diff --git a/client/js/render.js b/client/js/render.js
index 461ef074..3fd6cec6 100644
--- a/client/js/render.js
+++ b/client/js/render.js
@@ -101,6 +101,20 @@ function buildChatMessage(msg) {
 		template = "msg_unhandled";
 	}
 
+	// Make the MOTDs a little nicer if possible
+	if (msg.type === "motd") {
+		let lines = msg.text.split("\n");
+
+		// If all non-empty lines of the MOTD start with a hyphen (which is common
+		// across MOTDs), remove all the leading hyphens.
+		if (lines.every((line) => line === "" || line[0] === "-")) {
+			lines = lines.map((line) => line.substr(2));
+		}
+
+		// Remove empty lines around the MOTD (but not within it)
+		msg.text = lines.join("\n").trim();
+	}
+
 	const renderedMessage = $(templates[template](msg));
 	const content = renderedMessage.find(".content");