diff --git a/notmuch-client.h b/notmuch-client.h
index fa04fa2e..203ac496 100644
--- a/notmuch-client.h
+++ b/notmuch-client.h
@@ -197,6 +197,14 @@ format_part_json (const void *ctx, mime_node_t *node, notmuch_bool_t first);
 void
 format_headers_json (const void *ctx, GMimeMessage *message, notmuch_bool_t reply);
 
+typedef enum {
+    NOTMUCH_SHOW_TEXT_PART_REPLY = 1 << 0,
+} notmuch_show_text_part_flags;
+
+void
+show_text_part_content (GMimeObject *part, GMimeStream *stream_out,
+			notmuch_show_text_part_flags flags);
+
 char *
 json_quote_chararray (const void *ctx, const char *str, const size_t len);
 
diff --git a/notmuch-reply.c b/notmuch-reply.c
index e2b6c253..2f5ed3dc 100644
--- a/notmuch-reply.c
+++ b/notmuch-reply.c
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
  */
 
 #include "notmuch-client.h"
-#include "gmime-filter-reply.h"
 #include "gmime-filter-headers.h"
 
 static void
@@ -106,29 +105,10 @@ reply_part_content (GMimeObject *part)
     else if (g_mime_content_type_is_type (content_type, "text", "*") &&
 	!g_mime_content_type_is_type (content_type, "text", "html"))
     {
-	GMimeStream *stream_stdout = NULL, *stream_filter = NULL;
-	GMimeDataWrapper *wrapper;
-	const char *charset;
-
-	charset = g_mime_object_get_content_type_parameter (part, "charset");
-	stream_stdout = g_mime_stream_file_new (stdout);
-	if (stream_stdout) {
-	    g_mime_stream_file_set_owner (GMIME_STREAM_FILE (stream_stdout), FALSE);
-	    stream_filter = g_mime_stream_filter_new(stream_stdout);
-	    if (charset) {
-		g_mime_stream_filter_add(GMIME_STREAM_FILTER(stream_filter),
-					 g_mime_filter_charset_new(charset, "UTF-8"));
-	    }
-	}
-	g_mime_stream_filter_add(GMIME_STREAM_FILTER(stream_filter),
-				 g_mime_filter_reply_new(TRUE));
-	wrapper = g_mime_part_get_content_object (GMIME_PART (part));
-	if (wrapper && stream_filter)
-	    g_mime_data_wrapper_write_to_stream (wrapper, stream_filter);
-	if (stream_filter)
-	    g_object_unref(stream_filter);
-	if (stream_stdout)
-	    g_object_unref(stream_stdout);
+	GMimeStream *stream_stdout = g_mime_stream_file_new (stdout);
+	g_mime_stream_file_set_owner (GMIME_STREAM_FILE (stream_stdout), FALSE);
+	show_text_part_content (part, stream_stdout, NOTMUCH_SHOW_TEXT_PART_REPLY);
+	g_object_unref(stream_stdout);
     }
     else
     {
diff --git a/notmuch-show.c b/notmuch-show.c
index ff9d4278..0bf5e219 100644
--- a/notmuch-show.c
+++ b/notmuch-show.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "notmuch-client.h"
+#include "gmime-filter-reply.h"
 
 static notmuch_status_t
 format_part_text (const void *ctx, mime_node_t *node,
@@ -246,14 +247,18 @@ format_headers_json (const void *ctx, GMimeMessage *message, notmuch_bool_t repl
 }
 
 /* Write a MIME text part out to the given stream.
+ *
+ * If (flags & NOTMUCH_SHOW_TEXT_PART_REPLY), this prepends "> " to
+ * each output line.
  *
  * Both line-ending conversion (CRLF->LF) and charset conversion ( ->
  * UTF-8) will be performed, so it is inappropriate to call this
  * function with a non-text part. Doing so will trigger an internal
  * error.
  */
-static void
-show_text_part_content (GMimeObject *part, GMimeStream *stream_out)
+void
+show_text_part_content (GMimeObject *part, GMimeStream *stream_out,
+			notmuch_show_text_part_flags flags)
 {
     GMimeContentType *content_type = g_mime_object_get_content_type (GMIME_OBJECT (part));
     GMimeStream *stream_filter = NULL;
@@ -286,6 +291,16 @@ show_text_part_content (GMimeObject *part, GMimeStream *stream_out)
 
     }
 
+    if (flags & NOTMUCH_SHOW_TEXT_PART_REPLY) {
+	GMimeFilter *reply_filter;
+	reply_filter = g_mime_filter_reply_new (TRUE);
+	if (reply_filter) {
+	    g_mime_stream_filter_add (GMIME_STREAM_FILTER (stream_filter),
+				      reply_filter);
+	    g_object_unref (reply_filter);
+	}
+    }
+
     wrapper = g_mime_part_get_content_object (GMIME_PART (part));
     if (wrapper && stream_filter)
 	g_mime_data_wrapper_write_to_stream (wrapper, stream_filter);
@@ -532,7 +547,7 @@ format_part_text (const void *ctx, mime_node_t *node,
 	{
 	    GMimeStream *stream_stdout = g_mime_stream_file_new (stdout);
 	    g_mime_stream_file_set_owner (GMIME_STREAM_FILE (stream_stdout), FALSE);
-	    show_text_part_content (node->part, stream_stdout);
+	    show_text_part_content (node->part, stream_stdout, 0);
 	    g_object_unref(stream_stdout);
 	} else {
 	    printf ("Non-text part: %s\n",
@@ -624,7 +639,7 @@ format_part_json (const void *ctx, mime_node_t *node, notmuch_bool_t first)
 	} else if (g_mime_content_type_is_type (content_type, "text", "*")) {
 	    GMimeStream *stream_memory = g_mime_stream_mem_new ();
 	    GByteArray *part_content;
-	    show_text_part_content (node->part, stream_memory);
+	    show_text_part_content (node->part, stream_memory, 0);
 	    part_content = g_mime_stream_mem_get_byte_array (GMIME_STREAM_MEM (stream_memory));
 
 	    printf (", \"content\": %s", json_quote_chararray (local, (char *) part_content->data, part_content->len));