diff --git a/zerver/tests/test_bugdown.py b/zerver/tests/test_bugdown.py
index be9685fdb7..cb3d63be9f 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/test_bugdown.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/test_bugdown.py
@@ -843,6 +843,19 @@ class BugdownApiTests(ZulipTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(data['rendered'],
             u'<p>That is a <strong>bold</strong> statement</p>')
 
+    def test_render_message_api(self):
+        # type: () -> None
+        content = 'This mentions #**Denmark** and @**King Hamlet**.'
+        result = self.client_get(
+            '/api/v1/messages/render',
+            dict(content=content),
+            **self.api_auth('othello@zulip.com')
+        )
+        self.assert_json_success(result)
+        data = ujson.loads(result.content)
+        self.assertEqual(data['rendered'],
+            u'<p>This mentions <a class="stream" data-stream-id="3" href="/#narrow/stream/Denmark">#Denmark</a> and <span class="user-mention" data-user-email="hamlet@zulip.com">@King Hamlet</span>.</p>')
+
 class BugdownErrorTests(ZulipTestCase):
     def test_bugdown_error_handling(self):
         # type: () -> None
diff --git a/zerver/views/messages.py b/zerver/views/messages.py
index 2f5cb5d50b..4192e6726c 100644
--- a/zerver/views/messages.py
+++ b/zerver/views/messages.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ from zerver.lib.message import (
     access_message,
     MessageDict,
     extract_message_dict,
+    render_markdown,
     stringify_message_dict,
 )
 from zerver.lib.response import json_success, json_error
@@ -940,7 +941,12 @@ def json_fetch_raw_message(request, user_profile,
 @has_request_variables
 def render_message_backend(request, user_profile, content=REQ()):
     # type: (HttpRequest, UserProfile, text_type) -> HttpResponse
-    rendered_content = bugdown.convert(content, user_profile.realm.domain)
+    message = Message()
+    message.sender = user_profile
+    message.content = content
+    message.sending_client = request.client
+
+    rendered_content = render_markdown(message, content, domain=user_profile.realm.domain)
     return json_success({"rendered": rendered_content})
 
 @authenticated_json_post_view