diff --git a/gateway/gateway.go b/gateway/gateway.go
index 663c3871..06eec560 100644
--- a/gateway/gateway.go
+++ b/gateway/gateway.go
@@ -243,9 +243,9 @@ func (gw *Gateway) ignoreMessage(msg *config.Message) bool {
 func (gw *Gateway) modifyUsername(msg config.Message, dest *bridge.Bridge) string {
 	br := gw.Bridges[msg.Account]
 	msg.Protocol = br.Protocol
-	nick := gw.Config.General.RemoteNickFormat
+	nick := dest.Config.RemoteNickFormat
 	if nick == "" {
-		nick = dest.Config.RemoteNickFormat
+		nick = gw.Config.General.RemoteNickFormat
 	}
 	if len(msg.Username) > 0 {
 		// fix utf-8 issue #193
diff --git a/matterbridge.toml.sample b/matterbridge.toml.sample
index 81bf1cc9..3586977f 100644
--- a/matterbridge.toml.sample
+++ b/matterbridge.toml.sample
@@ -773,7 +773,7 @@ RemoteNickFormat="{NICK}"
 ###################################################################
 #General configuration
 ###################################################################
-#Settings here override specific settings for each protocol
+# Settings here are defaults that each protocol can override
 [general]
 #RemoteNickFormat defines how remote users appear on this bridge 
 #The string "{NICK}" (case sensitive) will be replaced by the actual nick / username.