diff --git a/gateway/gateway.go b/gateway/gateway.go
index 72d0831b..6ac0abe5 100644
--- a/gateway/gateway.go
+++ b/gateway/gateway.go
@@ -237,38 +237,6 @@ func (gw *Gateway) ignoreTextEmpty(msg *config.Message) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
-// ignoreTexts returns true if msg.Text matches any of the input regexes.
-func (gw *Gateway) ignoreTexts(msg *config.Message, input []string) bool {
-	for _, entry := range input {
-		if entry == "" {
-			continue
-		}
-		// TODO do not compile regexps everytime
-		re, err := regexp.Compile(entry)
-		if err != nil {
-			flog.Errorf("incorrect regexp %s for %s", entry, msg.Account)
-			continue
-		}
-		if re.MatchString(msg.Text) {
-			flog.Debugf("matching %s. ignoring %s from %s", entry, msg.Text, msg.Account)
-			return true
-		}
-	}
-	return false
-}
-
-// ignoreNicks returns true if msg.Username matches any of the input regexes.
-func (gw *Gateway) ignoreNicks(msg *config.Message, input []string) bool {
-	// is the username in IgnoreNicks field
-	for _, entry := range input {
-		if msg.Username == entry {
-			flog.Debugf("ignoring %s from %s", msg.Username, msg.Account)
-			return true
-		}
-	}
-	return false
-}
-
 func (gw *Gateway) ignoreMessage(msg *config.Message) bool {
 	// if we don't have the bridge, ignore it
 	if _, ok := gw.Bridges[msg.Account]; !ok {
@@ -277,7 +245,7 @@ func (gw *Gateway) ignoreMessage(msg *config.Message) bool {
 
 	igNicks := strings.Fields(gw.Bridges[msg.Account].GetString("IgnoreNicks"))
 	igMessages := strings.Fields(gw.Bridges[msg.Account].GetString("IgnoreMessages"))
-	if gw.ignoreTextEmpty(msg) || gw.ignoreNicks(msg, igNicks) || gw.ignoreTexts(msg, igMessages) {
+	if gw.ignoreTextEmpty(msg) || gw.ignoreText(msg.Username, igNicks) || gw.ignoreText(msg.Text, igMessages) {
 		return true
 	}
 
@@ -435,3 +403,23 @@ func getChannelID(msg config.Message) string {
 func isAPI(account string) bool {
 	return strings.HasPrefix(account, "api.")
 }
+
+// ignoreText returns true if text matches any of the input regexes.
+func (gw *Gateway) ignoreText(text string, input []string) bool {
+	for _, entry := range input {
+		if entry == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		// TODO do not compile regexps everytime
+		re, err := regexp.Compile(entry)
+		if err != nil {
+			flog.Errorf("incorrect regexp %s", entry)
+			continue
+		}
+		if re.MatchString(text) {
+			flog.Debugf("matching %s. ignoring %s", entry, text)
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/gateway/gateway_test.go b/gateway/gateway_test.go
index cd78fe99..9621ab7d 100644
--- a/gateway/gateway_test.go
+++ b/gateway/gateway_test.go
@@ -434,68 +434,68 @@ func TestIgnoreTextEmpty(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestIgnoreTexts(t *testing.T) {
 	msgTests := map[string]struct {
-		input  *config.Message
+		input  string
 		re     []string
 		output bool
 	}{
 		"no regex": {
-			input:  &config.Message{Text: "a text message"},
+			input:  "a text message",
 			re:     []string{},
 			output: false,
 		},
 		"simple regex": {
-			input:  &config.Message{Text: "a text message"},
+			input:  "a text message",
 			re:     []string{"text"},
 			output: true,
 		},
 		"multiple regex fail": {
-			input:  &config.Message{Text: "a text message"},
+			input:  "a text message",
 			re:     []string{"abc", "123$"},
 			output: false,
 		},
 		"multiple regex pass": {
-			input:  &config.Message{Text: "a text message"},
+			input:  "a text message",
 			re:     []string{"lala", "sage$"},
 			output: true,
 		},
 	}
 	gw := &Gateway{}
 	for testname, testcase := range msgTests {
-		output := gw.ignoreTexts(testcase.input, testcase.re)
+		output := gw.ignoreText(testcase.input, testcase.re)
 		assert.Equalf(t, testcase.output, output, "case '%s' failed", testname)
 	}
 }
 
