diff --git a/code/modules/client/verbs/ooc.dm b/code/modules/client/verbs/ooc.dm
index ccf99b5b7e..0bcfac811e 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/verbs/ooc.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/verbs/ooc.dm
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ GLOBAL_VAR_INIT(normal_ooc_colour, OOC_COLOR)
 
 	var/motd = global.config.motd
 	if(motd)
-		to_chat(src, "<div class=\"motd\">[motd]</div>")
+		to_chat(src, "<div class=\"motd\">[motd]</div>", handle_whitespace=FALSE)
 	else
 		to_chat(src, "<span class='notice'>The Message of the Day has not been set.</span>")
 
diff --git a/code/modules/goonchat/browserOutput.dm b/code/modules/goonchat/browserOutput.dm
index be06f99d61..d6e3232baa 100644
--- a/code/modules/goonchat/browserOutput.dm
+++ b/code/modules/goonchat/browserOutput.dm
@@ -97,7 +97,8 @@ GLOBAL_DATUM_INIT(iconCache, /savefile, new("data/iconCache.sav")) //Cache of ic
 
 
 	for(var/message in messageQueue)
-		to_chat(owner, message)
+		// whitespace has already been handled by the original to_chat
+		to_chat(owner, message, handle_whitespace=FALSE)
 
 	messageQueue = null
 	sendClientData()
@@ -175,7 +176,7 @@ GLOBAL_DATUM_INIT(iconCache, /savefile, new("data/iconCache.sav")) //Cache of ic
 
 //Global chat procs
 
-/proc/to_chat(target, message)
+/proc/to_chat(target, message, handle_whitespace=TRUE)
 	if(!target)
 		return
 
@@ -201,8 +202,9 @@ GLOBAL_DATUM_INIT(iconCache, /savefile, new("data/iconCache.sav")) //Cache of ic
 	//Some macros remain in the string even after parsing and fuck up the eventual output
 	message = replacetext(message, "\improper", "")
 	message = replacetext(message, "\proper", "")
-	message = replacetext(message, "\n", "<br>")
-	message = replacetext(message, "\t", "[GLOB.TAB][GLOB.TAB]")
+	if(handle_whitespace)
+		message = replacetext(message, "\n", "<br>")
+		message = replacetext(message, "\t", "[GLOB.TAB][GLOB.TAB]")
 
 	for(var/I in targets)
 		//Grab us a client if possible
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/dead/new_player/login.dm b/code/modules/mob/dead/new_player/login.dm
index 8a97180588..c93d9e05aa 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/dead/new_player/login.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/dead/new_player/login.dm
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 	var/motd = global.config.motd
 	if(motd)
-		to_chat(src, "<div class=\"motd\">[motd]</div>")
+		to_chat(src, "<div class=\"motd\">[motd]</div>", handle_whitespace=FALSE)
 
 	if(GLOB.admin_notice)
 		to_chat(src, "<span class='notice'><b>Admin Notice:</b>\n \t [GLOB.admin_notice]</span>")