diff --git a/code/modules/admin/verbs/adminpm.dm b/code/modules/admin/verbs/adminpm.dm
index 0109e49e7b2..1bad7eb45b8 100644
--- a/code/modules/admin/verbs/adminpm.dm
+++ b/code/modules/admin/verbs/adminpm.dm
@@ -294,11 +294,17 @@
 					INVOKE_ASYNC(src, .proc/popup_admin_pm, recipient, msg)
 
 			else		//neither are admins
-				to_chat(src,
-					type = MESSAGE_TYPE_ADMINPM,
-					html = "<span class='danger'>Error: Admin-PM: Non-admin to non-admin PM communication is forbidden.</span>",
-					confidential = TRUE)
-				return
+				if(!current_ticket)
+					to_chat(src,
+						type = MESSAGE_TYPE_ADMINPM,
+						html = "<span class='danger'>Error: Admin-PM: Non-admin to non-admin PM communication is forbidden.</span>",
+						confidential = TRUE)
+					to_chat(src,
+						type = MESSAGE_TYPE_ADMINPM,
+						html = "<span class='danger'><b>Message not sent:</b></span><br>[msg]",
+						confidential = TRUE)
+					return
+				current_ticket.MessageNoRecipient(msg)
 
 	if(external)
 		log_admin_private("PM: [key_name(src)]->External: [rawmsg]")