diff --git a/app/controllers/notifications_controller.rb b/app/controllers/notifications_controller.rb
index efbbd09e6..7e0af8645 100644
--- a/app/controllers/notifications_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/notifications_controller.rb
@@ -36,10 +36,8 @@ class NotificationsController < ApplicationController
 
       pager.replace(result)
     end
-    if request.format != :json
-      @notifications.each do |n|
-        n[:note_html] = render_to_string( :partial => 'notify_popup_item', :locals => { :n => n } )
-      end
+    @notifications.each do |n|
+      n[:note_html] = render_to_string( :partial => 'notify_popup_item', :locals => { :n => n } )
     end
     @group_days = @notifications.group_by{|note| I18n.l(note.created_at, :format => I18n.t('date.formats.fullmonth_day')) }
 
diff --git a/spec/controllers/notifications_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/notifications_controller_spec.rb
index bfc73ac6e..f468e5fc1 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/notifications_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/notifications_controller_spec.rb
@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@ describe NotificationsController do
       Factory(:notification, :recipient => alice, :target => @post)
     end
 
+    it 'succeeds for notification dropdown' do
+      get :index, :format => :json
+      response.should be_success
+      response.body.should =~ /note_html/
+    end
+
     it 'paginates the notifications' do
       25.times { Factory(:notification, :recipient => alice, :target => @post) }
       get :index