 func TestIgnoreNicks(t *testing.T) {
 	msgTests := map[string]struct {
-		input  *config.Message
+		input  string
 		re     []string
 		output bool
 	}{
 		"no entry": {
-			input:  &config.Message{Username: "user", Text: "a text message"},
+			input:  "user",
 			re:     []string{},
 			output: false,
 		},
 		"one entry": {
-			input:  &config.Message{Username: "user", Text: "a text message"},
+			input:  "user",
 			re:     []string{"user"},
 			output: true,
 		},
 		"multiple entries": {
-			input:  &config.Message{Username: "user", Text: "a text message"},
+			input:  "user",
 			re:     []string{"abc", "user"},
 			output: true,
 		},
 		"multiple entries fail": {
-			input:  &config.Message{Username: "user", Text: "a text message"},
+			input:  "user",
 			re:     []string{"abc", "def"},
 			output: false,
 		},
 	}
 	gw := &Gateway{}
 	for testname, testcase := range msgTests {
-		output := gw.ignoreNicks(testcase.input, testcase.re)
+		output := gw.ignoreText(testcase.input, testcase.re)
 		assert.Equalf(t, testcase.output, output, "case '%s' failed", testname)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/matterbridge.toml.sample b/matterbridge.toml.sample
index 77f5b51e..b3851a0e 100644
--- a/matterbridge.toml.sample
+++ b/matterbridge.toml.sample
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ ColorNicks=false
 RunCommands=["PRIVMSG user hello","PRIVMSG chanserv something"]
 
 #Nicks you want to ignore. 
+#Regular expressions supported
 #Messages from those users will not be sent to other bridges.
 #OPTIONAL
 IgnoreNicks="ircspammer1 ircspammer2"
@@ -196,6 +197,7 @@ SkipTLSVerify=true
 ## Settings below can be reloaded by editing the file
 
 #Nicks you want to ignore. 
+#Regular expressions supported
 #Messages from those users will not be sent to other bridges.
 #OPTIONAL
 IgnoreNicks="ircspammer1 ircspammer2"
@@ -276,6 +278,7 @@ Nick="yourlogin"
 ## Settings below can be reloaded by editing the file
 
 #Nicks you want to ignore. 
+#Regular expressions supported
 #Messages from those users will not be sent to other bridges.
 #OPTIONAL
 IgnoreNicks="spammer1 spammer2"
@@ -416,6 +419,7 @@ EditDisable=false
 EditSuffix=" (edited)"
 
 #Nicks you want to ignore. 
+#Regular expressions supported
 #Messages from those users will not be sent to other bridges.
 #OPTIONAL
 IgnoreNicks="ircspammer1 ircspammer2"
@@ -491,6 +495,7 @@ Token="Yourtokenhere"
 ## Settings below can be reloaded by editing the file
 
 #Nicks you want to ignore. 
+#Regular expressions supported
 #Messages from those users will not be sent to other bridges.
 #OPTIONAL
 IgnoreNicks="ircspammer1 ircspammer2"
@@ -609,6 +614,7 @@ EditSuffix=" (edited)"
 PrefixMessagesWithNick=false
 
 #Nicks you want to ignore. 
+#Regular expressions supported
 #Messages from those users will not be sent to other bridges.
 #OPTIONAL
 IgnoreNicks="ircspammer1 ircspammer2"
@@ -722,6 +728,7 @@ EditDisable=false
 EditSuffix=" (edited)"
 
 #Nicks you want to ignore. 
+#Regular expressions supported
 #Messages from those users will not be sent to other bridges.
 #OPTIONAL
 IgnoreNicks="ircspammer1 ircspammer2"
@@ -830,6 +837,7 @@ EditDisable=false
 EditSuffix=" (edited)"
 
 #Nicks you want to ignore. 
+#Regular expressions supported
 #Messages from those users will not be sent to other bridges.
 #OPTIONAL
 IgnoreNicks="spammer1 spammer2"
@@ -945,6 +953,7 @@ SkipTLSVerify=true
 PrefixMessagesWithNick=false
 
 #Nicks you want to ignore. 
+#Regular expressions supported
 #Messages from those users will not be sent to other bridges.
 #OPTIONAL
 IgnoreNicks="ircspammer1 ircspammer2"
@@ -1031,6 +1040,7 @@ NoHomeServerSuffix=false
 PrefixMessagesWithNick=false
 
 #Nicks you want to ignore. 
+#Regular expressions supported
 #Messages from those users will not be sent to other bridges.
 #OPTIONAL
 IgnoreNicks="spammer1 spammer2"
@@ -1111,6 +1121,7 @@ Authcode="ABCE12"
 PrefixMessagesWithNick=false
 
 #Nicks you want to ignore. 
+#Regular expressions supported
 #Messages from those users will not be sent to other bridges.
 #OPTIONAL
 IgnoreNicks="spammer1 spammer2"
@@ -1191,6 +1202,7 @@ Topic="matterbridge"
 ## Settings below can be reloaded by editing the file
 
 #Nicks you want to ignore. 
+#Regular expressions supported
 #Messages from those users will not be sent to other bridges.
 #OPTIONAL
 IgnoreNicks="spammer1 spammer2"