diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c b/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c
index 7050e9f1..b280c1f5 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c
@@ -294,18 +294,18 @@ static void sig_print_text(TEXT_DEST_REC *dest, const char *text,
 	if (hilight == NULL)
 		return;
 
-	if (hilight->nick && (dest->level & (MSGLEVEL_PUBLIC|MSGLEVEL_ACTIONS)) == MSGLEVEL_PUBLIC)
-		return; /* fe-messages.c should have taken care of this */
-
 	/* update the level / hilight info */
         old_level = dest->level;
 	hilight_update_text_dest(dest, hilight);
 
+	if (hilight->nick && (dest->level & (MSGLEVEL_PUBLIC|MSGLEVEL_ACTIONS)) == MSGLEVEL_PUBLIC)
+		return; /* fe-messages.c should have taken care of this */
+
 	if (old_level & MSGLEVEL_HILIGHT) {
 		/* nick is highlighted, just set priority */
 		return;
 	}
-	
+
 	color = hilight_get_color(hilight);
 	hilight_len = hilight_end-hilight_start;