {
       ustring content_id;
 
       ustring get_content_type ();
+      bool    is_content_type (const char* major, const char* minor);
 
       ustring viewable_text (bool, bool verbose = false);
 
diff --git a/src/compose_message.cc b/src/compose_message.cc
index b6a1a2596..20d23dd5e 100644
--- a/src/compose_message.cc
+++ b/src/compose_message.cc
@@ -283,8 +283,7 @@ namespace Astroid {
 
     set_subject (msg.subject);
 
-    body << msg.viewable_text (false);
-
+    body << msg.plain_text (false);
   }
 
   void ComposeMessage::finalize () {
diff --git a/src/message_thread.cc b/src/message_thread.cc
index 589b83044..134ccd166 100644
--- a/src/message_thread.cc
+++ b/src/message_thread.cc
@@ -300,21 +300,12 @@ namespace Astroid {
     root = refptr<Chunk>(new Chunk (g_mime_message_get_mime_part (message)));
   }
 
-  ustring Message::viewable_text (bool html, bool fallback_html) {
-    /* build message body:
-     * html:      output html (using gmimes html filter)
-     *
-     */
-
+  ustring Message::plain_text (bool fallback_html) {
     if (missing_content) {
       LOG (warn) << "message: missing content, no text.";
       return "";
     }
 
-    if (html && fallback_html) {
-      throw logic_error ("message: html implies fallback_html");
-    }
-
     ustring body;
 
     function< void (refptr<Chunk>) > app_body =
@@ -324,13 +315,13 @@ namespace Astroid {
       bool use = false;
 
       if (c->siblings.size() >= 1) {
-        if (c->preferred) {
+        if (c->is_content_type ("text", "plain") || fallback_html) {
           use = true;
         } else {
           /* check if there are any other preferred */
           if (all_of (c->siblings.begin (),
                       c->siblings.end (),
-                      [](refptr<Chunk> c) { return (!c->preferred); })) {
+                      [fallback_html](refptr<Chunk> c) { return !(c->is_content_type ("text", "plain") || fallback_html); })) {
             use = true;
           } else {
             use = false;
@@ -341,8 +332,9 @@ namespace Astroid {
       }
 
       if (use) {
-        if (c->viewable && (c->preferred || html || fallback_html)) {
-          body += c->viewable_text (html);
+        if (c->viewable && (c->is_content_type ("text", "plain") || fallback_html)) {
+          /* will output html if HTML part */
+          body += c->viewable_text (false);
         }
 
         for_each (c->kids.begin(),
diff --git a/src/message_thread.hh b/src/message_thread.hh
index 248fdf9b8..15c80750e 100644
--- a/src/message_thread.hh
+++ b/src/message_thread.hh
@@ -63,10 +63,10 @@ namespace Astroid {
       ustring date ();
       ustring date_asctime ();
       ustring pretty_date ();
-      ustring pretty_verbose_date (bool = false);
+      ustring pretty_verbose_date (bool include_short = false);
       std::vector<ustring> tags;
 
-      ustring viewable_text (bool, bool fallback_html = false);
+      ustring plain_text (bool fallback_html = false);
       std::vector<refptr<Chunk>> attachments ();
       refptr<Chunk> get_chunk_by_id (int id);
 
diff --git a/src/modes/forward_message.cc b/src/modes/forward_message.cc
index a47adc1c9..8343b4268 100644
--- a/src/modes/forward_message.cc
+++ b/src/modes/forward_message.cc
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ namespace Astroid {
         quoted << "Cc: " << AddressList(msg->cc()).str () << endl;
       quoted << endl;
 
-      string vt = msg->viewable_text(false);
+      string vt = msg->plain_text (false);
       quoted << vt;
 
       body = ustring(quoted.str());
diff --git a/src/modes/reply_message.cc b/src/modes/reply_message.cc
index c3b673d2b..4cad1a5d7 100644
--- a/src/modes/reply_message.cc
+++ b/src/modes/reply_message.cc
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ namespace Astroid {
     quoted  << quoting_a.raw ()
             << endl;
 
-    string vt = msg->viewable_text(false);
+    string vt = msg->plain_text (false);
     stringstream sstr (vt);
     while (sstr.good()) {
       string line;
diff --git a/src/modes/thread_view/page_client.cc b/src/modes/thread_view/page_client.cc
index a1b7977ab..82c95a528 100644
--- a/src/modes/thread_view/page_client.cc
+++ b/src/modes/thread_view/page_client.cc
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ namespace Astroid {
 
     /* set preview */
     {
-      ustring bp = m->viewable_text (false, false);
+      ustring bp = m->plain_text (false);
       if (static_cast<int>(bp.size()) > MAX_PREVIEW_LEN)
         bp = bp.substr(0, MAX_PREVIEW_LEN - 3) + "...";
 
diff --git a/src/modes/thread_view/thread_view.cc b/src/modes/thread_view/thread_view.cc
index 16d8ba6a9..9843cde45 100644
--- a/src/modes/thread_view/thread_view.cc
+++ b/src/modes/thread_view/thread_view.cc
@@ -1153,7 +1153,7 @@ namespace Astroid {
           for (auto &m : mthread->messages) {
             MessageState s = state[m];
             if (s.marked) {
-              y += m->viewable_text (false, true);
+              y += m->plain_text (true);
               y += "\n";
             }
           }
@@ -1709,7 +1709,7 @@ namespace Astroid {
         auto cp = Gtk::Clipboard::get (astroid->clipboard_target);
         ustring t;
 
