diff --git a/irc/idletimer.go b/irc/idletimer.go
index e548d413..4aceeb6a 100644
--- a/irc/idletimer.go
+++ b/irc/idletimer.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/goshuirc/irc-go/ircfmt"
 	"github.com/oragono/oragono/irc/caps"
 )
 
@@ -254,8 +255,7 @@ func (nt *NickTimer) Stop() {
 }
 
 func (nt *NickTimer) sendWarning() {
-	baseNotice := "Nickname is reserved; you must change it or authenticate to NickServ within %v"
-	nt.client.Notice(fmt.Sprintf(nt.client.t(baseNotice), nt.timeout))
+	nt.client.Send(nil, "NickServ", "NOTICE", nt.client.Nick(), fmt.Sprintf(ircfmt.Unescape(nt.client.t(nsTimeoutNotice)), nt.timeout))
 }
 
 func (nt *NickTimer) processTimeout() {
diff --git a/irc/nickserv.go b/irc/nickserv.go
index 2a2abcfb..f852b73a 100644
--- a/irc/nickserv.go
+++ b/irc/nickserv.go
@@ -26,6 +26,14 @@ func nsEnforceEnabled(config *Config) bool {
 	return servCmdRequiresNickRes(config) && config.Accounts.NickReservation.AllowCustomEnforcement
 }
 
+var (
+	// ZNC's nickserv module will not detect this unless it is:
+	// 1. sent with prefix `nickserv`
+	// 2. contains the string "identify"
+	// 3. contains at least one of several other magic strings ("msg" works)
+	nsTimeoutNotice = `This nickname is reserved. Please login within %v (using $b/msg NickServ IDENTIFY <password>$b or SASL)`
+)
+
 const nickservHelp = `NickServ lets you register and login to an account.
 
 To see in-depth help for a specific NickServ command, try: