diff --git a/nodes/core/parsers/70-HTML.html b/nodes/core/parsers/70-HTML.html
index bf67fe082..053e74b04 100644
--- a/nodes/core/parsers/70-HTML.html
+++ b/nodes/core/parsers/70-HTML.html
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 
 <script type="text/x-red" data-template-name="html">
+    <div class="form-row">
+        <label for="node-input-property"><i class="fa fa-ellipsis-h"></i> <span data-i18n="node-red:common.label.property"></span></label>
+        <input type="text" id="node-input-property" style="width:70%;"/>
+    </div>
     <div class="form-row">
         <label for="node-input-tag"><i class="fa fa-filter"></i> <span data-i18n="html.label.select"></span></label>
         <input type="text" id="node-input-tag" placeholder="h1">
@@ -40,7 +44,7 @@
     <dl class="message-properties">
         <dt>payload <span class="property-type">array | string</span></dt>
         <dd>the result can be either a single message with a payload containing an array of the matched elements, or multiple
-           messages that each contain a matched element.</dd>
+           messages that each contain a matched element. If multiple messages are sent they will also have <code>parts</code> set.</dd>
     </dl>
     <h3>Details</h3>
     <p>This node supports a combination of CSS and jQuery selectors. See the
diff --git a/nodes/core/parsers/70-HTML.js b/nodes/core/parsers/70-HTML.js
index 16d29883a..7e4f48fd0 100644
--- a/nodes/core/parsers/70-HTML.js
+++ b/nodes/core/parsers/70-HTML.js
@@ -20,16 +20,18 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
 
     function CheerioNode(n) {
         RED.nodes.createNode(this,n);
+        this.property = n.property||"payload";
         this.tag = n.tag;
         this.ret = n.ret || "html";
         this.as = n.as || "single";
         var node = this;
         this.on("input", function(msg) {
-            if (msg.hasOwnProperty("payload")) {
+            var value = RED.util.getMessageProperty(msg,node.property);
+            if (value !== undefined) {
                 var tag = node.tag;
                 if (msg.hasOwnProperty("select")) { tag = node.tag || msg.select; }
                 try {
-                    var $ = cheerio.load(msg.payload);
+                    var $ = cheerio.load(value);
                     var pay = [];
                     var count = 0;
                     $(tag).each(function() {
@@ -46,7 +48,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                             /* istanbul ignore else */
                             if (pay2) {
                                 var new_msg = RED.util.cloneMessage(msg);
-                                new_msg.payload = pay2;
+                                RED.util.setMessageProperty(new_msg,node.property,pay2);
                                 new_msg.parts = {
                                     id: msg._msgid,
                                     index: index,
@@ -66,7 +68,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                         index++;
                     });
                     if (node.as === "single") {  // Always return an array - even if blank
-                        msg.payload = pay;
+                        RED.util.setMessageProperty(msg,node.property,pay);
                         node.send(msg);
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/test/nodes/core/parsers/70-HTML_spec.js b/test/nodes/core/parsers/70-HTML_spec.js
index 1c921bb2d..50622d949 100644
--- a/test/nodes/core/parsers/70-HTML_spec.js
+++ b/test/nodes/core/parsers/70-HTML_spec.js
@@ -66,6 +66,24 @@ describe('html node', function() {
         });
     });
 
+    it('should retrieve header contents if asked to by msg.select - alternative property', function(done) {
+        fs.readFile(file, 'utf8', function(err, data) {
+            var flow = [{id:"n1",type:"html",property:"foo",wires:[["n2"]],func:"return msg;"},
+                        {id:"n2", type:"helper"}];
+
+            helper.load(htmlNode, flow, function() {
+                var n1 = helper.getNode("n1");
+                var n2 = helper.getNode("n2");
+                n2.on("input", function(msg) {
+                    msg.should.have.property('topic', 'bar');
+                    should.equal(msg.foo, 'This is a test page for node 70-HTML');
+                    done();
+                });
+                n1.receive({foo:data,topic:"bar",select:"h1"});
+            });
+        });
+    });
+
     it('should emit an empty array if no matching elements', function(done) {
         fs.readFile(file, 'utf8', function(err, data) {
             var flow = [{id:"n1",type:"html",wires:[["n2"]],func:"return msg;"},
@@ -249,7 +267,7 @@ describe('html node', function() {
             msg.parts.should.have.property('ch', '');
         }
 
-        it('should retrieve list contents as html as default with output as multiple msgs ', function(done) {
+        it('should retrieve list contents as html as default with output as multiple msgs', function(done) {
             fs.readFile(file, 'utf8', function(err, data) {
                 var flow = [{id:"n1",type:"html",wires:[["n2"]],tag:"ul",as:"multi"},
                             {id:"n2", type:"helper"}];
@@ -278,6 +296,36 @@ describe('html node', function() {
             });
         });
 
+
+        it('should retrieve list contents as html as default with output as multiple msgs - alternative property', function(done) {
+            fs.readFile(file, 'utf8', function(err, data) {
+                var flow = [{id:"n1",type:"html",property:"foo",wires:[["n2"]],tag:"ul",as:"multi"},
+                            {id:"n2", type:"helper"}];
+
+                helper.load(htmlNode, flow, function() {
+                    var n1 = helper.getNode("n1");
+                    var n2 = helper.getNode("n2");
+                    n2.on("input", function(msg) {
+                        cnt++;
+                        msg.should.have.property('topic', 'bar');
+                        check_parts(msg, cnt -1, 2);
+                        if (cnt !== 1 && cnt !== 2) {
+                            return false;
+                        }
+                        if (cnt === 1) {
+                            msg.foo.indexOf("<li>Apple</li>").should.be.above(-1);
+                            msg.foo.indexOf("<li>Pear</li>").should.be.above(-1);
+                        } else if (cnt === 2) {
+                            msg.foo.indexOf("<li>Potato</li>").should.be.above(-1);
+                            msg.foo.indexOf("<li>Parsnip</li>").should.be.above(-1);
+                            done();
+                        }
+                    });
+                    n1.receive({foo:data, topic:"bar"});
+                });
+            });
+        });
+
         it('should retrieve list contents as text with output as multiple msgs ', function(done) {
             fs.readFile(file, 'utf8', function(err, data) {
                 var flow = [{id:"n1",type:"html",wires:[["n2"]],tag:"ul",ret:"text",as:"multi"},