-        t = focused_message->viewable_text (false, true);
+        t = focused_message->plain_text (true);
 
         cp->set_text (t);
       }
@@ -1739,7 +1739,7 @@ namespace Astroid {
           auto cp = Gtk::Clipboard::get (astroid->clipboard_target);
           ustring t;
 
-          t = focused_message->viewable_text (false, true);
+          t = focused_message->plain_text (true);
 
           cp->set_text (t);
         }
diff --git a/tests/test_bad_content_id.cc b/tests/test_bad_content_id.cc
index fbffa5817..70b9064fc 100644
--- a/tests/test_bad_content_id.cc
+++ b/tests/test_bad_content_id.cc
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(Reading)
 
     Message m (fname);
 
-    BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW (m.viewable_text (true));
+    BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW (m.plain_text (true));
 
     /* the first part is probablematic */
     /* refptr<Chunk> c = m.root->kids[0]; */
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(Reading)
 
     Message m (fname);
 
-    BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW (m.viewable_text (true));
+    BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW (m.plain_text (true));
 
     /* the first part is probablematic */
     /* refptr<Chunk> c = m.root->kids[0]; */
diff --git a/tests/test_composed_message.cc b/tests/test_composed_message.cc
index e401dd0ef..b9411d458 100644
--- a/tests/test_composed_message.cc
+++ b/tests/test_composed_message.cc
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 # include "account_manager.hh"
 # include "utils/address.hh"
 # include "utils/ustring_utils.hh"
+# include <boost/property_tree/ptree.hpp>
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(Composing)
 
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(Composing)
 
     Message m (fn);
 
-    ustring rbdy = m.viewable_text (false);
+    ustring rbdy = m.plain_text (false);
 
     BOOST_CHECK_MESSAGE (bdy == rbdy, "message reading produces the same output as compose message input");
 
@@ -142,7 +143,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(Composing)
       BOOST_CHECK (m.subject == subject);
       BOOST_CHECK (AddressList(m.to()).str () == to);
       BOOST_CHECK (m.mid == id);
-      BOOST_CHECK (m.viewable_text (false) == (body + signature));
+      BOOST_CHECK (m.plain_text (false) == (body + signature));
 
       unlink (fname.c_str ());
     }
@@ -150,5 +151,37 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(Composing)
     teardown ();
   }
 
+  BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE (compose_test_body_preferred_html)
+  {
+    using Astroid::ComposeMessage;
+    using Astroid::Message;
+    using boost::property_tree::ptree;
+
+    setup ();
+    const_cast<ptree&>(astroid->config()).put ("thread_view.preferred_type", "html");
+
+    ComposeMessage * c = new ComposeMessage ();
+
+    ustring bdy = "This is test: æøå.\n > testing\ntesting\n...";
+
+    LOG (trace) << "cm: writing utf-8 text to message body: " << bdy;
+    c->body << bdy;
+
+    c->build ();
+    c->finalize ();
+    ustring fn = c->write_tmp ();
+
+    delete c;
+
+    Message m (fn);
+
+    ustring rbdy = m.plain_text (false);
+
+    BOOST_CHECK_MESSAGE (bdy == rbdy, "message reading produces the same output as compose message input");
+
+    unlink (fn.c_str ());
+    teardown ();
+  }
+
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END()
 
diff --git a/tests/test_convert_error.cc b/tests/test_convert_error.cc
index 3f0cf5bf3..0b4b7070f 100644
--- a/tests/test_convert_error.cc
+++ b/tests/test_convert_error.cc
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(Reading)
 
     Astroid::Message m (fname);
 
-    BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW (m.viewable_text (false));
+    BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW (m.plain_text (false));
 
     teardown ();
   }
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(Reading)
     quoted  << quoting_a.raw ()
             << endl;
 
-    std::string vt = msg.viewable_text(false);
+    std::string vt = msg.plain_text(false);
     std::stringstream sstr (vt);
     while (sstr.good()) {
       std::string line;
diff --git a/tests/test_crypto.cc b/tests/test_crypto.cc
index eec324a0d..d8a4b19e1 100644
--- a/tests/test_crypto.cc
+++ b/tests/test_crypto.cc
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(GPGEncryption)
     delete c;
 
     Message m (fn);
-    ustring rbdy = m.viewable_text (false);
+    ustring rbdy = m.plain_text (false);
 
     BOOST_CHECK_MESSAGE (bdy == rbdy, "message reading produces the same output as compose message input");
 
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(GPGEncryption)
 
     Message m (fn);
 
