diff --git a/src/Orchard.Tests.Modules/Email/EmailChannelTests.cs b/src/Orchard.Tests.Modules/Email/EmailChannelTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..48c15d557
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Orchard.Tests.Modules/Email/EmailChannelTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+using Autofac;
+using Moq;
+using NUnit.Framework;
+using Orchard.ContentManagement.Records;
+using Orchard.Messaging.Events;
+using Orchard.Messaging.Services;
+using Orchard.Tests.Messaging;
+using Orchard.Tests.Utility;
+
+namespace Orchard.Tests.Modules.Email {
+    [TestFixture]
+    public class EmailChannelTests {
+        private MessagingChannelStub _channel;
+        private IMessageManager _messageManager;
+
+        [SetUp]
+        public void Init() {
+            var builder = new ContainerBuilder();
+
+            builder.RegisterInstance(new Mock<IMessageEventHandler>().Object);
+            builder.RegisterType<DefaultMessageManager>().As<IMessageManager>();
+            builder.RegisterInstance(_channel = new MessagingChannelStub()).As<IMessagingChannel>();
+
+            var container = builder.Build();
+            _messageManager = container.Resolve<IMessageManager>();
+        }
+    
+        [Test]
+        public void CanSendEmailUsingAddresses() {
+            _messageManager.Send(new []{ "steveb@microsoft.com" }, "test", "email");
+            Assert.That(_channel.Messages.Count, Is.EqualTo(1));
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void OneMessageIsSentUsingMultipleRecipients() {
+            _messageManager.Send(new[] { "steveb@microsoft.com", "billg@microsoft.com" }, "test", "email");
+            Assert.That(_channel.Messages.Count, Is.EqualTo(1));
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Orchard.Tests.Modules/Orchard.Tests.Modules.csproj b/src/Orchard.Tests.Modules/Orchard.Tests.Modules.csproj
index 62d8e49fb..ea8a563df 100644
--- a/src/Orchard.Tests.Modules/Orchard.Tests.Modules.csproj
+++ b/src/Orchard.Tests.Modules/Orchard.Tests.Modules.csproj
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@
   <ItemGroup>
     <Compile Include="CodeGeneration\Commands\CodeGenerationCommandsTests.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Comments\Services\CommentServiceTests.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Email\EmailChannelTests.cs" />
     <Compile Include="ImportExport\Services\ImportExportServiceTests.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Indexing\IndexingTaskExecutorTests.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Indexing\LuceneIndexProviderTests.cs" />
@@ -298,6 +299,7 @@
     <EmbeddedResource Include="Recipes\Services\FoldersData\Sample1\Module.txt" />
     <EmbeddedResource Include="Recipes\Services\FoldersData\Sample1\Recipes\cms.recipe.xml" />
   </ItemGroup>
+  <ItemGroup />
   <Import Project="$(MSBuildToolsPath)\Microsoft.CSharp.targets" />
   <!-- To modify your build process, add your task inside one of the targets below and uncomment it. 
        Other similar extension points exist, see Microsoft.Common.targets.
diff --git a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Email/Rules/MailActions.cs b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Email/Rules/MailActions.cs
index 6234046c0..336bd4139 100644
--- a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Email/Rules/MailActions.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Email/Rules/MailActions.cs
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Linq;
+using Orchard.ContentManagement.Records;
 using Orchard.Core.Common.Models;
 using Orchard.Environment.Extensions;
 using Orchard.Events;
@@ -53,7 +55,6 @@ namespace Orchard.Email.Rules {
                     if (owner != null && owner.Record != null) {
                         _messageManager.Send(owner.Record, MessageType, "email", properties);
                     }
-                    _messageManager.Send(owner.As<IUser>().Email, MessageType, "email", properties);
                 }
             }
             else if (recipient == "author") {
@@ -91,14 +92,8 @@ namespace Orchard.Email.Rules {
             if (context.MessagePrepared)
                 return;
 
