diff --git a/app/controllers/user_controller.rb b/app/controllers/user_controller.rb
index 197b289140..0423740010 100644
--- a/app/controllers/user_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/user_controller.rb
@@ -706,6 +706,8 @@ def update_user(user, params)
       user.auth_uid = nil
     end
 
+    user.preferred_email_format = params[:user][:preferred_email_format]
+
     if user.save
       set_locale
 
diff --git a/app/models/notifier.rb b/app/models/notifier.rb
index 8f9e3e2954..725447b3fb 100644
--- a/app/models/notifier.rb
+++ b/app/models/notifier.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ class Notifier < ActionMailer::Base
           :auto_submitted => "auto-generated"
   helper :application
   before_action :set_shared_template_vars
-  before_action :attach_project_logo
 
   def signup_confirm(user, token)
     with_recipient_locale user do
@@ -13,8 +12,8 @@ def signup_confirm(user, token)
                      :display_name => user.display_name,
                      :confirm_string => token.token)
 
-      mail :to => user.email,
-           :subject => I18n.t("notifier.signup_confirm.subject")
+      compose_mail user,
+                   :subject => I18n.t("notifier.signup_confirm.subject")
     end
   end
 
@@ -25,8 +24,9 @@ def email_confirm(user, token)
                      :controller => "user", :action => "confirm_email",
                      :confirm_string => token.token)
 
-      mail :to => user.new_email,
-           :subject => I18n.t("notifier.email_confirm.subject")
+      compose_mail user,
+                   :subject => I18n.t("notifier.email_confirm.subject"),
+                   :to => user.new_email
     end
   end
 
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ def lost_password(user, token)
                      :controller => "user", :action => "reset_password",
                      :token => token.token)
 
-      mail :to => user.email,
-           :subject => I18n.t("notifier.lost_password.subject")
+      compose_mail user,
+                   :subject => I18n.t("notifier.lost_password.subject")
     end
   end
 
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ def gpx_success(trace, possible_points)
       @trace_tags = trace.tags
       @possible_points = possible_points
 
-      mail :to => trace.user.email,
-           :subject => I18n.t("notifier.gpx_notification.success.subject")
+      compose_mail trace.user,
+                   :subject => I18n.t("notifier.gpx_notification.success.subject")
     end
   end
 
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ def gpx_failure(trace, error)
       @trace_tags = trace.tags
       @error = error
 
-      mail :to => trace.user.email,
-           :subject => I18n.t("notifier.gpx_notification.failure.subject")
+      compose_mail trace.user,
+                   :subject => I18n.t("notifier.gpx_notification.failure.subject")
     end
   end
 
@@ -80,11 +80,10 @@ def message_notification(message)
                           :message_id => message.id)
       @author = @from_user
 
-      attach_user_avatar(message.sender)
-
-      mail :from => from_address(message.sender.display_name, "m", message.id, message.digest),
-           :to => message.recipient.email,
-           :subject => I18n.t("notifier.message_notification.subject_header", :subject => message.title)
+      compose_mail message.recipient,
+                   :from => from_address(message.sender.display_name, "m", message.id, message.digest),
+                   :subject => I18n.t("notifier.message_notification.subject_header", :subject => message.title),
+                   :attach_avatar => message.sender
     end
   end
 
@@ -113,11 +112,10 @@ def diary_comment_notification(comment, recipient)
                           :title => "Re: #{comment.diary_entry.title}")
       @author = @from_user
 
-      attach_user_avatar(comment.user)
-
-      mail :from => from_address(comment.user.display_name, "c", comment.id, comment.digest, recipient.id),
-           :to => recipient.email,
-           :subject => I18n.t("notifier.diary_comment_notification.subject", :user => comment.user.display_name)
+      compose_mail recipient,
+                   :from => from_address(comment.user.display_name, "c", comment.id, comment.digest, recipient.id),
+                   :subject => I18n.t("notifier.diary_comment_notification.subject", :user => comment.user.display_name),
+                   :attach_avatar => comment.user
     end
   end
 
