diff --git a/todo/forms.py b/todo/forms.py
index 6a970c1..d4a4d54 100644
--- a/todo/forms.py
+++ b/todo/forms.py
@@ -63,16 +63,21 @@ class AddExternalItemForm(ModelForm):
     """Form to allow users who are not part of the GTD system to file a ticket."""
 
     title = forms.CharField(
-        widget=forms.widgets.TextInput(attrs={'size': 35})
+        widget=forms.widgets.TextInput(attrs={'size': 35}),
+        label="Summary"
     )
     note = forms.CharField(
         widget=forms.widgets.Textarea(),
-        help_text='Please describe the issue.',
+        label='Problem Description',
+    )
+    priority = forms.IntegerField(
+        widget=forms.HiddenInput(),
     )
 
     class Meta:
         model = Item
-        exclude = ('task_list', 'created_date', 'due_date', 'created_by', 'assigned_to',)
+        exclude = (
+            'task_list', 'created_date', 'due_date', 'created_by', 'assigned_to', 'completed', 'completed_date', )
 
 
 class SearchForm(forms.Form):
diff --git a/todo/templates/todo/add_task_external.html b/todo/templates/todo/add_task_external.html
index 9bfb365..bf0a0a7 100644
--- a/todo/templates/todo/add_task_external.html
+++ b/todo/templates/todo/add_task_external.html
@@ -4,56 +4,61 @@
 
 {% block content %}
 
-    <h2>{{ task }}</h2>
+  <h2>{{ task }}</h2>
 
-    <form action="" method="POST">
-        {% csrf_token %}
+  <form action="" method="POST">
+    {% csrf_token %}
 
-        {% if task.note %}
-            <div class="task_note"><strong>Note:</strong> {{ task.note|safe|urlize|linebreaks }}</div>
-        {% endif %}
+    {% comment %}
+            
+    {% if task.note %}
+      <div class="task_note">
+        <strong>Note:</strong>
+        {{ task.note|safe|urlize|linebreaks }}</div>
+    {% endif %}
 
-        <div id="TaskEdit">
-            <h3>File Trouble Ticket</h3>
-            <p>Do you have a support issue? <br />
-            Use this form to report the difficulty - we'll get right back to you. </p>
+    <h3>File Trouble Ticket</h3>
+    <p>Do you have a support issue?
+      <br/>
+      Use this form to report the difficulty - we'll get right back to you.
+    </p>
 
-            {% if form.errors %}
+    {% if form.errors %}
+      {% for error in form.errors %}
+        <ul class="errorlist">
+          <li>
+            <strong>The
+              {{ error|escape }}
+              field is required.</strong>
+          </li>
+        </ul>
+      {% endfor %}
+    {% endif %}
 
-                {% for error in form.errors %}
-                    <ul class="errorlist">
-                        <li><strong>The {{ error|escape }} field is required.</strong></li>
-                    </ul>
-                {% endfor %}
-                <br />
+    <table>
+      <tr>
+        <td>Summary:</td>
+        <td>{{ form.title }}
+          <br/>
+          Include the workstation number in your summary, e.g.
+          <br/>
+          "Radio Lab # 4: Purple smoke pouring out the back."
+        </td>
+      </tr>
 
-            {% endif %}
+      <tr>
+        <td valign="top">Note:</td>
+        <td valign="top">{{ form.note }}<br/>
+          Please describe the problem.
+        </td>
+      </tr>
 
-            <table>
-                <tr>
-                    <td>Summary:</td>
-                    <td>{{ form.title }} <br />
-                        Include the workstation number in your summary, e.g. <br />
-                        "Radio Lab # 4: Purple smoke pouring out the back."
-                     </td>
-                </tr>
+    </table>
+    <p><input type="submit" class="todo-button" name="add_task" value="Submit"></p>
+    {% endcomment %}
 
-                <tr>
-                    <td valign="top">Note:</td>
-                    <td valign="top">{{ form.note }}<br />
-                        Please describe the problem.
-                    </td>
-                </tr>
+    {{ form.as_p }}
+    <p><input type="submit" class="todo-button" name="add_task" value="Submit"></p>
 
-                <tr>
-                    <td>Priority:</td>
-                    <td>{{ form.priority }} <br />
-                        Enter a number between 1 and 5, <br />
-                        where 5 is highest ("Computer is on fire = True").
-                     </td>
-                </tr>
-            </table>
-            <p><input type="submit" class="todo-button" name="add_task" value="Submit"></p>
-        </div>
-    </form>
-{% endblock %}
+  </form>
+{% endblock %}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/todo/views.py b/todo/views.py
index 85071fd..e890c00 100644
--- a/todo/views.py
+++ b/todo/views.py
@@ -315,19 +315,22 @@ def external_add(request):
                 item.assigned_to = User.objects.get(username=settings.DEFAULT_ASSIGNEE)
             item.save()
 
-            email_subject = render_to_string("todo/email/assigned_subject.txt", {'task': item.title})
-            email_body = render_to_string("todo/email/assigned_body.txt", {'task': item, 'site': current_site, })
-            try:
-                send_mail(
-                    email_subject, email_body, item.created_by.email, [item.assigned_to.email, ], fail_silently=False)
-            except ConnectionRefusedError:
-                messages.error(request, "Task saved but mail not sent. Contact your administrator.")
+            # Send email to assignee if we have one
+            if item.assigned_to:
+                email_subject = render_to_string("todo/email/assigned_subject.txt", {'task': item.title})
+                email_body = render_to_string("todo/email/assigned_body.txt", {'task': item, 'site': current_site, })
+                try:
+                    send_mail(
+                        email_subject, email_body, item.created_by.email,
+                        [item.assigned_to.email, ], fail_silently=False)
+                except ConnectionRefusedError:
+                    messages.error(request, "Task saved but mail not sent. Contact your administrator.")
 
             messages.success(request, "Your trouble ticket has been submitted. We'll get back to you soon.")
 
             return redirect(settings.PUBLIC_SUBMIT_REDIRECT)
 
     else:
-        form = AddExternalItemForm()
+        form = AddExternalItemForm(initial={'priority': 999})
 
     return render(request, 'todo/add_task_external.html', locals())