diff --git a/internal/canvaslms/message.go b/internal/canvaslms/message.go
index c0cd641..cb9578c 100644
--- a/internal/canvaslms/message.go
+++ b/internal/canvaslms/message.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func (h *Handler) SendGradeMessage(conf config.CanvasLMSMessage) error {
 			Grades:      grades,
 			LastRefresh: h.respCache.requestTime.Format(time.RFC3339),
 		},
-	}); err != nil {
+	}, false); err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error sending grade message: %v", err)
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/internal/comm/api.go b/internal/comm/api.go
index 73e3630..0219b04 100644
--- a/internal/comm/api.go
+++ b/internal/comm/api.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func (c *Communicator) RegisterAPIRoute(g *echo.Group) {
 			if err := ctx.Bind(&msg); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			if err := c.SendGenericMessage("", msg); err != nil {
+			if err := c.SendGenericMessage("", msg, ctx.QueryParam("force") == "1"); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 			return nil
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func (c *Communicator) RegisterAPIRoute(g *echo.Group) {
 			if err := ctx.Bind(&msg); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			if err := c.SendGenericMessage(ctx.Param("method"), msg); err != nil {
+			if err := c.SendGenericMessage(ctx.Param("method"), msg, ctx.QueryParam("force") == "1"); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 			return nil
diff --git a/internal/comm/communicator.go b/internal/comm/communicator.go
index 50df296..a3b632f 100644
--- a/internal/comm/communicator.go
+++ b/internal/comm/communicator.go
@@ -61,11 +61,15 @@ func (e ErrorSentWithFallback) Error() string {
 // if the preferred method failed to send the message, fallback methods will be tried,
 // and an ErrorSentWithFabback will be returned if any fallback method succeeded.
 // if fallback methods failed as well the original error will be returned.
-func (c *Communicator) SendGenericMessage(preferredMethod string, message model.GenericMessage) error {
+func (c *Communicator) SendGenericMessage(preferredMethod string, message model.GenericMessage, force bool) error {
 	if preferredMethod == "" {
 		preferredMethod = c.fallbackCommunicators[0]
 	}
 	if origErr := c.actualSendGenericMessage(preferredMethod, message); origErr != nil {
+		if force {
+			log.Printf("Failed to send message using preferred method %s: %v", preferredMethod, origErr)
+			return origErr
+		}
 		log.Printf("Failed to send message using preferred method %s: %v. trying fallback methods", preferredMethod, origErr)
 		for _, fallback := range c.fallbackCommunicators {
 			if fallback == preferredMethod {
diff --git a/internal/comm/convert.go b/internal/comm/convert.go
index 3c8450f..b79f966 100644
--- a/internal/comm/convert.go
+++ b/internal/comm/convert.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
 	"html/template"
-	"log"
 	"path"
 	"strings"
 	textTemplate "text/template"
@@ -77,7 +76,6 @@ func ConvertGenericMessage(msgOrig *model.GenericMessage, supportedMIMES []strin
 					return nil, err
 				}
 			}
-			log.Printf("template name is: %s %s", tpl.Name(), tpl.DefinedTemplates())
 			if err := tpl.ExecuteTemplate(&output, tplName, msgOrig.Context); err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
@@ -97,7 +95,6 @@ func ConvertGenericMessage(msgOrig *model.GenericMessage, supportedMIMES []strin
 					return nil, err
 				}
 			}
-			log.Printf("template name is: %s %s", tpl.Name(), tpl.DefinedTemplates())
 			if err := tpl.ExecuteTemplate(&output, tplName, msgOrig.Context); err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
diff --git a/internal/comm/gotify/send.go b/internal/comm/gotify/send.go
index 55e25be..2373466 100644
--- a/internal/comm/gotify/send.go
+++ b/internal/comm/gotify/send.go
@@ -66,8 +66,9 @@ func NewClient() (*Client, error) {
 
 func (c *Client) SendGenericMessage(gmsg model.GenericMessage) error {
 	msg := Message{
-		Message: gmsg.Body,
-		Title:   gmsg.Subject,
+		Message:  gmsg.Body,
+		Title:    gmsg.Subject,
+		Priority: gmsg.Priority + 5,
 	}
 	msg.Extras.ClientDisplay.ContentType = gmsg.MIME
 	return c.SendMessage(msg)
diff --git a/internal/comm/model/generic.go b/internal/comm/model/generic.go
index 99540bf..ef4c7b0 100644
--- a/internal/comm/model/generic.go
+++ b/internal/comm/model/generic.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ type GenericMessage struct {
 	Subject  string `json:"subject" form:"subject" query:"subject"`
 	Body     string `json:"body" form:"body" query:"body"`
 	MIME     string `json:"mime" form:"mime" query:"mime"`
+	Priority int    `json:"priority" form:"priority" query:"priority"`
 	ThreadID uint64 `json:"thread_id" form:"thread_id" query:"thread_id"`
 
 	Context interface{}
diff --git a/internal/comm/model/interface.go b/internal/comm/model/interface.go
index 407c2b4..b63713a 100644
--- a/internal/comm/model/interface.go
+++ b/internal/comm/model/interface.go
@@ -16,5 +16,5 @@ type CommMethodWithRoute interface {
 type Communicator interface {
 	GetMethod(method string) CommMethod
 	GetMethodsByMIME(mime string) []CommMethod
-	SendGenericMessage(preferredMethod string, message GenericMessage) error
+	SendGenericMessage(preferredMethod string, message GenericMessage, force bool) error
 }