diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/say.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/say.dm
index ae8ab435c98..fbd7950cd34 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/say.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/say.dm
@@ -156,11 +156,14 @@ var/list/department_radio_keys = list(
 			message = uppertext(message)
 
 	// General public key. Special message handling
-	else if (copytext(message, 1, 2) == ";" || prob(braindam/2))
-		if (ishuman(src))
-			message_mode = "headset"
-		else if(ispAI(src) || isrobot(src))
-			message_mode = "pAI"
+	var/mmode
+	var/cprefix = ""
+	if(length(message) >= 2)
+		cprefix = copytext(message, 1, 3)
+		if(cprefix in department_radio_keys)
+			mmode = department_radio_keys[cprefix]
+	if (copytext(message, 1, 2) == ";" || (prob(braindam/2) && !mmode))
+		message_mode = "headset"
 		message = copytext(message, 2)
 	// Begin checking for either a message mode or a language to speak.
 	else if (length(message) >= 2)
@@ -299,7 +302,10 @@ var/list/department_radio_keys = list(
 					if(C:r_ear) devices += C:r_ear
 				if(issilicon(src))
 					var/mob/living/silicon/Ro=src
-					if(Ro:radio) devices += Ro:radio
+					if(Ro:radio)
+						devices += Ro:radio
+					else
+						warning("[src] has no radio!")
 				message_range = 1
 				italics = 1
 	if(devices.len>0)