diff --git a/src/client.js b/src/client.js
index 05fc6916..11de150a 100644
--- a/src/client.js
+++ b/src/client.js
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ Client.prototype.connect = function(args) {
 		ip: args.ip,
 		hostname: args.hostname,
 	});
+	network.setNick(nick);
 
 	client.networks.push(network);
 	client.emit("network", {
diff --git a/src/models/network.js b/src/models/network.js
index bba9dc66..9e8ce9a8 100644
--- a/src/models/network.js
+++ b/src/models/network.js
@@ -33,13 +33,34 @@ function Network(attr) {
 	);
 }
 
+Network.prototype.setNick = function(nick) {
+	this.nick = nick;
+	this.highlightRegex = new RegExp(
+		// Do not match characters and numbers (unless IRC color)
+		"(?:^|[^a-z0-9]|\x03[0-9]{1,2})" +
+
+		// Escape nickname, as it may contain regex stuff
+		nick.replace(/[-\/\\^$*+?.()|[\]{}]/g, "\\$&") +
+
+		// Do not match characters and numbers
+		"(?:[^a-z0-9]|$)",
+
+		// Case insensitive search
+		"i"
+	);
+};
+
 Network.prototype.toJSON = function() {
-	var json = _.extend(this, {nick: (this.irc && this.irc.user.nick) || ""});
-	return _.omit(json, "irc", "password");
+	return _.omit(this, [
+		"irc",
+		"password",
+		"highlightRegex"
+	]);
 };
 
 Network.prototype.export = function() {
 	var network = _.pick(this, [
+		"nick",
 		"name",
 		"host",
 		"port",
@@ -51,11 +72,12 @@ Network.prototype.export = function() {
 		"ip",
 		"hostname"
 	]);
-	network.nick = (this.irc && this.irc.user.nick) || "";
+
 	network.join = _.map(
 		_.filter(this.channels, {type: "channel"}),
 		"name"
 	).join(",");
+
 	return network;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/irc-events/message.js b/src/plugins/irc-events/message.js
index 0689b5a8..65e0bcb1 100644
--- a/src/plugins/irc-events/message.js
+++ b/src/plugins/irc-events/message.js
@@ -64,9 +64,7 @@ module.exports = function(irc, network) {
 		// Self messages are never highlighted
 		// Non-self messages are highlighted as soon as the nick is detected
 		if (!highlight && !self) {
-			highlight = data.message.split(" ").some(function(w) {
-				return (w.replace(/^@/, "").toLowerCase().indexOf(irc.user.nick.toLowerCase()) === 0);
-			});
+			highlight = network.highlightRegex.test(data.message);
 		}
 
 		if (!self && chan.id !== client.activeChannel) {
diff --git a/src/plugins/irc-events/nick.js b/src/plugins/irc-events/nick.js
index 35885a97..c84b1b27 100644
--- a/src/plugins/irc-events/nick.js
+++ b/src/plugins/irc-events/nick.js
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ module.exports = function(irc, network) {
 	irc.on("nick", function(data) {
 		var self = false;
 		if (data.nick === irc.user.nick) {
+			network.setNick(data.new_nick);
+
 			var lobby = network.channels[0];
 			var msg = new Msg({
 				text: "You're now known as " + data.new_nick,
diff --git a/src/plugins/irc-events/welcome.js b/src/plugins/irc-events/welcome.js
index 12b0a896..5d86e686 100644
--- a/src/plugins/irc-events/welcome.js
+++ b/src/plugins/irc-events/welcome.js
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@ var Msg = require("../../models/msg");
 module.exports = function(irc, network) {
 	var client = this;
 	irc.on("registered", function(data) {
-		network.nick = data.nick;
+		network.setNick(data.nick);
+
 		var lobby = network.channels[0];
 		var msg = new Msg({
 			text: "You're now known as " + data.nick
diff --git a/test/models/network.js b/test/models/network.js
index 000c2cef..f41d0ec4 100644
--- a/test/models/network.js
+++ b/test/models/network.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ describe("Network", function() {
 
 		it("should produce an valid object", function() {
 			var network = new Network({name: "networkName"});
+			network.setNick("chillin`");
 			network.channels.push(new Chan({name: "#thelounge"}));
 			network.channels.push(new Chan({name: "&foobar"}));
 
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ describe("Network", function() {
 				username: "",
 				realname: "",
 				commands: [],
-				nick: "",
+				nick: "chillin`",
 				join: "#thelounge,&foobar",
 				ip: null,
 				hostname: null
diff --git a/test/tests/nickhighlights.js b/test/tests/nickhighlights.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9ef9f36b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/tests/nickhighlights.js
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+"use strict";
+
+var expect = require("chai").expect;
+
+var Network = require("../../src/models/network");
+
+var network = new Network({name: "networkName"});
+
+describe("Nickname highlights", function() {
+	it("should NOT highlight nickname", function() {
+		network.setNick("lounge-bot");
+
+		expect("").to.not.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("  ").to.not.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("completely unrelated sentence").to.not.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("foobarlounge-bot").to.not.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("lounge-botfoobar").to.not.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("\x03123lounge-bot").to.not.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("lo\x0312unge-bot").to.not.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("123lounge-bot").to.not.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("lounge-botz").to.not.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("lounge-bot123").to.not.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("lounge- bot").to.not.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("lounge_bot").to.not.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("lounge- bot").to.not.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("Alounge-bot").to.not.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("lounge-botW").to.not.match(network.highlightRegex);
+	});
+
+	it("should highlight nickname", function() {
+		network.setNick("lounge-bot");
+
+		expect("lounge-bot").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("LoUnge-Bot").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("LoUnge-Bot:hello").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("lounge-bot, hello").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("lounge-bot: hello").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("lounge-bot hello").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("\x0312lounge-bot").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("lounge-bot\x0312 test").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("|lounge-bot").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("www.lounge-bot.example.com").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect(" lounge-bot").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("@lounge-bot").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("+lounge-bot").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("lounge-bot_, hey").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("lounge-bot-, hey").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("lounge-bot|sleep, hey").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("LOUNGE-bot|sleep, hey").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+	});
+
+	it("changing name should update regex", function() {
+		network.setNick("lounge-bot");
+
+		expect("lounge-bot, hello").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("cool_person, hello").to.not.match(network.highlightRegex);
+
+		network.setNick("cool_person");
+
+		expect("lounge-bot, hello").to.not.match(network.highlightRegex);
+		expect("cool_person, hello").to.match(network.highlightRegex);
+	});
+});