-            if (context.Recipient != null) {
-                var contentItem = _contentManager.Get(context.Recipient.Id);
-                if (contentItem == null)
-                    return;
-
-                var recipient = contentItem.As<IUser>();
-                if (recipient == null)
-                    return;
+            if (!context.Recipients.Any()) {
+                return;
             }
 
             switch (context.Type) {
diff --git a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Email/Services/EmailMessageEventHandler.cs b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Email/Services/EmailMessageEventHandler.cs
index a1b4d259f..33ea9cbf9 100644
--- a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Email/Services/EmailMessageEventHandler.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Email/Services/EmailMessageEventHandler.cs
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ namespace Orchard.Email.Services {
         }
 
         public void Sending(MessageContext context) {
-            if (context.Recipient != null) {
-                var contentItem = _contentManager.Get(context.Recipient.Id);
+            foreach(var rec in context.Recipients) {
+                var contentItem = _contentManager.Get(rec.Id);
                 if (contentItem == null)
                     return;
 
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ namespace Orchard.Email.Services {
 
                 context.MailMessage.To.Add(recipient.Email);
             }
+
+            foreach(var address in context.Addresses) {
+                context.MailMessage.To.Add(address);
+            }
         }
 
         public void Sent(MessageContext context) {
diff --git a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Email/Services/EmailMessagingChannel.cs b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Email/Services/EmailMessagingChannel.cs
index 06dd0da04..e2781649a 100644
--- a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Email/Services/EmailMessagingChannel.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Email/Services/EmailMessagingChannel.cs
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ namespace Orchard.Email.Services {
                 return;
             }
 
-            using (SmtpClient smtpClient = new SmtpClient()) {
+            using (var smtpClient = new SmtpClient()) {
                 smtpClient.UseDefaultCredentials = !smtpSettings.RequireCredentials;
                 if (!smtpClient.UseDefaultCredentials && !String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(smtpSettings.UserName)) {
                     smtpClient.Credentials = new NetworkCredential(smtpSettings.UserName, smtpSettings.Password);
diff --git a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Users/Handlers/UserMessagesAlteration.cs b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Users/Handlers/UserMessagesAlteration.cs
index b66f2e133..2d8449717 100644
--- a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Users/Handlers/UserMessagesAlteration.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Users/Handlers/UserMessagesAlteration.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 using System;
+using System.Linq;
 using Orchard.Localization;
 using Orchard.Messaging.Events;
 using Orchard.Messaging.Models;
@@ -23,7 +24,8 @@ namespace Orchard.Users.Handlers {
             if (context.MessagePrepared)
                 return;
 
-            var contentItem = _contentManager.Get(context.Recipient.Id);
+            // we expect a single account to be created
+            var contentItem = _contentManager.Get(context.Recipients.Single().Id);
             if ( contentItem == null )
                 return;
 
diff --git a/src/Orchard/Messaging/Models/MessageContext.cs b/src/Orchard/Messaging/Models/MessageContext.cs
index e9be7e161..cef0284a5 100644
--- a/src/Orchard/Messaging/Models/MessageContext.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard/Messaging/Models/MessageContext.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Linq;
 using System.Net.Mail;
 using Orchard.ContentManagement.Records;
 
@@ -7,13 +9,17 @@ namespace Orchard.Messaging.Models {
         public MailMessage MailMessage { get; private set; }
         public string Type { get; set; }
         public string Service { get; set; }
+        [Obsolete("Use Recipients instead")]
         public ContentItemRecord Recipient { get; set; }
+        public IEnumerable<ContentItemRecord> Recipients { get; set; }
+        public IEnumerable<string> Addresses { get; set; }
         public Dictionary<string, string> Properties { get; private set; }
         public bool MessagePrepared { get; set; }
 
         public MessageContext() {
             Properties = new Dictionary<string, string>();
             MailMessage = new MailMessage();
+            Addresses = Enumerable.Empty<string>();
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Orchard/Messaging/Services/DefaultMessageManager.cs b/src/Orchard/Messaging/Services/DefaultMessageManager.cs
index c569df52b..918ec3877 100644
--- a/src/Orchard/Messaging/Services/DefaultMessageManager.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard/Messaging/Services/DefaultMessageManager.cs
@@ -22,13 +22,17 @@ namespace Orchard.Messaging.Services {
         }
 
         public void Send(ContentItemRecord recipient, string type, string service, Dictionary<string, string> properties = null) {
+            Send(new [] { recipient }, service, type, properties);    
+        }
+
+        public void Send(IEnumerable<ContentItemRecord> recipients, string type, string service, Dictionary<string, string> properties = null) {
             if ( !HasChannels() )
                 return;
 
