diff --git a/NTFServer.go b/NTFServer.go
index 6a4613b..dc730a7 100644
--- a/NTFServer.go
+++ b/NTFServer.go
@@ -290,12 +290,15 @@ func (this *NTFServer) HandleHubMessage(msg upstreamMessage) {
 	case libnmdc.EVENT_SYSTEM_MESSAGE_FROM_CONN, libnmdc.EVENT_SYSTEM_MESSAGE_FROM_HUB:
 		// This includes "want to register your nick?" and chat-catchup messages
 		// But it also includes /me messages
-		// Hard to tell them apart - heuristic detection by matching the first space-separated word against known online users
 
+		// First, remove system characters from the front (star, space)
+		systemMessage := strings.TrimLeft(msg.evt.Message, `* `)
+
+		// Heuristic detect action messages if the first space-separated word is a known online user
 		isActionMessage := false
 
 		if conn, ok := this.conns[msg.hubNick]; ok {
-			firstWord := strings.SplitN(msg.evt.Message, ` `, 2)[0]
+			firstWord := strings.SplitN(systemMessage, ` `, 2)[0]
 			_ = conn.Users(func(umap *map[string]libnmdc.UserInfo) error {
 				for knownHubNick, _ := range *umap {
 					if knownHubNick == firstWord {
@@ -311,18 +314,19 @@ func (this *NTFServer) HandleHubMessage(msg upstreamMessage) {
 			// Treat it as a full post
 
 			// Coalesce from multiple connections
-			if this.Coalesce("*", msg.evt.Message) {
+			if this.Coalesce("*", systemMessage) {
 				return // ignore - we heard this message already recently
 			}
 
 			// Display the message
-			htmlMsg := "<i>* " + html.EscapeString(msg.evt.Message) + "</i>"
+			htmlMsg := "<i>* " + html.EscapeString(systemMessage) + "</i>"
 			err := this.GroupChatSayHTML(htmlMsg)
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Printf("Delivering action message to group chat: %s", err.Error())
 			}
 
 		} else {
+			// Not an action message, just clerical notices
 			// Don't mirror them into telegram
 			log.Printf("Hub(%s): * %s", msg.hubNick, msg.evt.Message)
 		}