diff --git a/bridge/irc/handlers.go b/bridge/irc/handlers.go
index b90fa3af92..9d75c91f00 100644
--- a/bridge/irc/handlers.go
+++ b/bridge/irc/handlers.go
@@ -238,6 +238,10 @@ func (b *Birc) handlePrivMsg(client *girc.Client, event girc.Event) {
 		rmsg.Text = string(output)
 	}
 
+	rmsg.Text = strings.Replace(rmsg.Text, "\x02", "**", -1)
+	rmsg.Text = strings.Replace(rmsg.Text, "\x1d", "*", -1)
+	rmsg.Text = strings.Replace(rmsg.Text, "\x1e", "~~", -1)
+
 	b.Log.Debugf("<= Sending message from %s on %s to gateway", event.Params[0], b.Account)
 	b.Remote <- rmsg
 }
diff --git a/bridge/irc/irc.go b/bridge/irc/irc.go
index 260f66df46..a776d7c4c5 100644
--- a/bridge/irc/irc.go
+++ b/bridge/irc/irc.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"hash/crc32"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"net"
+	"regexp"
 	"sort"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -164,6 +165,12 @@ func (b *Birc) Send(msg config.Message) (string, error) {
 	var msgLines []string
 	if b.GetBool("StripMarkdown") {
 		msg.Text = stripmd.Strip(msg.Text)
+	} else {
+		re := regexp.MustCompile(`\b(\*\*|__)|(\*\*|__)\b`)
+		msg.Text = re.ReplaceAllString(msg.Text, "\x02")
+
+		re = regexp.MustCompile(`\b(\*|_)|(\*|_)\b`)
+		msg.Text = re.ReplaceAllString(msg.Text, "\x1d")
 	}
 
 	if b.GetBool("MessageSplit") {
diff --git a/bridge/sshchat/sshchat.go b/bridge/sshchat/sshchat.go
index c7e848ed8b..074240d519 100644
--- a/bridge/sshchat/sshchat.go
+++ b/bridge/sshchat/sshchat.go
@@ -72,17 +72,29 @@ func (b *Bsshchat) Send(msg config.Message) (string, error) {
 		return "", nil
 	}
 	b.Log.Debugf("=> Receiving %#v", msg)
+
+	prefix := msg.Username
+	if msg.Event == config.EventUserAction {
+		prefix += "/me "
+	}
+
 	string_message := ""
 	for _, line := range strings.Split(msg.Text, "\n") {
 		if strings.TrimSpace(line) != "" {
-			string_message += msg.Username + line + "\r\n"
+			if line[0] == '/' {
+				line = " " + line
+			}
+			string_message += prefix + line + "\r\n"
 		}
 	}
 	if msg.Extra != nil {
 		for _, rmsg := range helper.HandleExtra(&msg, b.General) {
 			for _, line := range strings.Split(rmsg.Text, "\n") {
 				if strings.TrimSpace(line) != "" {
-					string_message += rmsg.Username + line + "\r\n"
+					if line[0] == '/' {
+						line = " " + line
+					}
+					string_message += prefix + line + "\r\n"
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -158,9 +170,15 @@ func (b *Bsshchat) handleSSHChat() error {
 				b.Log.Debugf("<= Message %#v", res)
 				if strings.HasPrefix(text, "** ") {
 					// Emote
-					res := strings.Split(text[3:], " ")
-					rmsg := config.Message{Username: res[0], Text: strings.TrimSpace(strings.Join(res[1:], " ")), Channel: "sshchat", Account: b.Account, UserID: "nick", Event: config.EventUserAction}
-					b.Remote <- rmsg
+					if text[3] == '"' {
+						res := strings.Split(text[3:], "\"")
+						rmsg := config.Message{Username: res[1], Text: strings.TrimSpace(strings.Join(res[2:], "\"")), Channel: "sshchat", Account: b.Account, UserID: "nick", Event: config.EventUserAction}
+						b.Remote <- rmsg
+					} else {
+						res := strings.Split(text[3:], " ")
+						rmsg := config.Message{Username: res[0], Text: strings.TrimSpace(strings.Join(res[1:], " ")), Channel: "sshchat", Account: b.Account, UserID: "nick", Event: config.EventUserAction}
+						b.Remote <- rmsg
+					}
 				} else {
 					// Normal message
 					rmsg := config.Message{Username: res[0], Text: strings.TrimSpace(strings.Join(res[1:], ":")), Channel: "sshchat", Account: b.Account, UserID: "nick"}