diff --git a/src/gptbot/callbacks/message.py b/src/gptbot/callbacks/message.py
index 5f5a176..d5c8fa4 100644
--- a/src/gptbot/callbacks/message.py
+++ b/src/gptbot/callbacks/message.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ async def message_callback(room: MatrixRoom | str, event: RoomMessageText | Mego
     if event.sender == bot.matrix_client.user_id:
         bot.logger.log("Message is from bot itself - ignoring")
 
-    elif event.body.startswith("!gptbot"):
+    elif event.body.startswith("!gptbot") or event.body.startswith("* !gptbot"):
         await bot.process_command(room, event)
 
     elif event.body.startswith("!"):
diff --git a/src/gptbot/classes/bot.py b/src/gptbot/classes/bot.py
index 9800581..101d17d 100644
--- a/src/gptbot/classes/bot.py
+++ b/src/gptbot/classes/bot.py
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ class GPTBot:
 
         return user_id
 
-    async def _last_n_messages(self, room: str | MatrixRoom, n: Optional[int]):
+    async def _last_n_messages(self, room: str | MatrixRoom, n: Optional[int], ignore_bot_commands: bool = True):
         messages = []
         n = n or self.max_messages
         room_id = room.room_id if isinstance(room, MatrixRoom) else room
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ class GPTBot:
                 if event.body.startswith("!gptbot ignoreolder"):
                     break
                 if (not event.body.startswith("!")) or (
-                    event.body.startswith("!gptbot")
+                    event.body.startswith("!gptbot") and not ignore_bot_commands
                 ):
                     messages.append(event)
 
@@ -319,6 +319,10 @@ class GPTBot:
             f"Received command {event.body} from {event.sender} in room {room.room_id}",
             "debug",
         )
+
+        if event.body.startswith("* "):
+            event.body = event.body[2:]
+
         command = event.body.split()[1] if event.body.split()[1:] else None
 
         await COMMANDS.get(command, COMMANDS[None])(room, event, self)