diff --git a/lib/PBot/Core/Factoids/Interpreter.pm b/lib/PBot/Core/Factoids/Interpreter.pm
index b63eb7a4..349b452c 100644
--- a/lib/PBot/Core/Factoids/Interpreter.pm
+++ b/lib/PBot/Core/Factoids/Interpreter.pm
@@ -95,6 +95,11 @@ sub interpreter($self, $context) {
 
         # if multiple channels have this keyword, then ask user to disambiguate
         if (@chanlist> 1) {
+            # but only if the bot is explicitly invoked
+            if (not $context->{addressed}) {
+                $self->{pbot}->{logger}->log("Factoid found in multiple channels; disregarding disambiguation because bot not explicitly invoked\n");
+                return '';
+            }
             return "Factoid `$original_keyword` exists in " . join(', ', @chanlist) . "; use `fact <channel> $original_keyword` to choose one.";
         }
 
@@ -107,7 +112,12 @@ sub interpreter($self, $context) {
             return $self->interpreter($context);
         }
 
-        # keyword still not found, try regex factoids
+        # keyword still not found, try regex factoids if the bot was explicitly invoked
+        if (not $context->{addressed}) {
+            $self->{pbot}->{logger}->log("No factoid found; disregarding error message because bot not explicitly invoked\n");
+            return '';
+        }
+
         ($channel, $keyword) =
         $self->{pbot}->{factoids}->{data}->find(
             $context->{ref_from} ? $context->{ref_from} : $context->{from},
diff --git a/lib/PBot/Core/Interpreter.pm b/lib/PBot/Core/Interpreter.pm
index 2bac88ad..75c6f484 100644
--- a/lib/PBot/Core/Interpreter.pm
+++ b/lib/PBot/Core/Interpreter.pm
@@ -121,15 +121,18 @@ sub process_line($self, $from, $nick, $user, $host, $text, $tags = '', $is_comma
         # but for now let's see how this goes and if people can figure it
         # out with minimal confusion.
         $command = $cmd_text if not length $command;
+        $context->{addressed} = 1;
         goto CHECK_EMBEDDED_CMD;
     }
 
     # otherwise try to parse any potential commands
     if ($cmd_text =~ m/^\s*($nick_regex)[,:]?\s+$bot_trigger\{\s*(.+?)\s*\}\s*$/) {
         # "somenick: !{command}"
+        $context->{addressed} = 1;
         goto CHECK_EMBEDDED_CMD;
     } elsif ($cmd_text =~ m/^\s*$bot_trigger\{\s*(.+?)\s*\}\s*$/) {
         # "!{command}"
+        $context->{addressed} = 1;
         goto CHECK_EMBEDDED_CMD;
     } elsif ($cmd_text =~ m/^\s*($nick_regex)[,:]\s+$bot_trigger\s*(.+)$/) {
         # "somenick: !command"
@@ -146,15 +149,27 @@ sub process_line($self, $from, $nick, $user, $host, $text, $tags = '', $is_comma
             $self->{pbot}->{logger}->log("No similar nick for $possible_nick_prefix; disregarding command.\n");
             return 0;
         }
+        $context->{addressed} = 1;
     } elsif ($cmd_text =~ m/^$bot_trigger\s*(.+)$/) {
         # "!command"
         $command = $1;
-    } elsif ($cmd_text =~ m/^.?\s*$botnick\s*[[:punct:]]?\s+(.+)$/i) {
+        $context->{addressed} = 1;
+    } elsif ($cmd_text =~ m/^.?\s*$botnick\s*[,:]\s+(.+)$/i) {
         # "botnick: command"
         $command = $1;
-    } elsif ($cmd_text =~ m/^(.+?),?\s+$botnick[?!.]*$/i) {
+        $context->{addressed} = 1;
+    } elsif ($cmd_text =~ m/^.?\s*$botnick\s+(.+)$/i) {
+        # "botnick command"
+        $command = $1;
+        $context->{addressed} = 0;
+    } elsif ($cmd_text =~ m/^(.+?),\s+$botnick[?!.]*$/i) {
         # "command, botnick?"
         $command = $1;
+        $context->{addressed} = 1;
+    } elsif ($cmd_text =~ m/^(.+?)\s+$botnick[?!.]*$/i) {
+        # "command botnick?"
+        $command = $1;
+        $context->{addressed} = 0;
     }
 
     # check for embedded commands
diff --git a/lib/PBot/VERSION.pm b/lib/PBot/VERSION.pm
index db00ccd8..acc8deff 100644
--- a/lib/PBot/VERSION.pm
+++ b/lib/PBot/VERSION.pm
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ use PBot::Imports;
 # These are set by the /misc/update_version script
 use constant {
     BUILD_NAME     => "PBot",
-    BUILD_REVISION => 4686,
-    BUILD_DATE     => "2023-09-21",
+    BUILD_REVISION => 4687,
+    BUILD_DATE     => "2023-09-23",
 };
 
 sub initialize {}