diff --git a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
index 33dfc109e1..933c600bbe 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
@@ -1183,12 +1183,14 @@ datum/preferences
 		var/char
 		var/keys[0]
 		do
-			char = input("Enter a single special character.\nYou may re-select the same characters.\nBe aware that the following characters are already in use by radio: ; : .", "Enter Character - [3 - keys.len] remaining") as null|text
+			char = input("Enter a single special character.\nYou may re-select the same characters.\nThe following characters are already in use by radio: ; : .\nThe following characters are already in use by special say commands: ! *", "Enter Character - [3 - keys.len] remaining") as null|text
 			if(char)
 				if(length(char) > 1)
 					alert("Only single characters allowed.", "Error", "Ok")
 				else if(char in list(";", ":", "."))
 					alert("Radio character. Rejected.", "Error", "Ok")
+				else if(char in list("!","*"))
+					alert("Say character. Rejected.", "Error", "Ok")
 				else if(contains_az09(char))
 					alert("Non-special character. Rejected.", "Error", "Ok")
 				else
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/language/language.dm b/code/modules/mob/language/language.dm
index 5898546f41..3aa5e2aa62 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/language/language.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/language/language.dm
@@ -101,14 +101,14 @@
 	log_say("[key_name(speaker)] : ([name]) [message]")
 
 	if(!speaker_mask) speaker_mask = speaker.name
-	format_message(message, get_spoken_verb(message))
+	message = format_message(message, get_spoken_verb(message))
 
 	for(var/mob/player in player_list)
 		player.hear_broadcast(src, speaker, speaker_mask, message)
 
 /mob/proc/hear_broadcast(var/datum/language/language, var/mob/speaker, var/speaker_name, var/message)
 	if((language in languages) && language.check_special_condition(src))
-		var/msg = "<i><span class='game say'>[language.name], <span class='name'>[speaker_name]</span>, \"[message]\"</span></i>"
+		var/msg = "<i><span class='game say'>[language.name], <span class='name'>[speaker_name]</span> [message]</span></i>"
 		src << msg
 
 /mob/new_player/hear_broadcast(var/datum/language/language, var/mob/speaker, var/speaker_name, var/message)
@@ -116,9 +116,9 @@
 
 /mob/dead/observer/hear_broadcast(var/datum/language/language, var/mob/speaker, var/speaker_name, var/message)
 	if(speaker.name == speaker_name || antagHUD)
-		src << "<i><span class='game say'>[language.name], <span class='name'>[speaker_name]</span> ([ghost_follow_link(speaker, src)]), \"[message]\"</span></i>"
+		src << "<i><span class='game say'>[language.name], <span class='name'>[speaker_name]</span> ([ghost_follow_link(speaker, src)]) [message]</span></i>"
 	else
-		src << "<i><span class='game say'>[language.name], <span class='name'>[speaker_name]</span>, \"[message]\"</span></i>"
+		src << "<i><span class='game say'>[language.name], <span class='name'>[speaker_name]</span> [message]</span></i>"
 
 /datum/language/proc/check_special_condition(var/mob/other)
 	return 1