diff --git a/bodhi-server/bodhi/server/mail.py b/bodhi-server/bodhi/server/mail.py
index a6303cac5e..b3b96fd775 100644
--- a/bodhi-server/bodhi/server/mail.py
+++ b/bodhi-server/bodhi/server/mail.py
@@ -17,14 +17,13 @@
 # Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA
 # 02110-1301, USA.
 """A collection of utilities for sending e-mail to Bodhi users."""
-from textwrap import wrap
 import os
 import smtplib
 import typing
 
 from bodhi.server import log
 from bodhi.server.config import config
-from bodhi.server.util import get_rpm_header, get_absolute_path
+from bodhi.server.util import get_rpm_header, get_absolute_path, markdown_to_text, wrap_text
 
 if typing.TYPE_CHECKING:  # pragma: no cover
     from bodhi.server.models import Update  # noqa: 401
@@ -307,8 +306,8 @@ def get_template(update: 'Update', use_template: str = 'fedora_errata_template')
         info['product'] = update.release.long_name
         info['notes'] = ""
         if update.notes and len(update.notes):
-            info['notes'] = "Update Information:\n\n%s\n" % \
-                '\n'.join(wrap(update.notes, width=80))
+            plaintext = markdown_to_text(update.notes)
+            info['notes'] = f"Update Information:\n\n{wrap_text(plaintext)}\n"
             info['notes'] += line
 
         # Add this update's referenced Bugzillas
diff --git a/bodhi-server/bodhi/server/models.py b/bodhi-server/bodhi/server/models.py
index 84cc0e02e3..f27c75b065 100644
--- a/bodhi-server/bodhi/server/models.py
+++ b/bodhi-server/bodhi/server/models.py
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@
     pagure_api_get,
     tokenize,
     build_names_by_type,
+    markdown_to_text,
+    wrap_text,
 )
 
 
@@ -2971,15 +2973,10 @@ def get_bugstring(self, show_titles=False):
         """
         val = ''
         if show_titles:
-            i = 0
+            bugstr = []
             for bug in self.bugs:
-                bugstr = '%s%s - %s\n' % (
-                    i and ' ' * 11 + ': ' or '', bug.bug_id, bug.title)
-                val += '\n'.join(wrap(
-                    bugstr, width=67,
-                    subsequent_indent=' ' * 11 + ': ')) + '\n'
-                i += 1
-            val = val[:-1]
+                bugstr.append(f"{bug.bug_id} - {bug.title}")
+            val = '\n'.join(bugstr)
         else:
             val = ' '.join([str(bug.bug_id) for bug in self.bugs])
         return val
@@ -3435,45 +3432,51 @@ def __str__(self):
         Returns:
             str: A string representation of the update.
         """
-        val = "%s\n%s\n%s\n" % ('=' * 80, '\n'.join(wrap(
-            self.alias, width=80, initial_indent=' ' * 5,
-            subsequent_indent=' ' * 5)), '=' * 80)
-        val += """    Release: %s
-     Status: %s
-       Type: %s
-   Severity: %s
-      Karma: %d""" % (self.release.long_name, self.status.description,
-                      self.type.description, self.severity, self.karma)
+        nl = '\n'
+        val = f"""{'=' * 80}
+{nl.join(wrap(self.alias, width=79, initial_indent=' ' * 5, subsequent_indent=' ' * 5))}
+{'=' * 80}
+{'Release:' : >12} {self.release.long_name}
+{'Status:' : >12} {self.status.description}
+{'Type:' : >12} {self.type.description}
+{'Severity:' : >12} {self.severity}
+{'Karma:' : >12} {self.karma}"""
         if self.critpath:
-            val += "\n   Critpath: %s" % self.critpath
+            val += f"{nl}{'Critpath:' : >12} {self.critpath}"
         if self.request is not None:
-            val += "\n    Request: %s" % self.request.description
+            val += f"{nl}{'Request:' : >12} {self.request.description}"
         if self.bugs:
-            bugs = self.get_bugstring(show_titles=True)
-            val += "\n       Bugs: %s" % bugs
+            bugs = wrap_text(
+                self.get_bugstring(show_titles=True), width=79,
+                initial_indent=f"{'Bugs:' : >12} ",
+                subsequent_indent=f"{' ' * 13}")
+            val += f"{nl}{bugs}"
         if self.notes:
-            notes = wrap(
-                self.notes, width=67, subsequent_indent=' ' * 11 + ': ')
-            val += "\n      Notes: %s" % '\n'.join(notes)
+            notes = wrap_text(
+                markdown_to_text(self.notes).strip(), width=79,
+                initial_indent=f"{'Notes:' : >12} ",
+                subsequent_indent=f"{' ' * 13}")
+            val += f"{nl}{notes}"
         username = None
         if self.user:
             username = self.user.name
-        val += """
-  Submitter: %s
-  Submitted: %s\n""" % (username, self.date_submitted)
+        val += f"""
+{'Submitter:' : >12} {username}
+{'Submitted:' : >12} {self.date_submitted}
+"""
         if self.comments_since_karma_reset:
-            val += "   Comments: "
-            comments = []
-            for comment in self.comments_since_karma_reset:
-                comments.append("%s%s - %s (karma %s)" % (' ' * 13,
-                                comment.user.name, comment.timestamp,
-                                comment.karma))
+            comments_list = []
+            for comment in reversed(self.comments_since_karma_reset):
+                comments_list.append(f"{comment.user.name} - {comment.timestamp} "
+                                     f"(karma {comment.karma})")
                 if comment.text:
-                    text = wrap(comment.text, initial_indent=' ' * 13,
-                                subsequent_indent=' ' * 13, width=67)
-                    comments.append('\n'.join(text))
-            val += '\n'.join(comments).lstrip() + '\n'
-        val += "\n  %s\n" % self.abs_url()
+                    comments_list.append(comment.text)
+            comments = wrap_text(
+                '\n'.join(comments_list), width=79,
+                initial_indent=f"{'Comments:' : >12} ",
+                subsequent_indent=f"{' ' * 13}")
+            val += f"{comments}{nl}"
+        val += f"{nl}  {self.abs_url()}"
         return val
 
