diff --git a/runelite-client/src/main/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/emojis/EmojiPlugin.java b/runelite-client/src/main/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/emojis/EmojiPlugin.java
index 21eb1eab10..68b97817c3 100644
--- a/runelite-client/src/main/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/emojis/EmojiPlugin.java
+++ b/runelite-client/src/main/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/emojis/EmojiPlugin.java
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ import net.runelite.client.util.ImageUtil;
 public class EmojiPlugin extends Plugin
 {
 	private static final Pattern TAG_REGEXP = Pattern.compile("<[^>]*>");
+	private static final Pattern WHITESPACE_REGEXP = Pattern.compile("[\\s\\u00A0]");
 
 	@Inject
 	private Client client;
@@ -166,9 +167,9 @@ public class EmojiPlugin extends Plugin
 	}
 
 	@Nullable
-	private String updateMessage(final String message)
+	String updateMessage(final String message)
 	{
-		final String[] messageWords = message.split(" ");
+		final String[] messageWords = WHITESPACE_REGEXP.split(message);
 
 		boolean editedMessage = false;
 		for (int i = 0; i < messageWords.length; i++)
diff --git a/runelite-client/src/test/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/emojis/EmojiPluginTest.java b/runelite-client/src/test/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/emojis/EmojiPluginTest.java
index 3427246946..5fd260b110 100644
--- a/runelite-client/src/test/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/emojis/EmojiPluginTest.java
+++ b/runelite-client/src/test/java/net/runelite/client/plugins/emojis/EmojiPluginTest.java
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 import org.mockito.runners.MockitoJUnitRunner;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
 
 @RunWith(MockitoJUnitRunner.class)
 public class EmojiPluginTest
@@ -113,4 +115,17 @@ public class EmojiPluginTest
 
 		verify(messageNode).setRuneLiteFormatMessage("<img=10>");
 	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testEmojiUpdateMessage()
+	{
+		String PARTY_POPPER = "<img=" + (-1 + Emoji.getEmoji("@@@").ordinal()) + '>';
+		String OPEN_MOUTH = "<img=" + (-1 + Emoji.getEmoji(":O").ordinal()) + '>';
+		assertNull(emojiPlugin.updateMessage("@@@@@"));
+		assertEquals(PARTY_POPPER, emojiPlugin.updateMessage("@@@"));
+		assertEquals(PARTY_POPPER + ' ' + PARTY_POPPER, emojiPlugin.updateMessage("@@@ @@@"));
+		assertEquals(PARTY_POPPER + ' ' + OPEN_MOUTH, emojiPlugin.updateMessage("@@@\u00A0:O"));
+		assertEquals(PARTY_POPPER + ' ' + OPEN_MOUTH + ' ' + PARTY_POPPER, emojiPlugin.updateMessage("@@@\u00A0:O @@@"));
+		assertEquals(PARTY_POPPER + " Hello World " + PARTY_POPPER, emojiPlugin.updateMessage("@@@\u00A0Hello World\u00A0@@@"));
+	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file