diff --git a/components/ComposeEmail.tsx b/components/ComposeEmail.tsx
index bc0614dc..dac5139f 100644
--- a/components/ComposeEmail.tsx
+++ b/components/ComposeEmail.tsx
@@ -112,25 +112,62 @@ export default function ComposeEmail({
           
           setIsLoading(true);
 
-          // Check if we have content
-          if (!emailToProcess?.content) {
-            console.error('[DEBUG] No email content found to process');
+          // Check if email object exists
+          if (!emailToProcess) {
+            console.error('[DEBUG] No email to process for reply/forward');
             composeBodyRef.current.innerHTML = `
               <div class="compose-area" contenteditable="true">
                 <br/>
-                <div style="color: #ef4444;">Unable to load original message content.</div>
+                <div style="color: #ef4444;">No email selected for reply/forward.</div>
               </div>
             `;
             setIsLoading(false);
             return;
           }
 
-          // Format the reply/forward content
+          // Check if we need to fetch full content first - same as panel 3
+          if (!emailToProcess.content || emailToProcess.content.length === 0) {
+            console.log('[DEBUG] Need to fetch content before composing reply/forward');
+            
+            try {
+              const response = await fetch(`/api/courrier/${emailToProcess.id}?folder=${encodeURIComponent(emailToProcess.folder || 'INBOX')}`);
+              
+              if (!response.ok) {
+                throw new Error(`Failed to fetch email content: ${response.status}`);
+              }
+              
+              const fullContent = await response.json();
+              
+              // Update the email content with the fetched full content
+              emailToProcess.content = fullContent.content;
+              emailToProcess.contentFetched = true;
+              
+              console.log('[DEBUG] Successfully fetched content for reply/forward');
+            } catch (error) {
+              console.error('[DEBUG] Error fetching content for reply:', error);
+              composeBodyRef.current.innerHTML = `
+                <div class="compose-area" contenteditable="true">
+                  <br/>
+                  <div style="color: #ef4444;">Failed to load email content. Please try again.</div>
+                </div>
+              `;
+              setIsLoading(false);
+              return; // Exit if we couldn't get the content
+            }
+          }
+
+          // Now proceed with the usual decoding
           const type = replyTo ? 'reply' : 'forward';
           
           try {
             // Parse the email to get headers and content - using the same function as panel 3
             const decoded = await decodeEmail(emailToProcess.content);
+            console.log('[DEBUG] Decoded email for compose:', { 
+              hasHtml: !!decoded.html, 
+              hasText: !!decoded.text,
+              from: decoded.from,
+              subject: decoded.subject
+            });
             
             // This is exactly how panel 3 handles email content - simple sanitization of HTML or showing text
             let cleanContent = '';