diff --git a/bridge/config/config.go b/bridge/config/config.go
index 8a13b488..47e2a1d6 100644
--- a/bridge/config/config.go
+++ b/bridge/config/config.go
@@ -62,10 +62,11 @@ type Protocol struct {
 	Login                  string // mattermost, matrix
 	MediaServerDownload    string
 	MediaServerUpload      string
-	MessageQueue           int        // IRC, size of message queue for flood control
 	MessageDelay           int        // IRC, time in millisecond to wait between messages
-	MessageLength          int        // IRC, max length of a message allowed
 	MessageFormat          string     // telegram
+	MessageLength          int        // IRC, max length of a message allowed
+	MessageQueue           int        // IRC, size of message queue for flood control
+	MessageSplit           bool       // IRC, split long messages with newlines on MessageLength instead of clipping
 	Muc                    string     // xmpp
 	Name                   string     // all protocols
 	Nick                   string     // all protocols
diff --git a/bridge/helper/helper.go b/bridge/helper/helper.go
index ecfc4df2..0b6be4f4 100644
--- a/bridge/helper/helper.go
+++ b/bridge/helper/helper.go
@@ -26,3 +26,15 @@ func DownloadFile(url string) (*[]byte, error) {
 	resp.Body.Close()
 	return &data, nil
 }
+
+func SplitStringLength(input string, length int) string {
+	a := []rune(input)
+	str := ""
+	for i, r := range a {
+		str = str + string(r)
+		if i > 0 && (i+1)%length == 0 {
+			str += "\n"
+		}
+	}
+	return str
+}
diff --git a/bridge/irc/irc.go b/bridge/irc/irc.go
index 2d56bbc6..4fd5a8a2 100644
--- a/bridge/irc/irc.go
+++ b/bridge/irc/irc.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"crypto/tls"
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/42wim/matterbridge/bridge/config"
+	"github.com/42wim/matterbridge/bridge/helper"
 	log "github.com/Sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/lrstanley/girc"
 	"github.com/paulrosania/go-charset/charset"
@@ -191,6 +192,10 @@ func (b *Birc) Send(msg config.Message) (string, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// split long messages on messageLength, to avoid clipped messages #281
+	if b.Config.MessageSplit {
+		msg.Text = helper.SplitStringLength(msg.Text, b.Config.MessageLength)
+	}
 	for _, text := range strings.Split(msg.Text, "\n") {
 		if len(text) > b.Config.MessageLength {
 			text = text[:b.Config.MessageLength] + " <message clipped>"
diff --git a/matterbridge.toml.sample b/matterbridge.toml.sample
index b6a674e9..7552d395 100644
--- a/matterbridge.toml.sample
+++ b/matterbridge.toml.sample
@@ -80,6 +80,11 @@ MessageQueue=30
 #OPTIONAL (default 400)
 MessageLength=400
 
+#Split messages on MessageLength instead of showing the <message clipped>
+#WARNING: this could lead to flooding
+#OPTIONAL (default false)
+MessageSplit=false
+
 #Nicks you want to ignore. 
 #Messages from those users will not be sent to other bridges.
 #OPTIONAL