diff --git a/mu4e/mu4e-vars.el b/mu4e/mu4e-vars.el
index 53115fb2..af44dbfc 100644
--- a/mu4e/mu4e-vars.el
+++ b/mu4e/mu4e-vars.el
@@ -492,7 +492,12 @@ I.e. a message with the draft flag set."
 
 (defface mu4e-modeline-face
   '((t :inherit font-lock-string-face :bold t))
-  "Face for the query view in the mode-line."
+  "Face for the query in the mode-line."
+  :group 'mu4e-faces)
+
+(defface mu4e-view-body-face
+  '((t :inherit default))
+  "Face for the body in the message-view."
   :group 'mu4e-faces)
 
 (defface mu4e-footer-face
diff --git a/mu4e/mu4e-view.el b/mu4e/mu4e-view.el
index 16b0d07e..15e9fe23 100644
--- a/mu4e/mu4e-view.el
+++ b/mu4e/mu4e-view.el
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ found."
 		 (mu4e~view-custom-field msg field))))))
       mu4e-view-fields "")
     "\n"
-    (mu4e-message-body-text msg)))
+    (propertize (mu4e-message-body-text msg) 'face 'mu4e-view-body-face)))
 
 (defun mu4e~view-embedded-winbuf ()
   "Get a buffer (shown in a window) for the embedded message."