diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/AbstractForcePush.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/AbstractForcePush.java
index 88d0937..943d990 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/AbstractForcePush.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/AbstractForcePush.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import static org.eclipse.jgit.transport.RemoteRefUpdate.Status.OK;
 import static org.eclipse.jgit.transport.RemoteRefUpdate.Status.REJECTED_OTHER_REASON;
 
+import com.google.common.collect.Iterables;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.AbstractDaemonTest;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.PushOneCommit;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.testsuite.project.ProjectOperations;
@@ -116,6 +117,28 @@
     assertDeleteRef(OK);
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void directPushSendsEmail() throws Exception {
+    // create a change
+    PushOneCommit push1 =
+        pushFactory.create(admin.newIdent(), testRepo, "change1", "a.txt", "content");
+    PushOneCommit.Result r = push1.to("refs/for/master");
+    r.assertOkStatus();
+
+    // Add reviewer to receive notifications
+    gApi.changes().id(r.getChangeId()).addReviewer(user.email());
+    sender.clear();
+
+    // direct submit the change
+    PushOneCommit.Result r1 = push1.to("refs/heads/master");
+    r1.assertOkStatus();
+
+    // email received
+    assertThat(sender.getMessages()).hasSize(1);
+    assertThat(Iterables.getOnlyElement(sender.getMessages()).body())
+        .contains("has submitted this change");
+  }
+
   private void assertDeleteRef(RemoteRefUpdate.Status expectedStatus) throws Exception {
     BranchInput in = new BranchInput();
     in.ref = "refs/heads/test";
diff --git a/resources/com/google/gerrit/server/mail/Merged.soy b/resources/com/google/gerrit/server/mail/Merged.soy
index e268a31..b8a19fc 100644
--- a/resources/com/google/gerrit/server/mail/Merged.soy
+++ b/resources/com/google/gerrit/server/mail/Merged.soy
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
   {if $email.changeUrl} ( {$email.changeUrl} ){/if}{\n}
   {\n}
 
-  {$email.stickyApprovalDiff}
+  {if $email.stickyApprovalDiff} ( {$email.stickyApprovalDiff} ){/if}
 
   Change subject: {$change.subject}{\n}
   ......................................................................{\n}
diff --git a/resources/com/google/gerrit/server/mail/MergedHtml.soy b/resources/com/google/gerrit/server/mail/MergedHtml.soy
index d2f7bfd..ac4afb3 100644
--- a/resources/com/google/gerrit/server/mail/MergedHtml.soy
+++ b/resources/com/google/gerrit/server/mail/MergedHtml.soy
@@ -32,9 +32,11 @@
     </p>
   {/if}
 
-  {call mailTemplate.UnifiedDiff}
-    {param diffLines: $email.stickyApprovalDiffHtml /}
-  {/call}
+  {if $email.stickyApprovalDiffHtml}
+    {call mailTemplate.UnifiedDiff}
+      {param diffLines: $email.stickyApprovalDiffHtml /}
+    {/call}
+  {/if}
 
   <div style="white-space:pre-wrap">{$email.approvals}</div>