diff --git a/public/src/modules/chat.js b/public/src/modules/chat.js
index af5c4cc02c..c35f138829 100644
--- a/public/src/modules/chat.js
+++ b/public/src/modules/chat.js
@@ -227,8 +227,11 @@ define(['taskbar', 'string'], function(taskbar, S) {
 		var chatContent = chatModal.find('#chat-content');
 
 		var date = new Date(parseInt(timestamp, 10));
+        // todo Add this to a stylesheet instead of style tag
+        var prefix = '<span style="color: darkgrey;" class="chat-timestamp">' + date.toLocaleTimeString() + '</span> ';
+        message = "<div>" + S(prefix + message).stripTags('p').s + "</div>";
 
-		chatContent.append('[' + date.toLocaleTimeString() + '] ' + message);
+		chatContent.append(message);
 		scrollToBottom(chatContent);
 	};
 
diff --git a/public/templates/chat.tpl b/public/templates/chat.tpl
index c71df40147..612bbcd018 100644
--- a/public/templates/chat.tpl
+++ b/public/templates/chat.tpl
@@ -7,11 +7,13 @@
 				<h4>[[modules:chat.chatting_with]]</h4>
 			</div>
 			<div class="modal-body">
-				<textarea class="form-control" id="chat-content" cols="40" rows="10" readonly></textarea><br/>
-				<input id="chat-message-input" type="text" class="form-control" name="chat-message" placeholder="[[modules:chat.placeholder]]"/>
-			</div>
-			<div class="modal-footer">
-				<button type="button" id="chat-message-send-btn" href="#" class="btn btn-primary btn-lg btn-block">[[modules:chat.send]]</button>
+                <div id="chat-content" class="well well-sm" style="height:250px; overflow-y:scroll; font-size: 14px;"></div>
+                <div class="input-group">
+                    <input id="chat-message-input" type="text" placeholder="[[modules:chat.placeholder]]" name="chat-message" class="form-control">
+                    <span class="input-group-btn">
+                        <button id="chat-message-send-btn" class="btn btn-primary" href="#" type="button">[[modules:chat.send]]</button>
+                    </span>
+                </div>
 			</div>
 		</div>
 	</div>
diff --git a/src/messaging.js b/src/messaging.js
index ec0c62512e..8ef3954f20 100644
--- a/src/messaging.js
+++ b/src/messaging.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 var db = require('./database'),
 	async = require('async'),
 	user = require('./user'),
+    plugins = require('./plugins');
 	meta = require('./meta');
 
 
@@ -62,14 +63,13 @@ var db = require('./database'),
 							return next(err);
 						}
 
-						if (message.fromuid === fromuid) {
-							message.content = 'You : ' + message.content;
-						} else {
-							message.content = tousername + ' : ' + message.content;
-						}
+                        Messaging.parse(message.content, message.fromuid, fromuid, tousername, function(result) {
+                            message.content = result;
+                            messages.push(message);
+                            next(null);
+                        });
+
 
-						messages.push(message);
-						next(null);
 					});
 				}
 
@@ -84,6 +84,22 @@ var db = require('./database'),
 		});
 	};
 
+    Messaging.parse = function (message, fromuid, myuid, tousername, callback) {
+        plugins.fireHook('filter:post.parse', message, function(err, parsed) {
+            if (err) {
+                return callback(message);
+            }
+            var username;
+            if (fromuid === myuid) {
+                username = "<span class='chat-user chat-user-you'>You</span>: ";
+            } else {
+                username = "<span class='chat-user'>" + tousername + "</span>: ";
+            }
+            var result = username + parsed;
+            callback(result);
+        });
+    };
+
 	Messaging.updateChatTime = function(uid, toUid, callback) {
 		db.sortedSetAdd('uid:' + uid + ':chats', Date.now(), toUid, function(err) {
 			if (callback) {
diff --git a/src/socket.io/modules.js b/src/socket.io/modules.js
index aa43c03b0d..a85a38bb2d 100644
--- a/src/socket.io/modules.js
+++ b/src/socket.io/modules.js
@@ -97,38 +97,40 @@ SocketModules.chats.send = function(data, sessionData) {
 				});
 			});
 		}
-
-		Messaging.addMessage(sessionData.uid, touid, msg, function(err, message) {
-			var numSockets = 0,
-				x;
-
-			if (sessionData.userSockets[touid]) {
-				numSockets = sessionData.userSockets[touid].length;
-
-				for (x = 0; x < numSockets; ++x) {
-					sessionData.userSockets[touid][x].emit('event:chats.receive', {
-						fromuid: sessionData.uid,
-						username: username,
-						message: finalMessage,
-						timestamp: Date.now()
-					});
-				}
-			}
-
-			if (sessionData.userSockets[sessionData.uid]) {
-
-				numSockets = sessionData.userSockets[sessionData.uid].length;
-
-				for (x = 0; x < numSockets; ++x) {
-					sessionData.userSockets[sessionData.uid][x].emit('event:chats.receive', {
-						fromuid: touid,
-						username: toUsername,
-						message: 'You : ' + msg,
-						timestamp: Date.now()
-					});
-				}
-			}
-		});
+        Messaging.parse(msg, sessionData.uid, sessionData.uid, toUsername, function(parsed) {
+            Messaging.addMessage(sessionData.uid, touid, msg, function(err, message) {
+                var numSockets = 0,
+                    x;
+
+                if (sessionData.userSockets[touid]) {
+                    numSockets = sessionData.userSockets[touid].length;
+
+                    for (x = 0; x < numSockets; ++x) {
+                        sessionData.userSockets[touid][x].emit('event:chats.receive', {
+                            fromuid: sessionData.uid,
+                            username: username,
+                            // todo this isnt very nice, but can't think of a better way atm
+                            message: parsed.replace("chat-user-you'>You", "'>" + username),
+                            timestamp: Date.now()
+                        });
+                    }
+                }
+
+                if (sessionData.userSockets[sessionData.uid]) {
+
+                    numSockets = sessionData.userSockets[sessionData.uid].length;
+
+                    for (x = 0; x < numSockets; ++x) {
+                        sessionData.userSockets[sessionData.uid][x].emit('event:chats.receive', {
+                            fromuid: touid,
+                            username: toUsername,
+                            message: parsed,
+                            timestamp: Date.now()
+                        });
+                    }
+                }
+            });
+        });
 	});
 };