diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index eeac963fa3ed..078f3d961c0a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ Removed
 
 Fixed
 -----
+- fixed bug that occurred when sending ``elements:`` through a channel that doesn't support them
+
 
 [1.2.5] - 2019-08-26
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
diff --git a/rasa/core/channels/channel.py b/rasa/core/channels/channel.py
index c10ff1884377..483b94e23ec5 100644
--- a/rasa/core/channels/channel.py
+++ b/rasa/core/channels/channel.py
@@ -244,12 +244,15 @@ async def send_elements(
 
         Default implementation will just post the elements as a string."""
 
+        # we can't pass the empty "buttons" key of the message through to send_text_with_buttons()
+        kwargs.pop("buttons", None)
+
         for element in elements:
             element_msg = "{title} : {subtitle}".format(
                 title=element.get("title", ""), subtitle=element.get("subtitle", "")
             )
             await self.send_text_with_buttons(
-                recipient_id, element_msg, element.get("buttons", [], **kwargs)
+                recipient_id, element_msg, element.get("buttons", []), **kwargs
             )
 
     async def send_custom_json(