diff --git a/src/core/misc.c b/src/core/misc.c
index 952c7149..3a3b76bb 100644
--- a/src/core/misc.c
+++ b/src/core/misc.c
@@ -506,3 +506,24 @@ int dec2octal(int decimal)
 
 	return octal;
 }
+
+/* convert all low-ascii (<32) to ^<A..> combinations */
+char *show_lowascii(const char *channel)
+{
+	char *str, *p;
+
+	str = p = g_malloc(strlen(channel)*2+1);
+	while (*channel != '\0') {
+		if ((unsigned char) *channel >= 32)
+			*p++ = *channel;
+		else {
+			*p++ = '^';
+			*p++ = *channel + 'A'-1;
+		}
+		channel++;
+	}
+	*p = '\0';
+
+	return str;
+}
+
diff --git a/src/core/misc.h b/src/core/misc.h
index 7fa866df..37a19c07 100644
--- a/src/core/misc.h
+++ b/src/core/misc.h
@@ -65,4 +65,7 @@ char *replace_chars(char *str, char from, char to);
 int octal2dec(int octal);
 int dec2octal(int decimal);
 
+/* convert all low-ascii (<32) to ^<A..> combinations */
+char *show_lowascii(const char *channel);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/src/fe-common/irc/fe-events-numeric.c b/src/fe-common/irc/fe-events-numeric.c
index ddfa04c8..6d48988b 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/irc/fe-events-numeric.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/irc/fe-events-numeric.c
@@ -447,19 +447,11 @@ static void event_whois_channels(const char *data, IRC_SERVER_REC *server)
 	   colors, bolds, etc. are mostly just to fool people, I think we
 	   should show the channel names as they REALLY are so they could
 	   even be joined without any extra tricks. */
-	str = g_string_new(NULL);
-	for (; *chans != '\0'; chans++) {
-		if ((unsigned char) *chans >= 32)
-			g_string_append_c(str, *chans);
-		else {
-			g_string_append_c(str, '^');
-			g_string_append_c(str, *chans+'A'-1);
-		}
-	}
+        chans = show_lowascii(chans);
+	printformat(server, nick, MSGLEVEL_CRAP, IRCTXT_WHOIS_CHANNELS, nick, chans);
+	g_free(chans);
 
-	printformat(server, nick, MSGLEVEL_CRAP, IRCTXT_WHOIS_CHANNELS, nick, str->str);
 	g_free(params);
-	g_string_free(str, TRUE);
 }
 
 static void event_whois_away(const char *data, IRC_SERVER_REC *server)
diff --git a/src/fe-common/irc/fe-events.c b/src/fe-common/irc/fe-events.c
index d67e5775..d37ef8b5 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/irc/fe-events.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/irc/fe-events.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "module.h"
 #include "module-formats.h"
 #include "signals.h"
+#include "misc.h"
 #include "settings.h"
 
 #include "irc.h"
@@ -388,8 +389,11 @@ static void event_invite(const char *data, IRC_SERVER_REC *server, const char *n
 	g_return_if_fail(data != NULL);
 
 	params = event_get_params(data, 2, NULL, &channel);
-	if (*channel != '\0' && !ignore_check(server, nick, addr, channel, NULL, MSGLEVEL_INVITES))
+	if (*channel != '\0' && !ignore_check(server, nick, addr, channel, NULL, MSGLEVEL_INVITES)) {
+		channel = show_lowascii(channel);
 		printformat(server, NULL, MSGLEVEL_INVITES, IRCTXT_INVITE, nick, channel);
+		g_free(channel);
+	}
 	g_free(params);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/fe-text/gui-windows.c b/src/fe-text/gui-windows.c
index 53f94416..3435cb85 100644
--- a/src/fe-text/gui-windows.c
+++ b/src/fe-text/gui-windows.c
@@ -627,7 +627,10 @@ void window_update_prompt(WINDOW_REC *window)
 	}
 
 	/* set prompt */
+	text = show_lowascii(text);
 	str = g_strdup_printf("[%1.17s] ", text);
+	g_free(text);
+
 	gui_entry_set_prompt(str);
 	if (*str != '\0') g_free(str);
 }
diff --git a/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c b/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c
index 4705cc64..57cbd1a9 100644
--- a/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c
+++ b/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include "printtext.h"
 #include "statusbar.h"
 #include "gui-windows.h"
+#include "gui-printtext.h"
 
 /* how often to redraw lagging time (seconds) */
 #define LAG_REFRESH_TIME 10
@@ -215,7 +216,7 @@ static void statusbar_channel(SBAR_ITEM_REC *item, int ypos)
     WI_ITEM_REC *witem;
     CHANNEL_REC *channel;
     SERVER_REC *server;
-    gchar channame[21], winnum[MAX_INT_STRLEN], *mode;
+    gchar channame[21], winnum[MAX_INT_STRLEN], *mode, *tmpname;
     int size_needed;
     int mode_size;
 
@@ -239,7 +240,9 @@ static void statusbar_channel(SBAR_ITEM_REC *item, int ypos)
     else
     {
 	/* display channel + mode */
-        strncpy(channame, witem->name, 20); channame[20] = '\0';
+        tmpname = show_lowascii(witem->name);
+        strncpy(channame, tmpname, 20); channame[20] = '\0';
+        g_free(tmpname);
 
 	channel = irc_item_channel(witem);
 	if (channel == NULL) {