diff --git a/ircbot/bot.py b/ircbot/bot.py
index bddb10a..858e6ec 100644
--- a/ircbot/bot.py
+++ b/ircbot/bot.py
@@ -244,15 +244,15 @@ class DrReactor(irc.client.Reactor):
                 # modules can do something with it. this calls the same
                 # event handlers in the same way as if this were a native
                 # event.
-                self.try_to_replace_event_text_with_module_text(connection, newevent)
-
-                # we have done all we can do with the sub-event. whatever
-                # the text of that event now is, we should replace the parent
-                # event's [] section with it.
-                oldtext = event.arguments[0]
-                newtext = oldtext.replace('['+subcmd+']', newevent.arguments[0])
-                log.debug("oldtext: '%s' newtext: '%s'", oldtext, newtext)
-                event.arguments[0] = newtext
+                replacements = self.try_to_replace_event_text_with_module_text(connection, newevent)
+                if replacements:
+                    # we have done all we can do with the sub-event. whatever
+                    # the text of that event now is, we should replace the parent
+                    # event's [] section with it.
+                    oldtext = event.arguments[0]
+                    newtext = oldtext.replace('['+subcmd+']', newevent.arguments[0])
+                    log.debug("oldtext: '%s' newtext: '%s'", oldtext, newtext)
+                    event.arguments[0] = newtext
 
                 # we have now resolved the []. recursion will unfold, replacing
                 # it further and further, until we eventually get back to the
@@ -275,6 +275,7 @@ class DrReactor(irc.client.Reactor):
 
         """
 
+        replacement = False
         replies = []
 
         # only do aliasing for pubmsg/privmsg
@@ -306,6 +307,7 @@ class DrReactor(irc.client.Reactor):
                         log.debug("result: %s", result)
                         if result:
                             log.debug("appending %s to replies", result)
+                            replacement = True
                             replies.append(result)
 
             matching_handlers = sorted(
@@ -318,11 +320,14 @@ class DrReactor(irc.client.Reactor):
                 log.debug("result: %s", result)
                 if result:
                     log.debug("appending %s to replies", result)
+                    replacement = True
                     replies.append(result)
 
         if len(replies):
             event.arguments[0] = '\n'.join(replies)
 
+        return replacement
+
 
 class IRCBot(irc.client.SimpleIRCClient):
     """A single-server IRC bot class."""