@@ -132,9 +130,9 @@ def friend_notification(friend)
                            :display_name => @friend.befriender.display_name)
       @author = @friend.befriender.display_name
 
-      attach_user_avatar(@friend.befriender)
-      mail :to => friend.befriendee.email,
-           :subject => I18n.t("notifier.friend_notification.subject", :user => friend.befriender.display_name)
+      compose_mail friend.befriendee,
+                   :subject => I18n.t("notifier.friend_notification.subject", :user => friend.befriender.display_name),
+                   :attach_avatar => @friend.befriender
     end
   end
 
@@ -145,15 +143,12 @@ def note_comment_notification(comment, recipient)
       @comment = comment.body
       @owner = recipient == comment.note.author
       @event = comment.event
-
       @commenter = if comment.author
                      comment.author.display_name
                    else
                      I18n.t("notifier.note_comment_notification.anonymous")
                    end
-
       @author = @commenter
-      attach_user_avatar(comment.author)
 
       subject = if @owner
                   I18n.t("notifier.note_comment_notification.#{@event}.subject_own", :commenter => @commenter)
@@ -161,7 +156,9 @@ def note_comment_notification(comment, recipient)
                   I18n.t("notifier.note_comment_notification.#{@event}.subject_other", :commenter => @commenter)
                 end
 
-      mail :to => recipient.email, :subject => subject
+      compose_mail recipient,
+                   :subject => subject,
+                   :attach_avatar => comment.author
     end
   end
 
@@ -183,24 +180,42 @@ def changeset_comment_notification(comment, recipient)
                   I18n.t("notifier.changeset_comment_notification.commented.subject_other", :commenter => @commenter)
                 end
 
-      attach_user_avatar(comment.author)
-
-      mail :to => recipient.email, :subject => subject
+      compose_mail recipient,
+                   :subject => subject,
+                   :attach_avatar => comment.author
     end
   end
 
   private
 
+  def compose_mail(recipient, options = {})
+    needs_avatar = options.include? :attach_avatar
+    avatar_user = options.delete :attach_avatar
+    options[:to] ||= recipient.email
+    mail(options) do |format|
+      if recipient.preferred_email_format == "text_only"
+        format.text
+      else
+        unless recipient.preferred_email_format == "multipart"
+          logger.warn "Unknown email format '#{recipient.preferred_email_format}, treated as 'multipart'"
+        end
+        attach_images(needs_avatar, avatar_user)
+        format.text
+        format.html
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   def set_shared_template_vars
     @root_url = root_url(:host => SERVER_URL)
   end
 
-  def attach_project_logo
+  def attach_images(needs_avatar, avatar_user)
+    # NB we could have (needs_avatar==true && avatar_user.nil?) iff this is an anonymous comment
     attachments.inline["logo.png"] = File.read(Rails.root.join("app", "assets", "images", "osm_logo_30.png"))
-  end
-
-  def attach_user_avatar(user)
-    attachments.inline["avatar.png"] = File.read(user_avatar_file_path(user))
+    if needs_avatar
+      attachments.inline["avatar.png"] = File.read(user_avatar_file_path(avatar_user))
+    end
   end
 
   def user_avatar_file_path(user)
diff --git a/app/views/user/account.html.erb b/app/views/user/account.html.erb
index 47a84e99bc..6abb432916 100644
--- a/app/views/user/account.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/user/account.html.erb
@@ -51,7 +51,11 @@
       <%= f.select :auth_provider, Auth::PROVIDERS %>
       <%= f.text_field :auth_uid %>
       <span class="form-help deemphasize">(<a href="<%= t 'user.account.openid.link' %>" target="_new"><%= t 'user.account.openid.link text' %></a>)</span>
-    </diV>
+    </div>
+    <div class="form-row">
+      <label class="standard-label"><%= t 'user.account.preferred_email_format' %></label>
+      <%= f.select :preferred_email_format, [[t('user.email_format.multipart'), 'multipart'], [t('user.email_format.text_only'), 'text_only']] %>
+    </div>
   </fieldset>
 