-    ustring rbdy = m.viewable_text (false);
+    ustring rbdy = m.plain_text (false);
 
     BOOST_CHECK_MESSAGE (bdy == rbdy, "message reading produces the same output as compose message input");
 
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(GPGEncryption)
     }
 
     /* check that body matches */
-    ustring rbdy = m->viewable_text (false);
+    ustring rbdy = m->plain_text (false);
     BOOST_CHECK_MESSAGE (bdy == rbdy, "message reading produces the same output as compose message input");
 
     /* notmuch thread id */
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(GPGEncryption)
         Db db (Db::DATABASE_READ_ONLY);
         mthread->load_messages (&db);
 
-        BOOST_CHECK_MESSAGE (bdy == mthread->messages[0]->viewable_text (false), "message body matches composed message");
+        BOOST_CHECK_MESSAGE (bdy == mthread->messages[0]->plain_text (false), "message body matches composed message");
 
         tries++;
       }
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(GPGEncryption)
     delete c;
 
     Message m (fn);
-    ustring rbdy = m.viewable_text (false);
+    ustring rbdy = m.plain_text (false);
 
     BOOST_CHECK_MESSAGE (bdy == rbdy, "message reading produces the same output as compose message input");
 
diff --git a/tests/test_markdown.cc b/tests/test_markdown.cc
index 509159af6..0ac8847a1 100644
--- a/tests/test_markdown.cc
+++ b/tests/test_markdown.cc
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(Markdown)
     Message m (fn);
 
     /* check plain text part */
-    ustring pbdy = m.viewable_text (false);
+    ustring pbdy = m.plain_text (false);
     BOOST_CHECK_MESSAGE (pbdy == bdy, "plain text matches plain text");
 
     /* check html part */
diff --git a/tests/test_mime_message.cc b/tests/test_mime_message.cc
index 80d5db95a..2dc0a56ba 100644
--- a/tests/test_mime_message.cc
+++ b/tests/test_mime_message.cc
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(Reading)
 
     Message m (fname);
 
-    BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW (m.viewable_text (true));
+    BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW (m.plain_text (true));
 
     teardown ();
   }
diff --git a/tests/test_no_newline_msg.cc b/tests/test_no_newline_msg.cc
index d06220fa1..3931df93b 100644
--- a/tests/test_no_newline_msg.cc
+++ b/tests/test_no_newline_msg.cc
@@ -23,11 +23,12 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(Reading)
 
     Message m (fname);
 
-    ustring text =  m.viewable_text(false);
+    ustring text =  m.plain_text(false);
     BOOST_CHECK (text.find ("line-ignored") != ustring::npos);
 
-    ustring html = m.viewable_text(true);
-    BOOST_CHECK (html.find ("line-ignored") != ustring::npos);
+    /* test obsolete: */
+    /* ustring html = m.viewable_text(true); */
+    /* BOOST_CHECK (html.find ("line-ignored") != ustring::npos); */
 
     teardown ();
   }
@@ -46,11 +47,12 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(Reading)
 
     Message m (fname);
 
-    ustring text =  m.viewable_text(false);
+    ustring text =  m.plain_text (false);
     BOOST_CHECK (text.find ("line-ignored.com") != ustring::npos);
 
-    ustring html = m.viewable_text(true);
-    BOOST_CHECK (html.find ("line-ignored.com") != ustring::npos);
+    /* test obsolete: */
+    /* ustring html = m.viewable_text(true); */
+    /* BOOST_CHECK (html.find ("line-ignored.com") != ustring::npos); */
 
 
     teardown ();
@@ -66,11 +68,12 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(Reading)
 
     Message m (fname);
 
-    ustring text =  m.viewable_text(false);
+    ustring text =  m.plain_text (false);
     BOOST_CHECK (text.find ("line-ignored.com") != ustring::npos);
 
-    ustring html = m.viewable_text(true);
-    BOOST_CHECK (html.find ("line-ignored.com") != ustring::npos);
+    /* test obsolete: */
+    /* ustring html = m.viewable_text(true); */
+    /* BOOST_CHECK (html.find ("line-ignored.com") != ustring::npos); */
 
 
     teardown ();
@@ -86,7 +89,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(Reading)
 
     Message m (fname);
 
-    ustring text =  m.viewable_text(false, true);
+    ustring text =  m.plain_text (true);
     BOOST_CHECK (text.find ("line-ignored.com") != ustring::npos);
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_non_existant_file.cc b/tests/test_non_existant_file.cc
index e5245da3a..47fbefb05 100644
--- a/tests/test_non_existant_file.cc
+++ b/tests/test_non_existant_file.cc
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(Reading)
     oos->save_to ("tests/mail/test_mail/wont-work.eml");
 
     LOG (test) << "sender: " << oos->sender;
-    LOG (test) << "text: " << oos->viewable_text (false);
+    LOG (test) << "text: " << oos->plain_text (false);
 
     /* these do not seem to be cached */
     LOG (test) << "to: " << AddressList (oos->to()).str();