diff --git a/src/js/dao/email-dao.js b/src/js/dao/email-dao.js
index bd9db48..b072d48 100644
--- a/src/js/dao/email-dao.js
+++ b/src/js/dao/email-dao.js
@@ -157,7 +157,9 @@ define(function(require) {
      */
     EmailDAO.prototype.imapGetMessage = function(options, callback) {
         var self = this,
-            message;
+            expectedItems,
+            itemCounter = 0,
+            message, attachments = [];
 
         // validate options
         if (!options.folder || !options.uid) {
@@ -169,10 +171,29 @@ define(function(require) {
 
         function messageReady(err, gottenMessage) {
             message = gottenMessage;
+            itemCounter++;
+            // remember how many items should be fetched before the callback fires
+            expectedItems = (message.attachments instanceof Array) ? message.attachments.length + 1 : 1;
+            check();
         }
 
-        function attachmentReady(err, attmt) {
-            message.parsedAttachment = attmt;
+        function attachmentReady(err, gottenAttachment) {
+            // parse uint8array to base to make it serializable for postMessage
+            gottenAttachment.base64 = btoa(gottenAttachment.uint8Array);
+            delete gottenAttachment.uint8Array;
+
+            attachments.push(gottenAttachment);
+            itemCounter++;
+            check();
+        }
+
+        function check() {
+            // go for another round you don't yet know how mich to fetch or you haven't fetch enough
+            if (!expectedItems || itemCounter < expectedItems) {
+                return;
+            }
+
+            message.attachments = (attachments.length > 0) ? attachments : undefined;
             callback(null, message);
         }
 
diff --git a/test/new-unit/email-dao-test.js b/test/new-unit/email-dao-test.js
index 2f8c372..34929d1 100644
--- a/test/new-unit/email-dao-test.js
+++ b/test/new-unit/email-dao-test.js
@@ -172,6 +172,24 @@ define(function(require) {
                     });
                 });
 
+                it('should parse message body without attachement', function(done) {
+                    var uid = 415;
+
+                    imapClientStub.getMessage.yields(null, {
+                        uid: uid
+                    });
+                    emailDao.imapGetMessage({
+                        folder: 'INBOX',
+                        uid: uid
+                    }, function(err, message) {
+                        expect(imapClientStub.getMessage.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+                        expect(err).to.not.exist;
+                        expect(message.uid).to.equal(uid);
+                        expect(message.attachments).to.not.exist;
+                        done();
+                    });
+                });
+
                 it('should parse message body and attachement', function(done) {
                     var uid = 415,
                         newImapClientStub = {
@@ -179,7 +197,8 @@ define(function(require) {
                         };
                     sinon.stub(newImapClientStub, 'getMessage', function(options, messageReady, attachmentReady) {
                         messageReady(null, {
-                            uid: uid
+                            uid: uid,
+                            attachments: ['file.txt']
                         });
                         attachmentReady(null, {
                             uint8Array: new Uint8Array(42)
@@ -194,7 +213,7 @@ define(function(require) {
                         expect(newImapClientStub.getMessage.calledOnce).to.be.true;
                         expect(err).to.not.exist;
                         expect(message.uid).to.equal(uid);
-                        expect(message.parsedAttachment.uint8Array.length).to.equal(42);
+                        expect(message.attachments[0].base64).to.exist;
                         emailDao._imapClient = imapClientStub;
                         done();
                     });