   <fieldset class="form-divider">
diff --git a/config/locales/en.yml b/config/locales/en.yml
index 7edeea7d0c..31c5be82a7 100644
--- a/config/locales/en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/en.yml
@@ -1951,6 +1951,7 @@ en:
       return to profile: Return to profile
       flash update success confirm needed: "User information updated successfully. Check your email for a note to confirm your new email address."
       flash update success: "User information updated successfully."
+      preferred_email_format: "Preferred Email Format:"
     confirm:
       heading: Check your email!
       introduction_1: |
@@ -2029,6 +2030,9 @@ en:
         If you already have an account, you can login to your account
         using your username and password and then associate the account
         with your ID in your user settings.
+    email_format:
+      multipart: Mixed Text & HTML (default)
+      text_only: Text Only
   user_role:
     filter:
       not_an_administrator: "Only administrators can perform user role management, and you are not an administrator."
diff --git a/db/migrate/20170320220020_add_preferred_email_format.rb b/db/migrate/20170320220020_add_preferred_email_format.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..00d3a52c39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20170320220020_add_preferred_email_format.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+require "migrate"
+
+class AddPreferredEmailFormat < ActiveRecord::Migration
+  def change
+    create_enumeration :email_format_enum, %w(text_only multipart)
+    add_column :users, :preferred_email_format, :email_format_enum, :null => false, :default => "multipart"
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/controllers/changeset_controller_test.rb b/test/controllers/changeset_controller_test.rb
index 9d39a8555c..f7adf57aee 100644
--- a/test/controllers/changeset_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/controllers/changeset_controller_test.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 require "test_helper"
 require "changeset_controller"
 
+# rubocop:disable ClassLength
 class ChangesetControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
   api_fixtures
 
@@ -2032,6 +2033,29 @@ def test_create_comment_success
     assert_equal "[OpenStreetMap] pulibc_test2 has commented on a changeset you are interested in", email.subject
 
     ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.clear
+
+    changeset.subscribers.clear
+    changeset.subscribers.push(users(:text_only_emails_user))
+
+    assert_difference "ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.size", 1 do
+      post :comment, :id => changeset.id, :text => "This is a comment"
+    end
+    assert_message_is_text_only(ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.first) do |part|
+      assert_match "This is a comment", part.to_s
+    end
+
+    ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.clear
+
+    changeset.subscribers.clear
+    changeset.subscribers.push(users(:multipart_emails_user))
+    assert_difference "ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.size", 1 do
+      post :comment, :id => changeset.id, :text => "This is a comment"
+    end
+    assert_message_is_multipart(ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.first) do |part|
+      assert_match "This is a comment", part.to_s
+    end
+
+    ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.clear
   end
 
   ##
diff --git a/test/controllers/diary_entry_controller_test.rb b/test/controllers/diary_entry_controller_test.rb
index 49d56c4e42..da9b888ffd 100644
--- a/test/controllers/diary_entry_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/controllers/diary_entry_controller_test.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 class DiaryEntryControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
   include ActionView::Helpers::NumberHelper
+  api_fixtures
 
   def setup
     # Create the default language for diary entries
@@ -405,6 +406,36 @@ def test_comment
     end
   end
 
