diff --git a/Content.Server/Chat/Systems/ChatSystem.Radio.cs b/Content.Server/Chat/Systems/ChatSystem.Radio.cs
index ec9246aadf..e6f56a3229 100644
--- a/Content.Server/Chat/Systems/ChatSystem.Radio.cs
+++ b/Content.Server/Chat/Systems/ChatSystem.Radio.cs
@@ -43,34 +43,37 @@ public sealed partial class ChatSystem
     private (string, RadioChannelPrototype?) GetRadioPrefix(EntityUid source, string message)
     {
         // TODO: Turn common into a true frequency and support multiple aliases.
-        var channelMessage = message.StartsWith(':') || message.StartsWith('.');
-        var radioMessage = message.StartsWith(';') || channelMessage;
-        if (!radioMessage) return (message, null);
+        var isRadioMessage = false;
+        RadioChannelPrototype? channel = null;
+        // First check if this is a message to the base radio frequency
+        if (message.StartsWith(';'))
+        {
+            // First Remove semicolon
+            channel = _prototypeManager.Index<RadioChannelPrototype>("Common");
+            message = message[1..].TrimStart();
+            isRadioMessage = true;
+        }
+
+        // Check now if the remaining message is a targeted radio message
+        if ((message.StartsWith(':') || message.StartsWith('.')) && message.Length >= 2)
+        {
+            // Strip remaining message prefix.
+            _keyCodes.TryGetValue(message[1], out channel);
+            message = message[2..].TrimStart();
+            isRadioMessage = true;
+        }
+
+        // If not a radio message at all
+        if (!isRadioMessage) return (message, null);
 
         // Special case for empty messages
         if (message.Length <= 1)
             return (string.Empty, null);
 
-        // Look for a prefix indicating a destination radio channel.
-        RadioChannelPrototype? chan;
-        if (channelMessage && message.Length >= 2)
+        if (channel == null)
         {
-            _keyCodes.TryGetValue(message[1], out chan);
-
-            if (chan == null)
-            {
-                _popup.PopupEntity(Loc.GetString("chat-manager-no-such-channel"), source, Filter.Entities(source));
-                chan = null;
-            }
-
-            // Strip message prefix.
-            message = message[2..].TrimStart();
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            // Remove semicolon
-            message = message[1..].TrimStart();
-            chan = _prototypeManager.Index<RadioChannelPrototype>("Common");
+            _popup.PopupEntity(Loc.GetString("chat-manager-no-such-channel"), source, Filter.Entities(source));
+            channel = null;
         }
 
         // Re-capitalize message since we removed the prefix.
@@ -83,6 +86,6 @@ public sealed partial class ChatSystem
             _popup.PopupEntity(Loc.GetString("chat-manager-no-headset-on-message"), source, Filter.Entities(source));
         }
 
-        return (message, chan);
+        return (message, channel);
     }
 }
diff --git a/Content.Server/Chat/Systems/ChatSystem.cs b/Content.Server/Chat/Systems/ChatSystem.cs
index 499784fe3b..5e6228819e 100644
--- a/Content.Server/Chat/Systems/ChatSystem.cs
+++ b/Content.Server/Chat/Systems/ChatSystem.cs
@@ -151,11 +151,22 @@ public sealed partial class ChatSystem : SharedChatSystem
         if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(message))
             return;
 
+        // This message may have a radio prefix, and should then be whispered to the resolved radio channel
+        if (checkRadioPrefix)
+        {
+            var (radioMessage, channel) = GetRadioPrefix(source, message);
+            if (channel != null)
+            {
+                SendEntityWhisper(source, radioMessage, hideChat, hideGlobalGhostChat, channel, nameOverride);
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+
         // Otherwise, send whatever type.
         switch (desiredType)
         {
             case InGameICChatType.Speak:
-                SendEntitySpeak(source, message, hideChat, hideGlobalGhostChat, nameOverride, checkRadioPrefix);
+                SendEntitySpeak(source, message, hideChat, hideGlobalGhostChat, nameOverride);
                 break;
             case InGameICChatType.Whisper:
                 SendEntityWhisper(source, message, hideChat, hideGlobalGhostChat, null, nameOverride);
@@ -255,26 +266,12 @@ public sealed partial class ChatSystem : SharedChatSystem
 
     #region Private API
 
-    private void SendEntitySpeak(EntityUid source, string originalMessage, bool hideChat, bool hideGlobalGhostChat, string? nameOverride, bool checkRadioPrefix)
+    private void SendEntitySpeak(EntityUid source, string originalMessage, bool hideChat, bool hideGlobalGhostChat, string? nameOverride)
     {
         if (!_actionBlocker.CanSpeak(source))
             return;
 
-        RadioChannelPrototype? channel = null;
-        string message;
-
-        if (checkRadioPrefix)
-            (message, channel) = GetRadioPrefix(source, originalMessage);
-        else
-            message = originalMessage;
-
-        if (channel != null)
-        {
-            SendEntityWhisper(source, message, hideChat, hideGlobalGhostChat, channel, nameOverride);
-            return;
-        }
-
-        message = TransformSpeech(source, message);
+        var message = TransformSpeech(source, originalMessage);
         if (message.Length == 0)
             return;
 
@@ -297,7 +294,7 @@ public sealed partial class ChatSystem : SharedChatSystem
 
         SendInVoiceRange(ChatChannel.Local, message, wrappedMessage, source, hideChat, hideGlobalGhostChat);
 
-        var ev = new EntitySpokeEvent(source, message, channel, null);
+        var ev = new EntitySpokeEvent(source, message, null, null);
         RaiseLocalEvent(source, ev, true);
 
         // To avoid logging any messages sent by entities that are not players, like vendors, cloning, etc.