     def update_bugs(self, bug_ids, session):
diff --git a/bodhi-server/bodhi/server/util.py b/bodhi-server/bodhi/server/util.py
index b363e4f749..701bced79a 100644
--- a/bodhi-server/bodhi/server/util.py
+++ b/bodhi-server/bodhi/server/util.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 from importlib import import_module
+from textwrap import TextWrapper
 from urllib.parse import urlencode
 import bz2
 import errno
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@
 import types
 import typing
 
+from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
 from pyramid.i18n import TranslationStringFactory
 import arrow
 import bleach
@@ -1362,3 +1364,46 @@ def eol_releases(days: int = 30) -> list:
             eol_releases.append((release.long_name, release.eol))
 
     return eol_releases
+
+
+def markdown_to_text(markdown_string: str) -> str:
+    """
+    Convert a markdown string to plaintext.
+
+    Credit about this method goes to Github gist at
+    https://gist.github.com/lorey/eb15a7f3338f959a78cc3661fbc255fe
+
+    Args:
+        markdown_string: a markdown formatted text.
+    Returns:
+        Text with markdown tags stripped out.
+    """
+    html = markdown.markdown(markdown_string, extensions=['fenced_code'])
+
+    # extract text
+    soup = BeautifulSoup(html, "html.parser")
+    text = ''.join(soup.findAll(string=True))
+
+    return text
+
+
+def wrap_text(text: str, width: int = 80, initial_indent: str = '',
+              subsequent_indent: str = '', **kwargs) -> str:
+    """
+    Wrap text to the specified line length preserving existing newlines.
+
+    Args:
+        text: the text that needs to be wrapped.
+        width: the maximum line length.
+    Returns:
+        Text wrapped at the desired length.
+    """
+    wrapper = TextWrapper(width=width, subsequent_indent=subsequent_indent, **kwargs)
+
+    paragraphs = []
+    for i, paragraph in enumerate(text.splitlines()):
+        paragraphs.extend(wrapper.wrap(f"{not i and initial_indent or ''}"
+                                       f"{i and subsequent_indent or ''}"
+                                       f"{paragraph}"))
+
+    return '\n'.join(paragraphs)
diff --git a/bodhi-server/pyproject.toml b/bodhi-server/pyproject.toml
index 033a52591c..66995e84ab 100644
--- a/bodhi-server/pyproject.toml
+++ b/bodhi-server/pyproject.toml
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ alembic = ">=1.5.5"
 arrow = ">=0.17.0"
 authlib = ">=0.15.4"
 backoff = ">=1.10.0"
+beautifulsoup4 = "^4.12.0"
 bleach = ">=3.2.3"
 bodhi-messages = "^7.0"
 celery = ">=5.2.1"
diff --git a/bodhi-server/tests/test_mail.py b/bodhi-server/tests/test_mail.py
index ed6320e972..617b21a883 100644
--- a/bodhi-server/tests/test_mail.py
+++ b/bodhi-server/tests/test_mail.py
@@ -143,6 +143,25 @@ def test_testing_update(self):
         # The advisory flag should be included in the dnf instructions.
         assert 'dnf --enablerepo=updates-testing upgrade --advisory {}'.format(u.alias) in t
 
+    def test_no_markdown(self):
+        """Update notes should be sent in plaintext."""
+        u = models.Update.query.first()
+        u.notes = """Some **fancy** update description:
+
+- first element
+- second element
+
+Let's also have some code:
+```<test@example.com>```
+"""
+
+        t = mail.get_template(u)
+
+        # Assemble the template for easier asserting.
+        t = '\n'.join([line for line in t[0]])
+        assert 'Some fancy update description:' in t
+        assert '```<test@example.com>```' not in t
+
     def test_read_template(self):
         """Ensure that email template is read correctly."""
         tpl_name = "maillist_template"