diff --git a/djrill/mail/backends/djrill.py b/djrill/mail/backends/djrill.py
index c0ed3f3..3fc6ab7 100644
--- a/djrill/mail/backends/djrill.py
+++ b/djrill/mail/backends/djrill.py
@@ -194,6 +194,7 @@ class DjrillBackend(BaseEmailBackend):
             'track_opens', 'track_clicks', 'auto_text', 'auto_html',
             'inline_css', 'url_strip_qs',
             'tracking_domain', 'signing_domain', 'return_path_domain',
+            'merge_language',
             'tags', 'preserve_recipients', 'view_content_link', 'subaccount',
             'google_analytics_domains', 'google_analytics_campaign',
             'metadata']
diff --git a/djrill/tests/test_mandrill_send.py b/djrill/tests/test_mandrill_send.py
index 0d3b47a..4c25fb9 100644
--- a/djrill/tests/test_mandrill_send.py
+++ b/djrill/tests/test_mandrill_send.py
@@ -343,6 +343,7 @@ class DjrillMandrillFeatureTests(DjrillBackendMockAPITestCase):
     def test_merge(self):
         # Djrill expands simple python dicts into the more-verbose name/content
         # structures the Mandrill API uses
+        self.message.merge_language = "mailchimp"
         self.message.global_merge_vars = { 'GREETING': "Hello",
                                            'ACCOUNT_TYPE': "Basic" }
         self.message.merge_vars = {
@@ -352,6 +353,7 @@ class DjrillMandrillFeatureTests(DjrillBackendMockAPITestCase):
             }
         self.message.send()
         data = self.get_api_call_data()
+        self.assertEqual(data['message']['merge_language'], "mailchimp")
         self.assertEqual(data['message']['global_merge_vars'],
             [ {'name': 'ACCOUNT_TYPE', 'content': "Basic"},
               {'name': "GREETING", 'content': "Hello"} ])
@@ -456,6 +458,7 @@ class DjrillMandrillFeatureTests(DjrillBackendMockAPITestCase):
         self.assertFalse('google_analytics_domains' in data['message'])
         self.assertFalse('google_analytics_campaign' in data['message'])
         self.assertFalse('metadata' in data['message'])
+        self.assertFalse('merge_language' in data['message'])
         self.assertFalse('global_merge_vars' in data['message'])
         self.assertFalse('merge_vars' in data['message'])
         self.assertFalse('recipient_metadata' in data['message'])
diff --git a/djrill/tests/test_mandrill_send_template.py b/djrill/tests/test_mandrill_send_template.py
index c1d9569..8a3760e 100644
--- a/djrill/tests/test_mandrill_send_template.py
+++ b/djrill/tests/test_mandrill_send_template.py
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ class DjrillMandrillSendTemplateTests(DjrillBackendMockAPITestCase):
         msg.use_template_from = True
         with self.assertRaises(MandrillAPIError):
             msg.send()
-            self.assertEqual(sent, 0)
 
     def test_send_template_without_subject_field(self):
         msg = mail.EmailMessage('Subject', 'Text Body',
diff --git a/docs/usage/sending_mail.rst b/docs/usage/sending_mail.rst
index d186fc4..1417209 100644
--- a/docs/usage/sending_mail.rst
+++ b/docs/usage/sending_mail.rst
@@ -171,6 +171,13 @@ Most of the options from the Mandrill
 
     .. versionadded:: 0.7
 
+.. attribute:: merge_language
+
+    ``str``: the merge tag language if using merge tags -- e.g., "mailchimp" or "handlebars".
+    Default from your Mandrill account settings.
+
+    .. versionadded:: 1.3
+
 .. attribute:: global_merge_vars
 
     ``dict``: merge variables to use for all recipients (most useful with :ref:`mandrill-templates`). ::