diff --git a/degesch.c b/degesch.c
index f56eb12..9d57abb 100644
--- a/degesch.c
+++ b/degesch.c
@@ -5916,10 +5916,26 @@ irc_is_highlight (struct server *s, const char *message)
 	if (!s->irc_user)
 		return false;
 
+	// Strip formatting from the message so that it doesn't interfere
+	// with nickname detection (color sequences in particular)
+	struct formatter f;
+	formatter_init (&f, s->ctx, NULL);
+	formatter_parse_mirc (&f, message);
+
+	struct str stripped;
+	str_init (&stripped);
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < f.items_len; i++)
+	{
+		if (f.items[i].type == FORMATTER_ITEM_TEXT)
+			str_append (&stripped, f.items[i].text);
+	}
+	formatter_free (&f);
+
 	// Well, this is rather crude but it should make most users happy.
 	// Ideally we could do this at least in proper Unicode.
-	char *copy = xstrdup (message);
+	char *copy = irc_to_utf8 (stripped.str);
 	cstr_transform (copy, s->irc_tolower);
+	str_free (&stripped);
 
 	char *nick = xstrdup (s->irc_user->nickname);
 	cstr_transform (nick, s->irc_tolower);