diff --git a/alot/commands/thread.py b/alot/commands/thread.py
index f02b65e4a..a33452df4 100644
--- a/alot/commands/thread.py
+++ b/alot/commands/thread.py
@@ -635,7 +635,8 @@ def apply(self, ui):
     (['--all'], {'action': 'store_true', 'help': 'pass all messages'}),
     (['--format'], {'help': 'output format', 'default': 'raw',
                     'choices': [
-                        'raw', 'decoded', 'id', 'filepath', 'mimepart']}),
+                        'raw', 'decoded', 'id', 'filepath', 'mimepart',
+                        'plain', 'html']}),
     (['--separately'], {'action': 'store_true',
                         'help': 'call command once for each message'}),
     (['--background'], {'action': 'store_true',
@@ -746,7 +747,9 @@ async def apply(self, ui):
                     bodytext = msg.get_body_text()
                     msgtext = '%s\n\n%s' % (headertext, bodytext)
                     pipestrings.append(msgtext)
-                elif self.output_format == 'mimepart':
+                elif self.output_format in ['mimepart', 'plain', 'html']:
+                    if self.output_format in ['plain', 'html']:
+                        mimepart = get_body_part(mail, self.output_format)
                     pipestrings.append(string_sanitize(remove_cte(
                         msg.mime_part, as_string=True)))
 
diff --git a/docs/source/usage/modes/thread.rst b/docs/source/usage/modes/thread.rst
index 62a8765a8..155b50dd0 100644
--- a/docs/source/usage/modes/thread.rst
+++ b/docs/source/usage/modes/thread.rst
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ The following commands are available in thread mode:
 
     optional arguments
         :---all: pass all messages
-        :---format: output format; valid choices are: 'raw','decoded','id','filepath','mimepart' (defaults to: 'raw')
+        :---format: output format; valid choices are: 'raw','decoded','id','filepath','mimepart','plain','html' (defaults to: 'raw')
         :---separately: call command once for each message
         :---background: don't stop the interface
         :---add_tags: add 'Tags' header to the message