diff --git a/chat-summaries/2026-03-12_17-00-summary.md b/chat-summaries/2026-03-12_17-00-summary.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..595095c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chat-summaries/2026-03-12_17-00-summary.md
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# OwnCast `/me` to IRC CTCP ACTION
+
+## Task
+Detect when OwnCast users type `/me does something` and relay the message to IRC as a proper CTCP ACTION so IRC clients render it natively as an action, with bold attribution on the username.
+
+## Changes Made
+
+- **`src/router.rs`**: Extracted `format_owncast_to_irc()` function. When the body starts with `/me `, strips the prefix and wraps the outbound string as `\x01ACTION {prefix} \x02{username}\x02 {action_body}\x01`. Added 5 unit tests covering: action formatting, multi-word actions, normal passthrough, bare `/me` without space, and `/me` mid-message.
+- **`src/irc_task.rs`**: Updated outbound handler to detect strings starting with `\x01` and send them as raw `Command::PRIVMSG` (preserving the CTCP wrapper) instead of using `send_privmsg` which would double-escape.
+
+## Result
+- OwnCast user sends: `/me claps`
+- IRC clients see: `* bridge-bot [OC] **viewer42** claps` (bold username via mIRC formatting)
+- Normal messages are unaffected.
+
+## Follow-up
+- None identified. All 60 tests pass.
diff --git a/src/irc_task.rs b/src/irc_task.rs
index cef8eef..1ba951f 100644
--- a/src/irc_task.rs
+++ b/src/irc_task.rs
@@ -90,7 +90,11 @@ async fn connect_and_run(
                 }
             }
             Some(text) = outbound_rx.recv() => {
-                sender.send_privmsg(&config.channel, &text)?;
+                if text.starts_with('\x01') {
+                    sender.send(Command::PRIVMSG(config.channel.clone(), text))?;
+                } else {
+                    sender.send_privmsg(&config.channel, &text)?;
+                }
             }
             _ = shutdown.changed() => {
                 let _ = sender.send_quit("Bridge shutting down");
diff --git a/src/router.rs b/src/router.rs
index 717e0ec..ec1e05d 100644
--- a/src/router.rs
+++ b/src/router.rs
@@ -167,11 +167,9 @@ async fn handle_event(
                     if echo.is_echo(&body) {
                         return;
                     }
-                    let formatted = if is_action {
-                        format!("{} * {} {} *", settings.owncast_prefix, username, body)
-                    } else {
-                        format!("{} <{}> {}", settings.owncast_prefix, username, body)
-                    };
+                    let formatted = format_owncast_to_irc(
+                        &settings.owncast_prefix, &username, &body,
+                    );
                     if irc_tx.send(formatted).await.is_err() {
                         warn!("IRC outbound channel closed");
                     }
@@ -208,6 +206,14 @@ async fn handle_state_change(
     }
 }
 
+fn format_owncast_to_irc(prefix: &str, username: &str, body: &str) -> String {
+    if let Some(action_body) = body.strip_prefix("/me ") {
+        format!("\x01ACTION {} \x02{}\x02 {}\x01", prefix, username, action_body)
+    } else {
+        format!("{} <{}> {}", prefix, username, body)
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
@@ -241,4 +247,34 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(suppressor.is_echo("hello from IRC"));
         assert!(!suppressor.is_echo("different message"));
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_owncast_me_formats_as_ctcp_action() {
+        let result = format_owncast_to_irc("[OC]", "viewer42", "/me claps");
+        assert_eq!(result, "\x01ACTION [OC] \x02viewer42\x02 claps\x01");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_owncast_me_multi_word_action() {
+        let result = format_owncast_to_irc("[OC]", "viewer42", "/me claps loudly");
+        assert_eq!(result, "\x01ACTION [OC] \x02viewer42\x02 claps loudly\x01");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_owncast_normal_message_unchanged() {
+        let result = format_owncast_to_irc("[OC]", "viewer42", "hello world");
+        assert_eq!(result, "[OC] <viewer42> hello world");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_owncast_me_without_space_is_normal() {
+        let result = format_owncast_to_irc("[OC]", "viewer42", "/me");
+        assert_eq!(result, "[OC] <viewer42> /me");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_owncast_me_mid_message_is_normal() {
+        let result = format_owncast_to_irc("[OC]", "viewer42", "hello /me claps");
+        assert_eq!(result, "[OC] <viewer42> hello /me claps");
+    }
 }