2 files changed, 9 insertions, 3 deletions
diff --git a/qpid/python/qpid/messaging/message.py b/qpid/python/qpid/messaging/message.py
index a9660b05b1..d89fa00dc3 100644
--- a/qpid/python/qpid/messaging/message.py
+++ b/qpid/python/qpid/messaging/message.py
@@ -47,20 +47,22 @@ TYPE_MAPPINGS={
   None.__class__: None
   }
 
+DEFAULT_CODEC = (lambda x: x, lambda x: x)
+
 TYPE_CODEC={
   "amqp/map": codec("map"),
   "amqp/list": codec("list"),
   "text/plain; charset=utf8": (lambda x: x.encode("utf8"), lambda x: x.decode("utf8")),
   "text/plain": (lambda x: x.encode("utf8"), lambda x: x.decode("utf8")),
-  "": (lambda x: x, lambda x: x),
-  None: (lambda x: x, lambda x: x)
+  "": DEFAULT_CODEC,
+  None: DEFAULT_CODEC
   }
 
 def get_type(content):
   return TYPE_MAPPINGS[content.__class__]
 
 def get_codec(content_type):
-  return TYPE_CODEC[content_type]
+  return TYPE_CODEC.get(content_type, DEFAULT_CODEC)
 
 UNSPECIFIED = object()
 
diff --git a/qpid/python/qpid/tests/messaging/message.py b/qpid/python/qpid/tests/messaging/message.py
index 654076588b..f2701af64b 100644
--- a/qpid/python/qpid/tests/messaging/message.py
+++ b/qpid/python/qpid/tests/messaging/message.py
@@ -107,3 +107,7 @@ class MessageEchoTests(Base):
     msg.properties = MessageEchoTests.TEST_MAP
     msg.reply_to = "reply-address"
     self.check(msg)
+
+  def testContentTypeUnknown(self):
+    msg = Message(content_type = "this-content-type-does-not-exist")
+    self.check(msg)