diff --git a/code/__DEFINES/_tick.dm b/code/__DEFINES/_tick.dm
index 1ac004b5673..47b88720ba5 100644
--- a/code/__DEFINES/_tick.dm
+++ b/code/__DEFINES/_tick.dm
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@
 /// runs stoplag if tick_usage is above the limit
 #define CHECK_TICK ( TICK_CHECK ? stoplag() : 0 )
 
+/// Checks if a sleeping proc is running before or after the master controller
+#define RUNNING_BEFORE_MASTER ( Master.last_run != null && Master.last_run != world.time )
+/// Returns true if a verb ought to yield to the MC (IE: queue up to be processed by a subsystem)
+#define VERB_SHOULD_YIELD ( TICK_CHECK || RUNNING_BEFORE_MASTER )
+
 /// Returns true if tick usage is above 95, for high priority usage
 #define TICK_CHECK_HIGH_PRIORITY ( TICK_USAGE > 95 )
 /// runs stoplag if tick_usage is above 95, for high priority usage
diff --git a/code/datums/chatmessage.dm b/code/datums/chatmessage.dm
index 4d4651b305b..8b01cc283c6 100644
--- a/code/datums/chatmessage.dm
+++ b/code/datums/chatmessage.dm
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@
 	WXH_TO_HEIGHT(owned_by.MeasureText(complete_text, null, CHAT_MESSAGE_WIDTH), mheight)
 
 
-	if(!TICK_CHECK)
+	if(!VERB_SHOULD_YIELD)
 		return finish_image_generation(mheight, target, owner, complete_text, lifespan)
 
 	var/datum/callback/our_callback = CALLBACK(src, PROC_REF(finish_image_generation), mheight, target, owner, complete_text, lifespan)