diff --git a/biostar/accounts/models.py b/biostar/accounts/models.py
index fd08d08f3..e831e587e 100644
--- a/biostar/accounts/models.py
+++ b/biostar/accounts/models.py
@@ -240,6 +240,13 @@ def edit_url(self):
 
         return reverse('edit_profile')
 
+    @property
+    def no_messages(self):
+        """
+        User has turned all notifications off
+        """
+        return self.message_prefs == self.NO_MESSAGES
+
     @property
     def mailing_list(self):
         """
diff --git a/biostar/forum/auth.py b/biostar/forum/auth.py
index 8ea8ae9dd..814d3e086 100644
--- a/biostar/forum/auth.py
+++ b/biostar/forum/auth.py
@@ -232,7 +232,6 @@ def create_post(author, title, content, request=None, root=None, parent=None, pt
 
 
 def diff_ratio(text1, text2):
-
     # Do not match on spaces
     s = SequenceMatcher(lambda char: re.match(r'\w+', char), text1, text2)
     return round(s.ratio(), 5)
@@ -313,12 +312,8 @@ def create_subscription(post, user, sub_type=None, update=False):
     subs = Subscription.objects.filter(post=post.root, user=user)
     sub = subs.first()
 
-    default = Subscription.TYPE_MAP.get(user.profile.message_prefs,
-                                        Subscription.LOCAL_MESSAGE)
+    default = Subscription.TYPE_MAP.get(user.profile.message_prefs, Subscription.LOCAL_MESSAGE)
 
-    empty = sub_type is None
-    # Get the current sub type from what's given or the existing sub
-    sub_type = None if empty else sub_type
     # No type has been given so default
     sub_type = sub_type or default
 
diff --git a/biostar/forum/markdown.py b/biostar/forum/markdown.py
index e86443c8f..a060610e8 100644
--- a/biostar/forum/markdown.py
+++ b/biostar/forum/markdown.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 from mistune import Renderer, InlineLexer, InlineGrammar
 from mistune import escape as escape_text
 from bleach.sanitizer import Cleaner
-from biostar.forum import auth
+from biostar.forum import auth, tasks
 from biostar.forum.models import Post, Subscription
 from biostar.accounts.models import Profile, User
 from bleach.callbacks import nofollow
@@ -189,15 +189,24 @@ def rewrite_static(link):
     return link
 
 
+def resolve_subtype(user):
+    """
+    Resolve a users subscription type to be LOCAL_MESSAGE or EMAIL_MESSAGE
+    """
+    return Profile.LOCAL_MESSAGE if user.no_messages else user.profile.message_prefs
+
+
 class BiostarInlineLexer(MonkeyPatch):
     grammar_class = BiostarInlineGrammer
 
-    def __init__(self, root=None, allow_rewrite=False, *args, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, post=None, allow_rewrite=False, *args, **kwargs):
         """
         :param root: Root post that is being pared
         :param static_imgs:
         """
-        self.root = root
+        self.post = post
+        # Resolve the root if exists.
+        self.root = post.parent.root if (post and post.parent) else None
         self.allow_rewrite = allow_rewrite
 
         super(BiostarInlineLexer, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
@@ -247,14 +256,16 @@ def output_mention_link(self, m):
             profile = reverse("user_profile", kwargs=dict(uid=user.profile.uid))
             link = f'<a href="{profile}">{user.profile.name}</a>'
             # Subscribe mentioned users to post.
-            if self.root:
+            if self.post:
                 # Create user subscription if it does not already exist.
-                auth.create_subscription(post=self.root, user=user, update=True)
+                sub_type = resolve_subtype(user)
+                auth.create_subscription(post=self.root, user=user, sub_type=sub_type, update=True)
         else:
             link = m.group(0)
 
         return link
 
+
     def output_post_link(self, m):
         uid = m.group("uid")
         link = m.group(0)
@@ -416,14 +427,11 @@ def parse(text, post=None, clean=True, escape=True, allow_rewrite=False):
                   eg. images/foo.png -> /static/images/foo.png
     """
 
-    # Resolve the root if exists.
-    root = post.parent.root if (post and post.parent) else None
-
     # Initialize the renderer
     renderer = BiostarRenderer(escape=escape)
 
     # Initialize the lexer
-    inline = BiostarInlineLexer(renderer=renderer, root=root, allow_rewrite=allow_rewrite)
+    inline = BiostarInlineLexer(renderer=renderer, post=post, allow_rewrite=allow_rewrite)
 
     markdown = mistune.Markdown(hard_wrap=True, renderer=renderer, inline=inline)
 
diff --git a/biostar/forum/templates/messages/ping.md b/biostar/forum/templates/messages/ping.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1f5e7bf38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/biostar/forum/templates/messages/ping.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+
+[{{ post.title}}]({{ post.get_absolute_url }}): {{post.content|truncatewords:180}}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/biostar/forum/templates/messages/ping_email.html b/biostar/forum/templates/messages/ping_email.html
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06d78fafa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/biostar/forum/templates/messages/ping_email.html
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+{% load accounts_tags %}
+{%  block subject %}
+
+    [Biostar] {{ post.title|truncatechars:60 }}
+
+{% endblock %}
+
+{% block html %}
+
+    A user has tagged you on <a href="{{ protocol }}://{{ domain }}{{ http_port }}">Biostar</a>
+    <p>
+        User <a href="{{ protocol }}://{{ domain }}{{ http_port }}{{ user.profile.get_absolute_url }}">
+        {{ post.author.profile.name }}</a> wrote
+
+        <a href="{{ protocol }}://{{ domain }}{{ post.get_absolute_url }}">{{ post.title }}</a>:
+    </p>
+    <p>
+        {{ post.html|safe }}
+    </p>
+
+    <hr>
+    <p class="muted" >
+        You may visit {{ protocol }}://{{ domain }}{{ post.get_absolute_url }}
+    </p>
+
+    <p>The Biostar Team</p>
+
+{% endblock %}
+
+{% block text %}
+
+    A user has tagged you on  {{ domain }}.
+
+    User {{ user.profile.name }} wrote {{ post.title }}:
+
+    {{ post.content }}
+
+    You may visit {{ protocol }}://{{ domain }}{{ post.get_absolute_url }}
+
+    The Biostar Team
+
+
+{% endblock %}