diff --git a/backends/libircclient-qt/main.cpp b/backends/libircclient-qt/main.cpp
index b021bf3c..be26ffcc 100644
--- a/backends/libircclient-qt/main.cpp
+++ b/backends/libircclient-qt/main.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class IRCNetworkPlugin : public NetworkPlugin {
 			m_sessions[user]->deleteLater();
 		}
 
-		void handleMessageSendRequest(const std::string &user, const std::string &legacyName, const std::string &message) {
+		void handleMessageSendRequest(const std::string &user, const std::string &legacyName, const std::string &message, const std::string &/*xhtml*/) {
 			std::cout << "MESSAGE " << user << " " << legacyName << "\n";
 			if (m_sessions[user] == NULL)
 				return;
diff --git a/backends/libpurple/main.cpp b/backends/libpurple/main.cpp
index 29f049dd..2c6c9964 100644
--- a/backends/libpurple/main.cpp
+++ b/backends/libpurple/main.cpp
@@ -259,16 +259,22 @@ class SpectrumNetworkPlugin : public NetworkPlugin {
 			}
 		}
 
-		void handleMessageSendRequest(const std::string &user, const std::string &legacyName, const std::string &message) {
+		void handleMessageSendRequest(const std::string &user, const std::string &legacyName, const std::string &message, const std::string &xhtml) {
 			PurpleAccount *account = m_sessions[user];
 			if (account) {
 				PurpleConversation *conv = purple_find_conversation_with_account(PURPLE_CONV_TYPE_IM, legacyName.c_str(), account);
 				if (!conv) {
 					conv = purple_conversation_new(PURPLE_CONV_TYPE_IM, account, legacyName.c_str());
 				}
-				gchar *_markup = purple_markup_escape_text(message.c_str(), -1);
-				purple_conv_im_send(PURPLE_CONV_IM(conv), _markup);
-				g_free(_markup);
+				if (xhtml.empty()) {
+					gchar *_markup = purple_markup_escape_text(message.c_str(), -1);
+					purple_conv_im_send(PURPLE_CONV_IM(conv), _markup);
+					g_free(_markup);
+				}
+				else {
+					std::cout << xhtml << "\n";
+					purple_conv_im_send(PURPLE_CONV_IM(conv), xhtml.c_str());
+				}
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/include/Swiften/Parser/PayloadParsers/XHTMLIMParser.cpp b/include/Swiften/Parser/PayloadParsers/XHTMLIMParser.cpp
index 32f90d29..53444af2 100644
--- a/include/Swiften/Parser/PayloadParsers/XHTMLIMParser.cpp
+++ b/include/Swiften/Parser/PayloadParsers/XHTMLIMParser.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ void XHTMLIMParser::handleStartElement(const std::string& element, const std::st
 		}
 	}
 	else if (level_ >= InsideBodyLevel && bodyParser_) {
-		bodyParser_->handleStartElement(element, ns, attributes);
+		bodyParser_->handleStartElement(element, "", attributes);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/include/transport/networkplugin.h b/include/transport/networkplugin.h
index b71ba677..80d6b80f 100644
--- a/include/transport/networkplugin.h
+++ b/include/transport/networkplugin.h
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ class NetworkPlugin {
 
 		virtual void handleLoginRequest(const std::string &user, const std::string &legacyName, const std::string &password) = 0;
 		virtual void handleLogoutRequest(const std::string &user, const std::string &legacyName) = 0;
-		virtual void handleMessageSendRequest(const std::string &user, const std::string &legacyName, const std::string &message) = 0;
+		virtual void handleMessageSendRequest(const std::string &user, const std::string &legacyName, const std::string &message, const std::string &xhtml = "") = 0;
 		virtual void handleVCardRequest(const std::string &/*user*/, const std::string &/*legacyName*/, unsigned int /*id*/) {}
 		virtual void handleVCardUpdatedRequest(const std::string &/*user*/, const std::string &/*photo*/) {}
 		virtual void handleJoinRoomRequest(const std::string &/*user*/, const std::string &/*room*/, const std::string &/*nickname*/, const std::string &/*pasword*/) {}
diff --git a/src/networkplugin.cpp b/src/networkplugin.cpp
index 06c3d269..21bbbae8 100644
--- a/src/networkplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/networkplugin.cpp
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ void NetworkPlugin::handleConvMessagePayload(const std::string &data) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	handleMessageSendRequest(payload.username(), payload.buddyname(), payload.message());
+	handleMessageSendRequest(payload.username(), payload.buddyname(), payload.message(), payload.xhtml());
 }
 
 void NetworkPlugin::handleAttentionPayload(const std::string &data) {
diff --git a/src/networkpluginserver.cpp b/src/networkpluginserver.cpp
index 4e016af3..8538e661 100644
--- a/src/networkpluginserver.cpp
+++ b/src/networkpluginserver.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include "Swiften/Elements/StreamError.h"
 #include "Swiften/Network/BoostConnectionServer.h"
 #include "Swiften/Elements/AttentionPayload.h"
+#include "Swiften/Elements/XHTMLIMPayload.h"
 #include "pbnetwork.pb.h"
 #include "sys/wait.h"
 #include "sys/signal.h"
@@ -645,7 +646,7 @@ void NetworkPluginServer::handleUserDestroyed(User *user) {
 }
 
 void NetworkPluginServer::handleMessageReceived(NetworkConversation *conv, boost::shared_ptr<Swift::Message> &msg) {
-
+	// handle ChatState
 	boost::shared_ptr<Swift::ChatState> statePayload = msg->getPayload<Swift::ChatState>();
 	if (statePayload) {
 		pbnetwork::WrapperMessage_Type type = pbnetwork::WrapperMessage_Type_TYPE_BUDDY_CHANGED;
@@ -677,6 +678,7 @@ void NetworkPluginServer::handleMessageReceived(NetworkConversation *conv, boost
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Handle attention requests
 	boost::shared_ptr<Swift::AttentionPayload> attentionPayload = msg->getPayload<Swift::AttentionPayload>();
 	if (attentionPayload) {
 		pbnetwork::ConversationMessage m;
@@ -693,13 +695,20 @@ void NetworkPluginServer::handleMessageReceived(NetworkConversation *conv, boost
 		send(c->connection, message);
 		return;
 	}
-	
 
-	if (!msg->getBody().empty()) {
+	std::string xhtml;
+	boost::shared_ptr<Swift::XHTMLIMPayload> xhtmlPayload = msg->getPayload<Swift::XHTMLIMPayload>();
+	if (xhtmlPayload) {
+		xhtml = xhtmlPayload->getBody();
+	}
+
+	// Send normal message
+	if (!msg->getBody().empty() || !xhtml.empty()) {
 		pbnetwork::ConversationMessage m;
 		m.set_username(conv->getConversationManager()->getUser()->getJID().toBare());
 		m.set_buddyname(conv->getLegacyName());
 		m.set_message(msg->getBody());
+		m.set_xhtml(xhtml);
 
 		std::string message;
 		m.SerializeToString(&message);
diff --git a/src/pbnetwork.proto b/src/pbnetwork.proto
index 66878e46..83e0dcd8 100644
--- a/src/pbnetwork.proto
+++ b/src/pbnetwork.proto
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ message ConversationMessage {
 	required string buddyName = 2;
 	required string message = 3;
 	optional string nickname = 4;
+	optional string xhtml = 5;
 }
 
 message Room {