diff --git a/src/perl/common/Window.xs b/src/perl/common/Window.xs
index f518b1dd..dec58b42 100644
--- a/src/perl/common/Window.xs
+++ b/src/perl/common/Window.xs
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ command(cmd, server=active_win->active_server, item=active_win->active)
 	Irssi::Server server
 	Irssi::Windowitem item
 CODE:
-	signal_emit("send command", 3, cmd, server, item);
+	perl_command(cmd, server, item);
 
 Irssi::Window
 window_find_name(name)
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ command(server, cmd, item=active_win->active)
 CODE:
 	if (item != NULL && item->server != SERVER(server))
 		item = NULL;
-	signal_emit("send command", 3, cmd, server, item);
+	perl_command(cmd, server, item);
 
 void
 print(server, channel, str, level)
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ command(window, cmd, server=window->active_server, item=window->active)
 	Irssi::Server server
 	Irssi::Windowitem item
 CODE:
-	signal_emit("send command", 3, cmd, server, item);
+	perl_command(cmd, server, item);
 
 void
 window_item_add(window, item, automatic)
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ command(item, cmd)
 	Irssi::Windowitem item
 	char *cmd
 CODE:
-	signal_emit("send command", 3, cmd, item->server, item);
+	perl_command(cmd, item->server, item);
 
 Irssi::Window
 window_create(item, automatic)
diff --git a/src/perl/perl-common.c b/src/perl/perl-common.c
index d6e6192d..b1a6e2f7 100644
--- a/src/perl/perl-common.c
+++ b/src/perl/perl-common.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "module.h"
 #include "modules.h"
 #include "signals.h"
+#include "settings.h"
 
 #include "chat-protocols.h"
 #include "servers.h"
@@ -189,6 +190,21 @@ void printformat_perl(TEXT_DEST_REC *dest, char *format, char **arglist)
 	g_free(module);
 }
 
+void perl_command(const char *cmd, SERVER_REC *server, WI_ITEM_REC *item)
+{
+        const char *cmdchars;
+	char *sendcmd = (char *) cmd;
+
+        cmdchars = settings_get_str("cmdchars");
+	if (strchr(cmdchars, *cmd) == NULL) {
+		/* no command char - let's put it there.. */
+		sendcmd = g_strdup_printf("%c%s", *cmdchars, cmd);
+	}
+
+	signal_emit("send command", 3, cmd, server, item);
+	if (sendcmd != cmd) g_free(sendcmd);
+}
+
 static void perl_register_protocol(CHAT_PROTOCOL_REC *rec)
 {
 	static char *items[] = {