diff --git a/dr.botzo.py b/dr.botzo.py
index f153b3c..538b65e 100644
--- a/dr.botzo.py
+++ b/dr.botzo.py
@@ -52,7 +52,10 @@ class DrBotServerConnection(irclib.ServerConnection):
                 splitpos = text.rfind(' ', 0, splitspace)
                 splittext = text[0:splitpos] + ' ' + splitter
                 text = splitter + ' ' + text[splitpos+1:]
-                self.send_raw("PRIVMSG %s :%s" % (target, unicode(splittext).encode('utf-8')))
+                try:
+                    splittext = unicode(splittext).encode('utf-8')
+                except UnicodeDecodeError: pass
+                self.send_raw("PRIVMSG %s :%s" % (target, splittext))
 
                 times = times + 1
                 if times >= 4: