diff --git a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/Util.java b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/Util.java
index eeb2dd6d6..20b29c296 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/Util.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/Util.java
@@ -478,7 +478,8 @@ public class Util
 		}
 		return buf.toString();
 	}
-	private static transient final Pattern COLOR_PATTERN = Pattern.compile("\u00A7+[0-9A-FKa-fk]");
+	private static transient final Pattern VANILLA_COLOR_PATTERN = Pattern.compile("\u00A7+[0-9A-FKa-fk]");
+	private static transient final Pattern EASY_COLOR_PATTERN = Pattern.compile("&([0-9a-fk])");
 
 	public static String stripColor(final String input)
 	{
@@ -487,6 +488,16 @@ public class Util
 			return null;
 		}
 
-		return COLOR_PATTERN.matcher(input).replaceAll("");
+		return VANILLA_COLOR_PATTERN.matcher(input).replaceAll("");
+	}
+		
+	public static String replaceColor(final String input)
+	{
+		if (input == null)
+		{
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		return EASY_COLOR_PATTERN.matcher(input).replaceAll("\u00a7$1");
 	}
 }
diff --git a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandme.java b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandme.java
index 3cdddf99c..1530f3ad7 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandme.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandme.java
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ public class Commandme extends EssentialsCommand
 		String message = getFinalArg(args, 0);
 		if (user.isAuthorized("essentials.chat.color"))
 		{
-			message = message.replaceAll("&([0-9a-fk])", "§$1");
+			message = Util.replaceColor(message);
 		}
 		else {
 			message = Util.stripColor(message);
diff --git a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandmsg.java b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandmsg.java
index de4b921e6..128d8eeb5 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandmsg.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandmsg.java
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ public class Commandmsg extends EssentialsCommand
 			}
 			if (user.isAuthorized("essentials.msg.color"))
 			{
-				message = message.replaceAll("&([0-9a-fk])", "§$1");
+				message = Util.replaceColor(message);
 			}
 			else
 			{
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public class Commandmsg extends EssentialsCommand
 		}
 		else
 		{
-			message = message.replaceAll("&([0-9a-fk])", "§$1");
+			message = Util.replaceColor(message);
 		}
 
 		final String translatedMe = _("me");
diff --git a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandr.java b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandr.java
index 9e30225ac..7ef012d0d 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandr.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandr.java
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ public class Commandr extends EssentialsCommand
 			User user = ess.getUser(sender);
 			if (user.isAuthorized("essentials.msg.color"))
 			{
-				message = message.replaceAll("&([0-9a-fk])", "§$1");
+				message = Util.replaceColor(message);
 			}
 			else
 			{
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public class Commandr extends EssentialsCommand
 		}
 		else
 		{
-			message = message.replaceAll("&([0-9a-fk])", "§$1");
+			message = Util.replaceColor(message);
 			replyTo = Console.getConsoleReplyTo();
 			senderName = Console.NAME;
 		}
diff --git a/EssentialsChat/src/com/earth2me/essentials/chat/EssentialsChatPlayerListenerLowest.java b/EssentialsChat/src/com/earth2me/essentials/chat/EssentialsChatPlayerListenerLowest.java
index afb0c2dfd..9419416b0 100644
--- a/EssentialsChat/src/com/earth2me/essentials/chat/EssentialsChatPlayerListenerLowest.java
+++ b/EssentialsChat/src/com/earth2me/essentials/chat/EssentialsChatPlayerListenerLowest.java
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ public class EssentialsChatPlayerListenerLowest extends EssentialsChatPlayer
 		 */
 		if (user.isAuthorized("essentials.chat.color"))
 		{
-			event.setMessage(event.getMessage().replaceAll("&([0-9a-fk])", "\u00a7$1"));
+			event.setMessage(Util.replaceColor(event.getMessage()));
 		}
 		else
 		{