+  def test_diary_comment_notification_email_format
+    commenter = create(:user)
+
+    # User with email pref set to multipart gets multipart message
+    diary_author = users(:multipart_emails_user)
+    entry = create(:diary_entry, :user => diary_author)
+    post :subscribe, { :id => entry.id, :display_name => diary_author.display_name }, { :user => diary_author }
+    assert_difference "ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.size", entry.subscribers.count do
+      post :comment, { :display_name => diary_author.display_name, :id => entry.id, :diary_comment => { :body => "New comment" } }, { :user => commenter }
+    end
+    assert_message_is_multipart(ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.first) do |part|
+      assert_match "New comment", part.to_s
+    end
+
+    ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.clear
+
+    # User with email pref set to text-only gets text-only message
+    diary_author = users(:text_only_emails_user)
+    entry = create(:diary_entry, :user => diary_author)
+    post :subscribe, { :id => entry.id, :display_name => diary_author.display_name }, { :user => diary_author }
+    assert_difference "ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.size", entry.subscribers.count do
+      post :comment, { :display_name => diary_author.display_name, :id => entry.id, :diary_comment => { :body => "New comment" } }, { :user => commenter }
+    end
+    assert_message_is_text_only(ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.first) do |part|
+      assert_match "New comment", part.to_s
+    end
+
+    ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.clear
+  end
+
   def test_comment_spammy
     user = create(:user)
     other_user = create(:user)
diff --git a/test/controllers/message_controller_test.rb b/test/controllers/message_controller_test.rb
index ae71046c16..e0cd94d5a6 100644
--- a/test/controllers/message_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/controllers/message_controller_test.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 require "test_helper"
 
 class MessageControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
+  api_fixtures
+
   ##
   # test all routes which lead to this controller
   def test_routes
@@ -194,6 +196,38 @@ def test_new_post_send
     assert_select "h1", "The user non_existent_user does not exist"
   end
 
+  def test_email_format
+    session[:user] = create(:user).id
+    message_title = "Test Message"
+    message_body = "Test message body"
+
+    # User with email pref set to multipart gets multipart message
+    assert_difference "ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.size", 1 do
+      post :new,
+           :display_name => users(:multipart_emails_user).display_name,
+           :message => { :title => message_title, :body => message_body }
+    end
+    assert_message_is_multipart(ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.first) do |part|
+      assert_match message_title, part.to_s
+      assert_match message_body, part.to_s
+    end
+
+    ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.clear
+
+    # User with email pref set to text-only gets text-only message
+    assert_difference "ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.size", 1 do
+      post :new,
+           :display_name => users(:text_only_emails_user).display_name,
+           :message => { :title => message_title, :body => message_body }
+    end
+    assert_message_is_text_only(ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.first) do |part|
+      assert_match message_title, part.to_s
+      assert_match message_body, part.to_s
+    end
+
+    ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.clear
+  end
+
   ##
   # test the new action message limit
   def test_new_limit
diff --git a/test/controllers/notes_controller_test.rb b/test/controllers/notes_controller_test.rb
index 3ee283f4a7..293e1485a7 100644
--- a/test/controllers/notes_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/controllers/notes_controller_test.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 require "test_helper"
 
 class NotesControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
+  api_fixtures
+
   def setup
     # Stub nominatim response for note locations
     stub_request(:get, %r{^http://nominatim\.openstreetmap\.org/reverse\?})
@@ -999,4 +1001,32 @@ def test_mine_success
     get :mine, :display_name => "non-existent"
     assert_response :not_found
   end
+
+  def test_note_comment_notification_email_format
+    # User with email pref set to multipart gets multipart message
+    note_with_comments_by_users = create(:note) do |note|
+      create(:note_comment, :note => note, :author => users(:multipart_emails_user))
+    end
+    assert_difference "ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.size", 1 do
+      post :comment, :id => note_with_comments_by_users.id, :text => "This is an additional comment", :format => "json"
+    end
+    assert_message_is_multipart(ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.first) do |part|
+      assert_match "This is an additional comment", part.to_s
+    end
+
+    ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.clear
+
+    # User with email pref set to text-only gets text-only message
+    note_with_comments_by_users = create(:note) do |note|
+      create(:note_comment, :note => note, :author => users(:text_only_emails_user))
+    end
+    assert_difference "ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.size", 1 do
+      post :comment, :id => note_with_comments_by_users.id, :text => "This is an additional comment", :format => "json"
+    end
+    assert_message_is_text_only(ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.first) do |part|
+      assert_match "This is an additional comment", part.to_s
+    end
+
+    ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.clear
+  end
 end
diff --git a/test/controllers/user_controller_test.rb b/test/controllers/user_controller_test.rb
index 3232b9e2ed..73a595ad52 100644
--- a/test/controllers/user_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/controllers/user_controller_test.rb
@@ -1410,7 +1410,7 @@ def test_list_get_paginated
     get :list, :page => 3
     assert_response :success
     assert_template :list
-    assert_select "table#user_list tr", :count => 28
+    assert_select "table#user_list tr", :count => 30
   end
 
