diff --git a/default.theme b/default.theme
index 501a1617..8cc37b1c 100644
--- a/default.theme
+++ b/default.theme
@@ -196,6 +196,9 @@ abstracts = {
   ## other IRC events
   ##
 
+  # whois
+  whois = " $[8]0 : $1-";
+
   # notices
   ownnotice = "[%r$0%K(%R$1-%K)]%n ";
   notice = "%K-%M$0-%K-%n ";
diff --git a/src/fe-common/irc/module-formats.c b/src/fe-common/irc/module-formats.c
index 054c50bd..fd263f40 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/irc/module-formats.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/irc/module-formats.c
@@ -94,20 +94,20 @@ FORMAT_REC fecommon_irc_formats[] = {
 	/* ---- */
 	{ NULL, "Who queries", 0 },
 
-        { "whois", "{nick $0} {nickhost $1@$2}%: ircname  : $3", 4, { 0, 0, 0, 0 } },
-        { "whowas", "{nick $0} {nickhost $1@$2}%: ircname  : $3", 4, { 0, 0, 0, 0 } },
-	{ "whois_idle", " idle     : $1 days $2 hours $3 mins $4 secs", 5, { 0, 1, 1, 1, 1 } },
-        { "whois_idle_signon", " idle     : $1 days $2 hours $3 mins $4 secs {comment signon: $5}", 6, { 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 0 } },
-        { "whois_server", " server   : $1 {comment $2}", 3, { 0, 0, 0 } },
-	{ "whois_oper", "          : {hilight IRC operator}", 1, { 0 } },
-	{ "whois_oper_type", "          : {hilight $1}", 2, { 0, 0 } },
-	{ "whois_registered", "          : has registered this nick", 1, { 0 } },
-	{ "whois_help", "          : is available for help", 1, { 0 } },
-	{ "whois_modes", " modes    : $1", 2, { 0, 0 } },
-	{ "whois_realhost", " hostname : $1", 2, { 0, 0 } },
-	{ "whois_channels", " channels : $1", 2, { 0, 0 } },
-	{ "whois_away", " away     : $1", 2, { 0, 0 } },
-	{ "whois_special", "          : $1", 2, { 0, 0 } },
+	{ "whois", "{nick $0} {nickhost $1@$2}%:{whois ircname $3}", 4, { 0, 0, 0, 0 } },
+	{ "whowas", "{nick $0} {nickhost $1@$2}%:{whois ircname $3}", 4, { 0, 0, 0, 0 } },
+	{ "whois_idle", "{whois idle %|$1 days $2 hours $3 mins $4 secs}", 5, { 0, 1, 1, 1, 1 } },
+	{ "whois_idle_signon", "{whois idle %|$1 days $2 hours $3 mins $4 secs {comment signon: $5}}", 6, { 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 0 } },
+	{ "whois_server", "{whois server %|$1 {comment $2}}", 3, { 0, 0, 0 } },
+	{ "whois_oper", "{whois  {hilight IRC operator}}", 1, { 0 } },
+	{ "whois_oper_type", "{whois  {hilight $1}}", 2, { 0, 0 } },
+	{ "whois_registered", "{whois  has registered this nick}", 1, { 0 } },
+	{ "whois_help", "{whois  is available for help}", 1, { 0 } },
+	{ "whois_modes", " {whois modes $1}", 2, { 0, 0 } },
+	{ "whois_realhost", "{whois hostname $1}", 2, { 0, 0 } },
+	{ "whois_channels", "{whois channels %|$1}", 2, { 0, 0 } },
+	{ "whois_away", " {whois away %|$1}", 2, { 0, 0 } },
+	{ "whois_special", "{whois  %|{hilight $1}}", 2, { 0, 0 } },
 	{ "end_of_whois", "End of WHOIS", 1, { 0 } },
 	{ "end_of_whowas", "End of WHOWAS", 1, { 0 } },
 	{ "whois_not_found", "There is no such nick $0", 1, { 0 } },