diff --git a/TGServerService/ChatCommands.cs b/TGServerService/ChatCommands.cs
index a5401130f6..a3ecf0d5cd 100644
--- a/TGServerService/ChatCommands.cs
+++ b/TGServerService/ChatCommands.cs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ namespace TGServerService
 
 		protected override ExitCode Run(IList<string> parameters)
 		{
-			var res = Instance.SendCommand(String.Format("{0};sender={1};custom={2}", Keyword, CommandInfo.Value.Speaker, String.Join(" ", parameters)));
+			var res = Instance.SendCommand(String.Format("{0};sender={1};custom={2}", Keyword, CommandInfo.Value.Speaker, TGStationServer.SanitizeTopicString(String.Join(" ", parameters))));
 			if (res != "SUCCESS" && !String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(res))
 				OutputProc(res);
 			return ExitCode.Normal;
diff --git a/TGServerService/DreamDaemon.cs b/TGServerService/DreamDaemon.cs
index 5bb4037634..0d822de64e 100644
--- a/TGServerService/DreamDaemon.cs
+++ b/TGServerService/DreamDaemon.cs
@@ -520,7 +520,7 @@ namespace TGServerService
 		/// <inheritdoc />
 		public string WorldAnnounce(string message)
 		{
-			var res = SendCommand(SCWorldAnnounce + ";message=" + message);
+			var res = SendCommand(SCWorldAnnounce + ";message=" + SanitizeTopicString(message));
 			if (res == "SUCCESS")
 				return null;
 			return res;
diff --git a/TGServerService/Interop.cs b/TGServerService/Interop.cs
index 9d466b9781..5c8040162c 100644
--- a/TGServerService/Interop.cs
+++ b/TGServerService/Interop.cs
@@ -154,11 +154,15 @@ namespace TGServerService
 			return !(GameAPIVersion == null || GameAPIVersion < MinAPIVersion || GameAPIVersion > MaxAPIVersion);
 		}
 
+		public static string SanitizeTopicString(string input)
+		{
+			return input.Replace("%", "%25").Replace("=", "%3d").Replace(";", "%3b").Replace("&", "%26").Replace("+", "%2b");
+		}
+
 		//Fuckery to diddle byond with the right packet to accept our girth
 		string SendTopic(string topicdata, ushort port)
 		{
 			//santize the escape characters in accordance with http://www.byond.com/docs/ref/info.html#/proc/params2list
-			topicdata = topicdata.Replace("%", "%25").Replace("=", "%3d").Replace(";", "%3b").Replace("&", "%26");
 			lock (topicLock) {
 				if (!CheckAPIVersionConstraints())
 					return "Incompatible API!";