             Logger.Information("Sending message {0}", type);
             try {
                 var context = new MessageContext {
-                    Recipient = recipient,
+                    Recipients = recipients,
                     Type = type,
                     Service = service
                 };
@@ -40,6 +44,34 @@ namespace Orchard.Messaging.Services {
             }
         }
 
+        public void Send(IEnumerable<string> recipientAddresses, string type, string service, Dictionary<string, string> properties = null) {
+            if (!HasChannels())
+                return;
+
+            Logger.Information("Sending message {0}", type);
+            try {
+
+                var context = new MessageContext {
+                    Type = type,
+                    Service = service,
+                    Addresses = recipientAddresses
+                };
+
+                PrepareAndSend(type, properties, context);
+            }
+            catch (Exception e) {
+                Logger.Error(e, "An error occured while sending the message {0}", type);
+            }
+        }
+
+        public bool HasChannels() {
+            return _channels.Any();
+        }
+
+        public IEnumerable<string> GetAvailableChannelServices() {
+            return _channels.SelectMany(c => c.GetAvailableServices());
+        }
+
         private void PrepareAndSend(string type, Dictionary<string, string> properties, MessageContext context) {
             try {
                 if (properties != null) {
@@ -61,33 +93,5 @@ namespace Orchard.Messaging.Services {
 
             Logger.Information("Message {0} sent", type);
         }
-
-        public void Send(string recipientAddresses, string type, string service, Dictionary<string, string> properties = null) {
-            if (!HasChannels())
-                return;
-
-            Logger.Information("Sending message {0}", type);
-            try {
-
-                var context = new MessageContext {
-                    Type = type,
-                    Service = service
-                };
-                context.MailMessage.To.Add(recipientAddresses);
-
-                PrepareAndSend(type, properties, context);
-            }
-            catch (Exception e) {
-                Logger.Error(e, "An error occured while sending the message {0}", type);
-            }
-        }
-
-        public bool HasChannels() {
-            return _channels.Any();
-        }
-
-        public IEnumerable<string> GetAvailableChannelServices() {
-            return _channels.SelectMany(c => c.GetAvailableServices());
-        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Orchard/Messaging/Services/IMessageManager.cs b/src/Orchard/Messaging/Services/IMessageManager.cs
index 8736957e2..a3b790d73 100644
--- a/src/Orchard/Messaging/Services/IMessageManager.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard/Messaging/Services/IMessageManager.cs
@@ -1,17 +1,36 @@
-using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
 using Orchard.ContentManagement.Records;
 
 namespace Orchard.Messaging.Services {
     public interface IMessageManager : IDependency {
         /// <summary>
-        /// Sends a message to a channel using a user content item as the recipient
+        /// Sends a message to a channel using a content item as the recipient
         /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="recipient">A content item to send the message to.</param>
+        /// <param name="type">A custom string specifying what type of message is sent. Used in even handlers to define the message.</param>
+        /// <param name="service">The name of the channel to use, e.g. "email"</param>
+        /// <param name="properties">A set of specific properties for the channel.</param>
         void Send(ContentItemRecord recipient, string type, string service, Dictionary<string, string> properties = null);
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Sends a message to a channel using a comma-separated list of recipient addresses
+        /// Sends a message to a channel using a set of content items as the recipients
         /// </summary>
-        void Send(string recipientAddresses, string type, string service, Dictionary<string, string> properties = null);
+        /// <param name="recipients">A set of content items to send the message to. Only one message may be sent if the channel manages it.</param>
+        /// <param name="type">A custom string specifying what type of message is sent. Used in even handlers to define the message.</param>
+        /// <param name="service">The name of the channel to use, e.g. "email"</param>
+        /// <param name="properties">A set of specific properties for the channel.</param>
+        void Send(IEnumerable<ContentItemRecord> recipients, string type, string service, Dictionary<string, string> properties = null);
+
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Sends a message to a channel using a list of recipient addresses
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="recipientAddresses">A list of addresses that the channel can process.</param>
+        /// <param name="type">A custom string specifying what type of message is sent. Used in even handlers to define the message.</param>
+        /// <param name="service">The name of the channel to use, e.g. "email"</param>
+        /// <param name="properties">A set of specific properties for the channel.</param>
+        void Send(IEnumerable<string> recipientAddresses, string type, string service, Dictionary<string, string> properties = null);
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Whether at least one channel is active on the current site