diff -r ec33cf8610a9 -r 2aff285b902f hgext/patchbomb.py
--- a/hgext/patchbomb.py	Thu Jun 18 01:21:26 2009 +0100
+++ b/hgext/patchbomb.py	Wed Jun 17 20:54:26 2009 +0200
@@ -397,6 +397,13 @@
     ui.write('\n')
 
     parent = opts.get('in_reply_to') or None
+    # angle brackets may be omitted, they're not semantically part of the msg-id
+    if parent is not None:
+        if not parent.startswith('<'):
+            parent = '<' + parent
+        if not parent.endswith('>'):
+            parent += '>'
+
     first = True
 
     sender_addr = email.Utils.parseaddr(sender)[1]