diff --git a/modules/commands/__init__.py b/modules/commands/__init__.py
index 6e7258fd..bfea9588 100644
--- a/modules/commands/__init__.py
+++ b/modules/commands/__init__.py
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ class Module(ModuleManager.BaseModule):
         return hook, args_split
 
     def command(self, server, target, is_channel, user, command, args_split,
-            tags, statusmsg, hook, **kwargs):
+            tags, target_str, hook, **kwargs):
         if self._is_ignored(server, user, command):
             return False
 
@@ -137,8 +137,8 @@ class Module(ModuleManager.BaseModule):
         if msgid:
             send_tags["+draft/reply"] = msgid
 
-        stdout = outs.StdOut(server, module_name, target, send_tags, statusmsg)
-        stderr = outs.StdErr(server, module_name, target, send_tags, statusmsg)
+        stdout = outs.StdOut(server, module_name, target, target_str, send_tags)
+        stderr = outs.StdErr(server, module_name, target, target_str, send_tags)
         command_method = self._command_method(target, server)
 
         if hook.kwargs.get("remove_empty", True):
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ class Module(ModuleManager.BaseModule):
             if hook:
                 self.command(event["server"], event["channel"], True,
                     event["user"], command, args_split, event["tags"],
-                    "".join(event["statusmsg"]), hook)
+                    event["target_str"], hook)
                 event["channel"].buffer.skip_next()
         else:
             regex_hook = self.events.on("command.regex").get_hooks()
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ class Module(ModuleManager.BaseModule):
                         command = hook.get_kwarg("command", "")
                         res = self.command(event["server"], event["channel"],
                             True, event["user"], command, "", event["tags"],
-                            "".join(event["statusmsg"]), hook, match=match,
+                            event["target_str"], hook, match=match,
                             message=event["message"])
 
                         if res:
@@ -267,7 +267,8 @@ class Module(ModuleManager.BaseModule):
 
             if hook:
                 self.command(event["server"], event["user"], False,
-                    event["user"], command, args_split, event["tags"], "", hook)
+                    event["user"], command, args_split, event["tags"],
+                    event["target_str"], hook)
                 event["user"].buffer.skip_next()
 
     def _get_help(self, hook):
@@ -461,7 +462,7 @@ class Module(ModuleManager.BaseModule):
     @utils.hook("send.stdout")
     def send_stdout(self, event):
         stdout = outs.StdOut(event["server"], event["module_name"],
-            event["target"], {}, event.get("statusmsg", ""))
+            event["target"], {}, event.get("target_str", ""))
 
         if event.get("hide_prefix", False):
             stdout.hide_prefix()
@@ -473,7 +474,7 @@ class Module(ModuleManager.BaseModule):
     @utils.hook("send.stderr")
     def send_stderr(self, event):
         stderr = outs.StdErr(event["server"], event["module_name"],
-            event["target"], {}, event.get("statusmsg", ""))
+            event["target"], {}, event.get("target_str", ""))
 
         if event.get("hide_prefix", False):
             stderr.hide_prefix()
diff --git a/modules/commands/outs.py b/modules/commands/outs.py
index acd67a7f..7df60436 100644
--- a/modules/commands/outs.py
+++ b/modules/commands/outs.py
@@ -5,15 +5,15 @@ STR_MORE = " (more...)"
 STR_CONTINUED = "(...continued) "
 
 class Out(object):
-    def __init__(self, server, module_name, target, tags, statusmsg):
+    def __init__(self, server, module_name, target, target_str, tags):
         self.server = server
         self.module_name = module_name
         self._hide_prefix = False
         self.target = target
+        self._target_str = target_str
         self._text = ""
         self.written = False
         self._tags = tags
-        self._statusmsg = statusmsg
 
     def write(self, text):
         self._text += text
@@ -26,13 +26,12 @@ class Out(object):
             if not self._hide_prefix:
                 prefix = utils.consts.RESET + "[%s] " % self.prefix()
 
-            target_str = "%s%s" % (self._statusmsg, self.target.name)
             full_text = "%s%s" % (prefix, self._text)
             if method == "PRIVMSG":
-                line = self.server.send_message(target_str, full_text,
+                line = self.server.send_message(self._target_str, full_text,
                     tags=self._tags)
             elif method == "NOTICE":
-                line = self.server.send_notice(target_str, full_text,
+                line = self.server.send_notice(self._target_str, full_text,
                     tags=self._tags)
             else:
                 raise ValueError("Unknown command method '%s'" % method)
diff --git a/modules/line_handler/message.py b/modules/line_handler/message.py
index 3e54e5b8..2f86ac40 100644
--- a/modules/line_handler/message.py
+++ b/modules/line_handler/message.py
@@ -23,15 +23,12 @@ def privmsg(events, event):
         user = event["server"].get_user(event["prefix"].nickname)
 
     message = event["args"][1]
-    target = event["args"][0]
+    target_str = event["args"][0]
 
     # strip prefix_symbols from the start of target, for when people use
     # e.g. 'PRIVMSG +#channel :hi' which would send a message to only
     # voiced-or-above users
-    statusmsg = []
-    while target[0] in event["server"].prefix_symbols.keys():
-        statusmsg.append(target[0])
-        target = target[1:]
+    target = target_str.lstrip("".join(event["server"].prefix_symbols.keys()))
 
     channel = None
     if target[0] in event["server"].channel_types:
@@ -57,7 +54,7 @@ def privmsg(events, event):
 
     kwargs = {"message": message, "message_split": message.split(" "),
         "server": event["server"], "tags": event["tags"],
-        "action": action}
+        "action": action, "target_str": target_str}
 
     direction = "send" if from_self else "received"
     context = "channel" if channel else "private"
@@ -68,7 +65,7 @@ def privmsg(events, event):
         user_nickname = None if from_self else user.nickname
 
     if channel:
-        hook.call(user=user, channel=channel, statusmsg=statusmsg, **kwargs)
+        hook.call(user=user, channel=channel, **kwargs)
         channel.buffer.add_message(user_nickname, message, action,
             event["tags"], user==None)
     elif event["server"].is_own_nickname(target):