diff --git a/apps/app_sendtext.c b/apps/app_sendtext.c
index d1cd1208af..6d0c7d31da 100644
--- a/apps/app_sendtext.c
+++ b/apps/app_sendtext.c
@@ -68,9 +68,13 @@ ASTERISK_FILE_VERSION(__FILE__, "$Revision$")
 				</variable>
 				<variable name="SENDTEXT_CONTENT_TYPE">
 					<para>If set and this channel supports enhanced messaging, this value will be
-					used as the message <literal>Content-Type</literal>.  It <emphasis>MUST</emphasis>
-					be a <literal>text/&#42;</literal> content type.  If not specified, the
+					used as the message <literal>Content-Type</literal>.  If not specified, the
 					default of <literal>text/plain</literal> will be used.</para>
+					<para><emphasis>Warning:</emphasis> Messages of types other than
+					<literal>text/&#42;</literal> cannot be sent via channel drivers that do not
+					support Enhanced Messaging. An attempt to do so will be ignored and will result
+					in the <literal>SENDTEXTSTATUS</literal> variable being set to
+					<literal>UNSUPPORTED</literal>.</para>
 				</variable>
 				<variable name="SENDTEXT_BODY">
 					<para>If set this value will be used as the message body and any text supplied
@@ -193,11 +197,6 @@ static int sendtext_exec(struct ast_channel *chan, const char *data)
 			},
 		};
 
-		if (!ast_strlen_zero(content_type) && !ast_begins_with(content_type, "text/")) {
-			ast_log(LOG_ERROR, "SENDTEXT_CONTENT_TYPE must begin with 'text/'\n");
-			rc = -1;
-			goto cleanup;
-		}
 		msg_type = "ENHANCED";
 		msg = ast_msg_data_alloc(AST_MSG_DATA_SOURCE_TYPE_IN_DIALOG, attrs, ARRAY_LEN(attrs));
 		if (msg) {
@@ -214,6 +213,11 @@ static int sendtext_exec(struct ast_channel *chan, const char *data)
 		}
 
 	} else if (ast_channel_tech(chan)->send_text) {
+		if (!ast_strlen_zero(content_type) && !ast_begins_with(content_type, "text/")) {
+			rc = -1;
+			goto cleanup;
+		}
+
 		msg_type = "BASIC";
 		if (ast_sendtext(chan, body) == 0) {
 			status = "SUCCESS";
diff --git a/main/channel.c b/main/channel.c
index cbcf1343d5..09142e431c 100644
--- a/main/channel.c
+++ b/main/channel.c
@@ -4889,7 +4889,7 @@ int ast_sendtext_data(struct ast_channel *chan, struct ast_msg_data *msg)
 
 	CHECK_BLOCKING(chan);
 	if (ast_channel_tech(chan)->write_text
-		&& (ast_strlen_zero(content_type) || strcasecmp(content_type, "text/plain") == 0)
+		&& (ast_strlen_zero(content_type) || ast_begins_with(content_type, "text/"))
 		&& (ast_format_cap_has_type(ast_channel_nativeformats(chan), AST_MEDIA_TYPE_TEXT))) {
 		struct ast_frame f;
 		size_t body_len = strlen(body) + 1;
@@ -4917,7 +4917,7 @@ int ast_sendtext_data(struct ast_channel *chan, struct ast_msg_data *msg)
 			ast_channel_name(chan), body);
 		res = ast_channel_tech(chan)->send_text_data(chan, msg);
 	} else if (ast_channel_tech(chan)->send_text
-		&& (ast_strlen_zero(content_type) || strcasecmp(content_type, "text/plain") == 0)) {
+		&& (ast_strlen_zero(content_type) || ast_begins_with(content_type, "text/"))) {
 		/* Send the body of an enhanced message to a channel driver that supports only a char str */
 		ast_debug(1, "Sending TEXT to %s: %s\n", ast_channel_name(chan), body);
 		res = ast_channel_tech(chan)->send_text(chan, body);