Methods and devices for transmitting message attachments from a messaging server to a mobile device. The mobile device identifies if any of the attachments are of a first type and requests transmission, from the messaging server, of the identified attachments of the first type, if any. The device determines the remaining transmission capacity by subtracting the collective size of the message body received and the identified attachments of the first type, if any, from the initial data limit. Based on the remaining transmission capacity, the device determines that at least one of the one or more attachments, other than the identified attachments, has a size smaller than the remaining transmission capacity, and based on that determination, requests transmission of said at least one of the one or more attachments from the messaging server to the mobile device.