diff --git a/api/bots/zephyr_mirror.py b/api/bots/zephyr_mirror.py
index ab01bfdb14..6a3c37cb05 100755
--- a/api/bots/zephyr_mirror.py
+++ b/api/bots/zephyr_mirror.py
@@ -227,11 +227,10 @@ def process_notice(notice, log):
         if body.startswith("CC:"):
             is_huddle = True
             # Map "CC: sipbtest espuser" => "starnine@mit.edu,espuser@mit.edu"
-            huddle_recipients_list = [to_humbug_username(x.strip()) for x in
-                                      body.split("\n")[0][4:].split()]
-            if notice.sender not in huddle_recipients_list:
-                huddle_recipients_list.append(to_humbug_username(notice.sender))
-            huddle_recipients = ",".join(huddle_recipients_list)
+            huddle_recipients = [to_humbug_username(x.strip()) for x in
+                                 body.split("\n")[0][4:].split()]
+            if notice.sender not in huddle_recipients:
+                huddle_recipients.append(to_humbug_username(notice.sender))
             body = body.split("\n", 1)[1]
     if (zephyr_class == "mail" and notice.instance.lower() == "inbox"):
         is_personal = True
diff --git a/tools/review b/tools/review
index 18052887e9..0ce9bf6e44 100755
--- a/tools/review
+++ b/tools/review
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ def main(args):
                                   api_key=file(api_key_file).read().strip(),
                                   verbose=True)
     client.send_message({'type': "personal",
-                         'recipient': ", ".join(opts.reviewers),
+                         'recipient': [opts.reviewers],
                          'content': "I just sent you a review request!  Check your email for details."})
 
     if os.environ.get('REVIEW_USE_SENDMAIL', ''):
diff --git a/zephyr/static/js/compose.js b/zephyr/static/js/compose.js
index 21b00044a5..f5d06dba58 100644
--- a/zephyr/static/js/compose.js
+++ b/zephyr/static/js/compose.js
@@ -56,6 +56,17 @@ $(function () {
 
     send_options = {
         dataType: 'json', // This seems to be ignored. We still get back an xhr.
+        beforeSubmit: function (arr, form, options) {
+            $.each(arr, function (idx, elem) {
+                if (elem.name === 'recipient') {
+                    var recipients = elem.value;
+                    // TODO: this should be collapsed with the code in composebox_typeahead.js
+                    recipients = recipients.split(/\s*[,;]\s*/);
+                    elem.value = JSON.stringify(recipients);
+                }
+            });
+            return true;
+        },
         success: function (resp, statusText, xhr, form) {
             form.find('textarea').val('');
             send_status.hide();
diff --git a/zephyr/views.py b/zephyr/views.py
index 89d498a3e1..d224be5da2 100644
--- a/zephyr/views.py
+++ b/zephyr/views.py
@@ -450,38 +450,41 @@ def same_realm_email(user_profile, email):
     except:
         return False
 
-# Parse out the sender and huddle/personal recipients
-def parse_named_users(request):
-    sender = {}
-    recipients = set()
+def extract_recipients(request):
+    raw_recipient = request.POST.get("recipient")
+    try:
+        recipients = simplejson.loads(raw_recipient)
+    except simplejson.decoder.JSONDecodeError:
+        recipients = [raw_recipient]
+
+    return list(set(recipients))
+
+def extract_sender(request):
+    sender = None
     try:
         if 'sender' in request.POST:
             sender = {'email': request.POST["sender"],
                       'full_name': request.POST["fullname"],
                       'short_name': request.POST["shortname"]}
-
-        if request.POST['type'] == 'personal':
-            if ',' in request.POST['recipient']:
-                # Huddle message
-                for user_email in request.POST["recipient"].split(","):
-                    recipients.add(user_email.strip().lower())
-            else:
-                user_email = request.POST["recipient"].strip().lower()
-                recipients.add(user_email)
     except:
-        return (False, None, None)
-
-    return (True, sender, list(recipients))
+        return None
+    return sender
 
 def create_mirrored_message_users(request, user_profile):
-    (valid_input, sender_data, huddle_recipients) = parse_named_users(request)
-    if not valid_input:
+    sender_data = extract_sender(request)
+
+    if sender_data is None:
         return (False, None)
 
     # First, check that the sender is in our realm:
     if 'email' in sender_data and not same_realm_email(user_profile,
                                                        sender_data['email']):
         return (False, None)
+
+    if "recipient" not in request.POST:
+        return (False, None)
+    huddle_recipients = extract_recipients(request)
+
     # Then, check that all huddle/personal recipients are in our realm:
     for recipient in huddle_recipients:
         if not same_realm_email(user_profile, recipient):
@@ -571,10 +574,8 @@ def send_message_backend(request, user_profile, sender, message_type_name = POST
         recipient = Recipient.objects.get(type_id=stream.id, type=Recipient.STREAM)
     elif message_type_name == 'personal':
         if "recipient" not in request.POST:
-            return json_error("Missing recipient")
-        (valid_input, _, huddle_recipients) = parse_named_users(request)
-        if not valid_input:
-            return json_error("Unable to parse recipients")
+            return json_error("Missing recipients")
+        huddle_recipients = extract_recipients(request)
         if client_name == "zephyr_mirror":
             if user_profile.user.email not in huddle_recipients and not forged:
                 return json_error("User not authorized for this query")