diff --git a/moto/ses/responses.py b/moto/ses/responses.py
index 5002f925..6640d76b 100644
--- a/moto/ses/responses.py
+++ b/moto/ses/responses.py
@@ -36,7 +36,10 @@ class EmailResponse(BaseResponse):
         return template.render()
 
     def send_email(self):
-        body = self.querystring.get('Message.Body.Text.Data')[0]
+        bodydatakey = 'Message.Body.Text.Data'
+        if 'Message.Body.Html.Data' in self.querystring:
+            bodydatakey = 'Message.Body.Html.Data'
+        body = self.querystring.get(bodydatakey)[0]
         source = self.querystring.get('Source')[0]
         subject = self.querystring.get('Message.Subject.Data')[0]
         destination = self.querystring.get('Destination.ToAddresses.member.1')[0]
diff --git a/tests/test_ses/test_ses.py b/tests/test_ses/test_ses.py
index 4c0440c4..6b8f357d 100644
--- a/tests/test_ses/test_ses.py
+++ b/tests/test_ses/test_ses.py
@@ -54,7 +54,21 @@ def test_send_email():
     send_quota = conn.get_send_quota()
     sent_count = int(send_quota['GetSendQuotaResponse']['GetSendQuotaResult']['SentLast24Hours'])
     sent_count.should.equal(1)
+    
+@mock_ses
+def test_send_html_email():
+    conn = boto.connect_ses('the_key', 'the_secret')
 
+    conn.send_email.when.called_with(
+        "test@example.com", "test subject",
+        "<span>test body</span>", "test_to@example.com", format="html").should.throw(BotoServerError)
+
+    conn.verify_email_identity("test@example.com")
+    conn.send_email("test@example.com", "test subject", "<span>test body</span>", "test_to@example.com", format="html")
+
+    send_quota = conn.get_send_quota()
+    sent_count = int(send_quota['GetSendQuotaResponse']['GetSendQuotaResult']['SentLast24Hours'])
+    sent_count.should.equal(1)
 
 @mock_ses
 def test_send_raw_email():