diff --git a/persistence/sessions.go b/persistence/sessions.go
index c0750a3..1658cc9 100644
--- a/persistence/sessions.go
+++ b/persistence/sessions.go
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ type Session struct {
 	AsciiArrows bool   `yaml:":asciiarrows"`
 	OOBMode     bool   `yaml:":oobmode"`
 	Carbons     bool   `yaml:":carbons"`
+	HideIds     bool   `yaml:":hideids"`
 }
 
 var configKeys = []string{
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ var configKeys = []string{
 	"asciiarrows",
 	"oobmode",
 	"carbons",
+	"hideids",
 }
 
 var sessionDB *SessionsYamlDB
@@ -126,6 +128,8 @@ func (s *Session) Get(key string) (string, error) {
 		return fromBool(s.OOBMode), nil
 	case "carbons":
 		return fromBool(s.Carbons), nil
+	case "hideids":
+		return fromBool(s.HideIds), nil
 	}
 
 	return "", errors.New("Unknown session property")
@@ -183,6 +187,13 @@ func (s *Session) Set(key string, value string) (string, error) {
 		}
 		s.Carbons = b
 		return value, nil
+	case "hideids":
+		b, err := toBool(value)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+		s.HideIds = b
+		return value, nil
 	}
 
 	return "", errors.New("Unknown session property")
diff --git a/persistence/sessions_test.go b/persistence/sessions_test.go
index df5e26d..8ca6f4f 100644
--- a/persistence/sessions_test.go
+++ b/persistence/sessions_test.go
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ func TestSessionToMap(t *testing.T) {
 		"asciiarrows": "false",
 		"oobmode":     "true",
 		"carbons":     "false",
+		"hideids":     "false",
 	}
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(m, sample) {
 		t.Errorf("Map does not match the sample: %v", m)
diff --git a/telegram/utils.go b/telegram/utils.go
index 905a97b..9a247c4 100644
--- a/telegram/utils.go
+++ b/telegram/utils.go
@@ -746,34 +746,51 @@ func (c *Client) countCharsInLines(lines *[]string) (count int) {
 }
 
 func (c *Client) messageToPrefix(message *client.Message, previewString string, fileString string, replyMsg *client.Message) (string, int, int) {
+	isPM, err := c.IsPM(message.ChatId)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Errorf("Could not determine if chat is PM: %v", err)
+	}
+
 	var replyStart, replyEnd int
 	prefix := []string{}
 	// message direction
 	var directionChar string
-	if c.Session.AsciiArrows {
-		if message.IsOutgoing {
-			directionChar = "> "
-		} else {
-			directionChar = "< "
-		}
-	} else {
-		if message.IsOutgoing {
-			directionChar = "➡ "
+	if !isPM || !gateway.MessageOutgoingPermission || !c.Session.Carbons {
+		if c.Session.AsciiArrows {
+			if message.IsOutgoing {
+				directionChar = "> "
+			} else {
+				directionChar = "< "
+			}
 		} else {
-			directionChar = "⬅ "
+			if message.IsOutgoing {
+				directionChar = "➡ "
+			} else {
+				directionChar = "⬅ "
+			}
 		}
 	}
-	prefix = append(prefix, directionChar+strconv.FormatInt(message.Id, 10))
+	if !isPM || !c.Session.HideIds {
+		prefix = append(prefix, directionChar+strconv.FormatInt(message.Id, 10))
+	}
 	// show sender in group chats
-	if message.ChatId < 0 {
-		prefix = append(prefix, c.formatSender(message))
+	if !isPM {
+		sender := c.formatSender(message)
+		if sender != "" {
+			prefix = append(prefix, sender)
+		}
 	}
 	// reply to
 	if message.ReplyToMessageId != 0 {
-		replyStart = c.countCharsInLines(&prefix) + (len(prefix)-1)*len(messageHeaderSeparator)
+		if len(prefix) > 0 {
+			replyStart = c.countCharsInLines(&prefix) + (len(prefix)-1)*len(messageHeaderSeparator)
+		}
 		replyLine := "reply: " + c.formatMessage(message.ChatId, message.ReplyToMessageId, true, replyMsg)
 		prefix = append(prefix, replyLine)
-		replyEnd = replyStart + len(replyLine) + len(messageHeaderSeparator)
+		replyEnd = replyStart + len(replyLine)
+		if len(prefix) > 0 {
+			replyEnd += len(messageHeaderSeparator)
+		}
 	}
 	if message.ForwardInfo != nil {
 		prefix = append(prefix, "fwd: "+c.formatForward(message.ForwardInfo))
@@ -856,10 +873,12 @@ func (c *Client) ProcessIncomingMessage(chatId int64, message *client.Message) {
 
 				if text != "" {
 					// \n if it is groupchat and message is not empty
-					if chatId < 0 {
-						newText.WriteString("\n")
-					} else if chatId > 0 {
-						newText.WriteString(" | ")
+					if prefix != "" {
+						if chatId < 0 {
+							newText.WriteString("\n")
+						} else if chatId > 0 {
+							newText.WriteString(" | ")
+						}
 					}
 
 					newText.WriteString(text)