   def test_list_post_confirm
diff --git a/test/fixtures/users.yml b/test/fixtures/users.yml
index 18b33f6bfc..48e9b7c85d 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/users.yml
+++ b/test/fixtures/users.yml
@@ -347,3 +347,29 @@ wikipedia_user:
   terms_agreed: "2010-01-01 11:22:33"
   terms_seen: true
   languages: en
+
+text_only_emails_user:
+  id: 26
+  email: text-only-user@example.com
+  status: active
+  pass_crypt: <%= Digest::MD5.hexdigest('test') %>
+  creation_time: "2008-05-01 01:23:45"
+  display_name: textonly_emails
+  data_public: true
+  terms_agreed: "2010-01-01 11:22:33"
+  terms_seen: true
+  languages: en
+  preferred_email_format: text_only
+
+multipart_emails_user:
+  id: 27
+  email: multipart-user@example.com
+  status: active
+  pass_crypt: <%= Digest::MD5.hexdigest('test') %>
+  creation_time: "2008-05-01 01:23:45"
+  display_name: multipart_emails
+  data_public: true
+  terms_agreed: "2010-01-01 11:22:33"
+  terms_seen: true
+  languages: en
+  preferred_email_format: multipart
diff --git a/test/integration/user_creation_test.rb b/test/integration/user_creation_test.rb
index 93e55939cc..1a755cee1a 100644
--- a/test/integration/user_creation_test.rb
+++ b/test/integration/user_creation_test.rb
@@ -94,6 +94,8 @@ def test_user_create_success
       # Check that the confirm account url is correct
       assert_match /#{@url}/, register_email.body.to_s
 
+      assert_message_is_multipart register_email
+
       # Check the page
       assert_response :success
       assert_template "user/confirm"
diff --git a/test/test_helper.rb b/test/test_helper.rb
index dba0051454..01dc7e0582 100644
--- a/test/test_helper.rb
+++ b/test/test_helper.rb
@@ -180,13 +180,34 @@ def stub_hostip_requests
     end
 
     def email_text_parts(message)
-      message.parts.each_with_object([]) do |part, text_parts|
-        if part.content_type.start_with?("text/")
-          text_parts.push(part)
-        elsif part.multipart?
-          text_parts.concat(email_text_parts(part))
+      text_parts = []
+      if message.parts.empty?
+        text_parts.push(message)
+      else
+        message.parts.each do |part|
+          if part.content_type.start_with?("text/")
+            text_parts.push(part)
+          elsif part.multipart?
+            text_parts.concat(email_text_parts(part))
+          end
         end
       end
+      assert_not_empty text_parts
+      text_parts
+    end
+
+    def assert_message_is_multipart(email)
+      text_parts = email_text_parts(email)
+      part_types = text_parts.collect { |part| part.content_type.sub(/;.+/, "") }
+      assert_includes part_types, "text/plain"
+      assert_includes part_types, "text/html"
+      text_parts.each { |part| yield part } if block_given?
+    end
+
+    def assert_message_is_text_only(email)
+      assert_empty email.parts
+      assert_match %r{^text/plain}, email.content_type
+      yield email if block_given?
     end
   end
 end