--- a/bitten/notify.py
+++ b/bitten/notify.py
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@
 # This software is licensed as described in the file COPYING, which
 # you should have received as part of this distribution.
 
+from genshi.template.text import NewTextTemplate
 from trac.core import Component, implements
-from trac.web.chrome import ITemplateProvider
+from trac.web.chrome import ITemplateProvider, Chrome
 from trac.config import BoolOption
 from trac.notification import NotifyEmail
 from bitten.api import IBuildListener
@@ -90,6 +91,10 @@
 
     def __init__(self, env):
         NotifyEmail.__init__(self, env)
+        # Override the template type to always use NewTextTemplate
+        if not isinstance(self.template, NewTextTemplate):
+            self.template = Chrome(env).templates.load(
+                                self.template.filepath, cls=NewTextTemplate)
 
     def notify(self, build):
         self.build = build

--- a/bitten/templates/bitten_notify_email.txt
+++ b/bitten/templates/bitten_notify_email.txt
@@ -7,18 +7,18 @@
   Build Configuration:   $build.config
   Build Slave:           $build.slave
   Build Number:          $build.id  -  <${build.link}>
-#if build.failed_steps
+{% if build.failed_steps %}\
 
   Failures:
-#for step in build.failed_steps
+{%  for step in build.failed_steps %}\
     Step:                $step.name
     Errors:              ${', '.join(step.errors)}
     Log:
-      #for lvl, msg in step.log_messages
+{%    for lvl, msg in step.log_messages %}\
       [${lvl.upper().ljust(8)}] $msg
-      #end
-#end
-#end
+{%    end for %}\
+{%  end for %}\
+{% end if %}\
 
 --
 Build URL: <$build.link>

--- a/bitten/tests/notify.py
+++ b/bitten/tests/notify.py
@@ -83,6 +83,12 @@
         self.assertTrue('author' in self.notifications_sent_to,
                 'Recipient list should contain the author')
 
+    def test_notification_body_render(self):
+        self.email.notify(self.build)
+        output = self.email.template.generate(**self.email.data).render('text')
+        self.assertTrue('Successful build of My Project [123]' in output)
+        self.assertTrue('<http://example.org/trac.cgi/changeset/123>' in output)
+
     # TODO functional tests of generated mails