diff --git a/code/chat.js b/code/chat.js
index 67c23ed8..f6716a0d 100644
--- a/code/chat.js
+++ b/code/chat.js
@@ -241,12 +241,12 @@ window.chat.renderFull = function(oldMsgsWereAdded) {
 // common
 //
 
-window.chat.writeDataToHash = function(newData, storageHash, skipSecureMsgs) {
+window.chat.writeDataToHash = function(newData, storageHash, isPublicChannel) {
   $.each(newData.result, function(ind, json) {
     // avoid duplicates
     if(json[0] in storageHash.data) return true;
 
-    var skipThisEntry = false;
+    var isSecureMessage = false;
     var msgToPlayer = false;
 
     var time = json[1];
@@ -259,10 +259,7 @@ window.chat.writeDataToHash = function(newData, storageHash, skipSecureMsgs) {
     if (storageHash.newestTimestamp === -1 || storageHash.newestTimestamp < time) storageHash.newestTimestamp = time;
 
     //remove "Your X on Y was destroyed by Z" from the faction channel
-    if (systemNarrowcast && !skipSecureMsgs) {
-      //NOTE: skipSecureMsgs is being used as a "is public channel" flag here
-      return true;
-    }
+    if (systemNarrowcast && !isPublicChannel) return true;
 
     var msg = '', nick = '', pguid;
     $.each(json[2].plext.markup, function(ind, markup) {
@@ -306,13 +303,34 @@ window.chat.writeDataToHash = function(newData, storageHash, skipSecureMsgs) {
         break;
 
       case 'SECURE':
-        if(skipSecureMsgs) {
-          skipThisEntry = true;
-          return false; // breaks $.each
-        }
+        //NOTE: we won't add the '[secure]' string here - it'll be handled below instead
+        isSecureMessage = true;
+        break;
+
+      default:
+        //handle unknown types by outputting the plain text version, marked with it's type
+        msg += $('<div/>').text(markup[0]+':<'+markup[1].plain+'>').html();
+        break;
       }
     });
-    if(skipThisEntry) return true;
+
+
+    //skip secure messages on the public channel
+    if (isPublicChannel && isSecureMessage) return true;
+
+    //skip public messages (e.g. @player mentions) on the secure channel
+    if ((!isPublicChannel) && (!isSecureMessage)) return true;
+
+
+    //NOTE: these two are currently redundant with the above two tests - but code can change...
+    //from the server, private channel messages are flagged with a SECURE string '[secure] ', and appear in
+    //both the public and private channels
+    //we don't include this '[secure]' text above, as it's redundant in the faction-only channel
+    //let's add it here though if we have a secure message in the public channel, or the reverse if a non-secure in the faction one
+    if (isPublicChannel && isSecureMessage) msg = '<span style="color: #f66">[secure]</span> ' + msg;
+    //and, add the reverse - a 'public' marker to messages in the private channel
+    if ((!isPublicChannel) && (!isSecureMessage)) msg = '<span style="color: #ff6">[public]</span> ' + msg;
+
 
     // format: timestamp, autogenerated, HTML message, player guid
     storageHash.data[json[0]] = [json[1], auto, chat.renderMsg(msg, nick, time, team, msgToPlayer, systemNarrowcast), pguid];
@@ -378,7 +396,9 @@ window.chat.renderMsg = function(msg, nick, time, team, msgToPlayer, systemNarro
   {
     msg = '<div class="system_narrowcast">' + msg + '</div>';
   }
-  var s = 'style="cursor:pointer; color:'+COLORS[team]+'"';
+  var color = COLORS[team];
+  if (nick === window.PLAYER.nickname) color = '#fd6';    //highlight things said/done by the player in a unique colour (similar to @player mentions from others in the chat text itself)
+  var s = 'style="cursor:pointer; color:'+color+'"';
   var title = nick.length >= 8 ? 'title="'+nick+'" class="help"' : '';
   var i = ['<span class="invisep">&lt;</span>', '<span class="invisep">&gt;</span>'];
   return '<tr><td>'+t+'</td><td>'+i[0]+'<mark class="nickname" onclick="window.chat.addNickname(\'@' + nick + '\')" ' + s + '>'+ nick+'</mark>'+i[1]+'</td><td>'+msg+'</td></tr>';