diff --git a/Content.Server/Chat/Systems/ChatSystem.cs b/Content.Server/Chat/Systems/ChatSystem.cs
index 80e097e568..c103287779 100644
--- a/Content.Server/Chat/Systems/ChatSystem.cs
+++ b/Content.Server/Chat/Systems/ChatSystem.cs
@@ -761,6 +761,9 @@ public sealed partial class ChatSystem : SharedChatSystem
         var newMessage = message.Trim();
         newMessage = SanitizeMessageReplaceWords(newMessage);
 
+        // DeltaV: sanitize first
+        _sanitizer.TrySanitizeOutSmilies(newMessage, source, out newMessage, out emoteStr);
+
         if (capitalize)
             newMessage = SanitizeMessageCapital(newMessage);
         if (capitalizeTheWordI)
@@ -768,8 +771,6 @@ public sealed partial class ChatSystem : SharedChatSystem
         if (punctuate)
             newMessage = SanitizeMessagePeriod(newMessage);
 
-        _sanitizer.TrySanitizeOutSmilies(newMessage, source, out newMessage, out emoteStr);
-
         return newMessage;
     }