diff --git a/bot.js b/bot.js
index 35ab8ea..205b1b6 100644
--- a/bot.js
+++ b/bot.js
@@ -39,6 +39,11 @@ function logForward(...args) {
   if (LOG_FORWARD) console.log(...args);
 }
 
+// Utility to check ASCII
+function isASCII(str) {
+  return /^[\x00-\x7F]*$/.test(str);
+}
+
 // Create IRC client for a bridge
 function createIRCClient(bridge) {
   const ircConfig = bridge.irc;
@@ -206,22 +211,18 @@ discordClient.on("messageCreate", async (message) => {
 
     logForward(`Forwarding Discord → IRC [${info.channel}]: ${privmsgMessage}`);
 
-    // --- RELAYMSG logic ---
-    if (info.useRelayMsg) {
-      if (ircClient.state.hasOp) {
-        const relayNick = `${nickname}/dc`;
-        ircClient.raw(`RELAYMSG ${info.channel} ${relayNick} :${baseMessage}`);
-      } else {
-        if (!ircClient.state.warnedRelayMsg) {
-          ircClient.say(
-            info.channel,
-            `[Bridge] Missing +o, falling back to PRIVMSG (RELAYMSG disabled)`
-          );
-          ircClient.state.warnedRelayMsg = true;
-        }
-        ircClient.say(info.channel, privmsgMessage);
-      }
+    // RELAYMSG logic with proper fallback for non-ASCII
+    if (info.useRelayMsg && ircClient.state.hasOp && isASCII(nickname)) {
+      const relayNick = `${nickname}/dc`;
+      ircClient.raw(`RELAYMSG ${info.channel} ${relayNick} :${baseMessage}`);
     } else {
+      if (info.useRelayMsg && !ircClient.state.hasOp && !ircClient.state.warnedRelayMsg) {
+        ircClient.say(
+          info.channel,
+          `[Bridge] Missing +o, falling back to PRIVMSG (RELAYMSG disabled)`
+        );
+        ircClient.state.warnedRelayMsg = true;
+      }
       ircClient.say(info.channel, privmsgMessage);
     }
   }
@@ -256,7 +257,7 @@ discordClient.on("messageReactionAdd", async (reaction, user) => {
 
       logForward(`Reaction → IRC [${info.channel}]: ${reactionMessage}`);
 
-      if (info.useRelayMsg && ircClient.state.hasOp) {
+      if (info.useRelayMsg && ircClient.state.hasOp && isASCII(nickname)) {
         const relayNick = `${nickname}/dc`;
         ircClient.raw(
           `RELAYMSG ${info.channel} ${relayNick} :${reactionMessage}`