diff --git a/app/main/forms.py b/app/main/forms.py
index 87bfec066..e3a8a97a4 100644
--- a/app/main/forms.py
+++ b/app/main/forms.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import re
+
 import pytz
 from flask_login import current_user
 from flask_wtf import Form
@@ -251,7 +253,7 @@ class ConfirmPasswordForm(Form):
             raise ValidationError('Invalid password')
 
 
-class SMSTemplateForm(Form):
+class BaseTemplateForm(Form):
     name = StringField(
         u'Template name',
         validators=[DataRequired(message="Can’t be empty")])
@@ -260,8 +262,7 @@ class SMSTemplateForm(Form):
         u'Message',
         validators=[
             DataRequired(message="Can’t be empty"),
-            NoCommasInPlaceHolders(),
-            OnlyGSMCharacters()
+            NoCommasInPlaceHolders()
         ]
     )
     process_type = RadioField(
@@ -275,7 +276,12 @@ class SMSTemplateForm(Form):
     )
 
 
-class EmailTemplateForm(SMSTemplateForm):
+class SMSTemplateForm(BaseTemplateForm):
+    def validate_template_content(self, field):
+        OnlyGSMCharacters()(None, field)
+
+
+class EmailTemplateForm(BaseTemplateForm):
     subject = TextAreaField(
         u'Subject',
         validators=[DataRequired(message="Can’t be empty")])
@@ -480,7 +486,6 @@ class ServiceSmsSender(Form):
     )
 
     def validate_sms_sender(form, field):
-        import re
         if field.data and not re.match('^[a-zA-Z0-9\s]+$', field.data):
             raise ValidationError('Use letters and numbers only')
 
diff --git a/app/main/views/templates.py b/app/main/views/templates.py
index a578168a5..cd6699d3b 100644
--- a/app/main/views/templates.py
+++ b/app/main/views/templates.py
@@ -163,11 +163,12 @@ def add_service_template(service_id, template_type):
                 form.process_type.data
             )
         except HTTPError as e:
-            if e.status_code == 400:
-                if 'content' in e.message and any(['character count greater than' in x for x in e.message['content']]):
-                    form.template_content.errors.extend(e.message['content'])
-                else:
-                    raise e
+            if (
+                e.status_code == 400 and
+                'content' in e.message and
+                any(['character count greater than' in x for x in e.message['content']])
+            ):
+                form.template_content.errors.extend(e.message['content'])
             else:
                 raise e
         else:
diff --git a/tests/app/main/views/test_templates.py b/tests/app/main/views/test_templates.py
index 6ace9466e..69c5eaf3b 100644
--- a/tests/app/main/views/test_templates.py
+++ b/tests/app/main/views/test_templates.py
@@ -629,10 +629,31 @@ def test_get_human_readable_delta(from_time, until_time, message):
     assert get_human_readable_delta(from_time, until_time) == message
 
 
+def test_can_create_email_template_with_emoji(
+    logged_in_client,
+    service_one,
+    mock_create_service_template
+):
+    data = {
+        'name': "new name",
+        'subject': "Food incoming!",
+        'template_content': "here's a burrito 🌯",
+        'template_type': 'email',
+        'service': service_one['id'],
+        'process_type': 'normal'
+    }
+    resp = logged_in_client.post(url_for(
+        '.add_service_template',
+        service_id=service_one['id'],
+        template_type='email'
+    ), data=data)
+
+    assert resp.status_code == 302
+
+
 def test_should_not_create_sms_template_with_emoji(
     logged_in_client,
     service_one,
-    mock_get_service_template,
     mock_create_service_template
 ):
     data = {