diff --git a/mailnews/mime/src/mimemalt.cpp b/mailnews/mime/src/mimemalt.cpp
index 93a906333e35..da0af99c7f94 100644
--- a/mailnews/mime/src/mimemalt.cpp
+++ b/mailnews/mime/src/mimemalt.cpp
@@ -165,11 +165,10 @@ MimeMultipartAlternative_create_child(MimeObject *obj)
   }
   else
   {
-    /* If this part is not displayable, then we're done -- all that is left
-     to do is to flush out the part that is currently in the cache.
+    /* If this part is not displayable, then skip it. maybe the next one will be...
      */
-    mult->state = MimeMultipartEpilogue;
-    return MimeMultipartAlternative_display_cached_part(obj);
+    mult->state = MimeMultipartSkipPartLine;
+    return 0;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/mailnews/mime/src/mimemult.cpp b/mailnews/mime/src/mimemult.cpp
index d7640bb35181..595464b708a9 100644
--- a/mailnews/mime/src/mimemult.cpp
+++ b/mailnews/mime/src/mimemult.cpp
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ MimeMultipart_parse_line (char *line, PRInt32 length, MimeObject *obj)
         // If "multipart/alternative" or the first part is a message body
         // then we should check for a charset and notify the emitter  
         // if one exists.                                                     
-        if (obj->options && (isAlternative || isBody))
+        if (obj->options && ((isAlternative && mult->state != MimeMultipartSkipPartLine) || isBody))
         {
           {
            char *ct = MimeHeaders_get(mult->hdrs, HEADER_CONTENT_TYPE, PR_FALSE, PR_FALSE);
@@ -314,6 +314,10 @@ MimeMultipart_parse_line (char *line, PRInt32 length, MimeObject *obj)
 	  if (status < 0) return status;
 	  break;
 
+  case MimeMultipartSkipPartLine:
+    /* we are skipping that part, therefore just ignore the line */
+    break;
+
 	default:
 	  PR_ASSERT(0);
 	  return -1;
diff --git a/mailnews/mime/src/mimemult.h b/mailnews/mime/src/mimemult.h
index eb74c900f00b..5dfd4a211ee5 100644
--- a/mailnews/mime/src/mimemult.h
+++ b/mailnews/mime/src/mimemult.h
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ typedef enum {
   MimeMultipartHeaders,
   MimeMultipartPartFirstLine,
   MimeMultipartPartLine,
+  MimeMultipartSkipPartLine,
   MimeMultipartEpilogue
 } MimeMultipartParseState;