diff --git a/programs/network/ircc/serverparser.inc b/programs/network/ircc/serverparser.inc
index 587b8bfec..b3182acb3 100644
--- a/programs/network/ircc/serverparser.inc
+++ b/programs/network/ircc/serverparser.inc
@@ -158,12 +158,8 @@ skip_parameter:
         cmp     al, ':'
         jne     .part1
 
-; Skip all trailing spaces
+; esi already points to first char after ':', preserve leading spaces
   .part3:
-        lodsb
-        cmp     al, ' '
-        je      .part3
-        dec     esi
         ret
 
 ; Now, skip all trailing spaces and first semicolon
diff --git a/programs/network/ircc/textbox.inc b/programs/network/ircc/textbox.inc
index bedaec6fe..3f4dfbe2b 100644
--- a/programs/network/ircc/textbox.inc
+++ b/programs/network/ircc/textbox.inc
@@ -33,10 +33,43 @@ text_insert_newlines:                   ; esi = ASCIIZ string
         je      .soft_nl
         cmp     al, 10                  ; it's a newline, continue onto the next line
         je      .newline
+        cmp     al, 3                   ; mIRC color escape - skip args without counting width
+        je      .skip_color
+        cmp     al, 0x20                ; other control char (bold, italic, reset, etc.) - skip without counting
+        jb      .next_byte
         and     al, 0xc0                ; Is it a multi byte UTF8 char?
         cmp     al, 0x80
         je      .next_byte
         jmp     .more
+  .skip_color:
+        lodsb                           ; optional fg color digit(s)
+        cmp     al, '0'
+        jb      .skip_color_done
+        cmp     al, '9'
+        ja      .skip_color_done
+        lodsb                           ; optional 2nd fg digit
+        cmp     al, '0'
+        jb      .skip_color_comma
+        cmp     al, '9'
+        ja      .skip_color_comma
+        lodsb                           ; char after 2 fg digits
+  .skip_color_comma:
+        cmp     al, ','                 ; optional background color?
+        jne     .skip_color_done
+        lodsb                           ; optional bg color digit(s)
+        cmp     al, '0'
+        jb      .skip_color_done
+        cmp     al, '9'
+        ja      .skip_color_done
+        lodsb                           ; optional 2nd bg digit
+        cmp     al, '0'
+        jb      .skip_color_done
+        cmp     al, '9'
+        ja      .skip_color_done
+        jmp     .next_byte
+  .skip_color_done:
+        dec     esi
+        jmp     .next_byte
   .newline:
         inc     edx
         jmp     .next_line
@@ -77,6 +110,10 @@ text_nextline:
         je      .done
         cmp     al, 13
         je      .done
+        cmp     al, 3                   ; mIRC color escape - skip args without counting width
+        je      .skip_color
+        cmp     al, 0x20                ; other control char - skip without counting
+        jb      .loop
         and     al, 0xc0
         cmp     al, 0x80
         je      .loop           ; This byte is the second, third or fourth byte of a multi-byte UTF8 char
@@ -84,6 +121,35 @@ text_nextline:
         jnz     .loop
   .done:
         ret
+  .skip_color:
+        lodsb
+        cmp     al, '0'
+        jb      .skip_color_done
+        cmp     al, '9'
+        ja      .skip_color_done
+        lodsb
+        cmp     al, '0'
+        jb      .skip_color_comma
+        cmp     al, '9'
+        ja      .skip_color_comma
+        lodsb
+  .skip_color_comma:
+        cmp     al, ','
+        jne     .skip_color_done
+        lodsb
+        cmp     al, '0'
+        jb      .skip_color_done
+        cmp     al, '9'
+        ja      .skip_color_done
+        lodsb
+        cmp     al, '0'
+        jb      .skip_color_done
+        cmp     al, '9'
+        ja      .skip_color_done
+        jmp     .loop
+  .skip_color_done:
+        dec     esi
+        jmp     .loop
 
 ;----------------------------------
 ; print string
@@ -279,11 +345,18 @@ draw_channel_text:
         je      @f
         cmp     al, 10          ; hard newline
         je      @f
+        cmp     al, 15          ; 0x0F reset char: default color applies from here forward
+        je      @f
         cmp     al, 3           ; mIRC escape code
         jne     @b
 
         cld
         lea     edx, [esi+2]
+        ; bare \x03 (no digit) = color reset, use default
+        movzx   eax, byte[edx]
+        sub     al, '0'
+        cmp     al, 9
+        ja      @f
         call    dec_to_esi
         jz      @f
         mov     ecx, [irc_colors + 4*esi]
@@ -328,9 +401,21 @@ draw_channel_text:
         cmp     byte[edx], 10
         je      .newline_hard
 
+        cmp     byte[edx], 15                   ; 0x0F: reset all formatting to default
+        jne     .check_colors
+        inc     edx
+        mov     ecx, [colors.work_text]
+        or      ecx, 0x30000000
+        jmp     .line
+  .check_colors:
         cmp     byte[edx], 3                    ; escape code for mIRC colors
         jne     .no_colors
         inc     edx
+        ; bare \x03 with no digit = reset color to default
+        movzx   eax, byte[edx]
+        sub     al, '0'
+        cmp     al, 9
+        ja      .color_reset
         call    dec_to_esi
         jz      .line
         mov     ecx, [irc_colors + 4*esi]
@@ -343,6 +428,11 @@ draw_channel_text:
         jz      .line
         mov     edi, [irc_colors + 4*esi]
         or      ecx, 0x40000000
+        jmp     .line
+  .color_reset:
+        mov     ecx, [colors.work_text]
+        or      ecx, 0x30000000
+        jmp     .line
   .no_colors:
 
 ; Some non-printable, just skip it
diff --git a/programs/network/ircc/window.inc b/programs/network/ircc/window.inc
index 14f6a7573..209eb2a7a 100644
--- a/programs/network/ircc/window.inc
+++ b/programs/network/ircc/window.inc
@@ -226,11 +226,11 @@ window_open:
   .got_it:
         lodsb
         cmp     al, ' '
-        je      .got_it
+        je      .got_it                 ; skip spaces before the colon
         cmp     al, ':'
-        je      .got_it
-        dec     esi
-
+        je      .set_window             ; found colon, stop here - preserve leading spaces of message
+        dec     esi                     ; not space or colon, put it back
+  .set_window:
         mov     [window_print], ebx
         ret