diff --git a/irc/handlers.go b/irc/handlers.go
index e2d8f278..b38c7f06 100644
--- a/irc/handlers.go
+++ b/irc/handlers.go
@@ -2469,7 +2469,13 @@ func userHandler(server *Server, client *Client, msg ircmsg.IrcMessage, rb *Resp
 
 	err := client.SetNames(msg.Params[0], msg.Params[3], false)
 	if err == errInvalidUsername {
-		rb.Add(nil, server.name, ERR_INVALIDUSERNAME, client.t("Malformed username"))
+		// if client's using a unicode nick or something weird, let's just set 'em up with a blank username instead.
+		// fixes clients that just use their nick as a username so they can still use the interesting nick
+		if client.preregNick != "" && !isIdent(client.preregNick) {
+			client.SetNames("user", msg.Params[3], false)
+		} else {
+			rb.Add(nil, server.name, ERR_INVALIDUSERNAME, client.t("Malformed username"))
+		}
 	}
 
 	return false