diff --git a/src/sbbs3/putmsg.cpp b/src/sbbs3/putmsg.cpp
index 86288566ef9a6cf7cec7433f77f8f2ebe9754044..c6213fd768ae24557648c0b4739f4a490bbb21ac 100644
--- a/src/sbbs3/putmsg.cpp
+++ b/src/sbbs3/putmsg.cpp
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ char sbbs_t::putmsg(const char *buf, long mode)
 	int 	orgcon=console,i;
 	ulong	l=0,sys_status_sav=sys_status;
 	int		defered_pause=FALSE;
+	uint	lines_printed = 0;
 
 	attr_sp=0;	/* clear any saved attributes */
 	tmpatr=curatr;	/* was lclatr(-1) */
@@ -91,7 +92,9 @@ char sbbs_t::putmsg(const char *buf, long mode)
 				break;
 			else {
 				ctrl_a(str[l+1]);
-				l+=2; 
+				if((sys_status&SS_ABORT) && !lines_printed)	/* Aborted at (auto) pause prompt (e.g. due to CLS)? */
+					sys_status &= ~SS_ABORT;				/* Clear the abort flag (keep displaying the msg/file) */
+				l+=2;
 			} 
 		}
 		else if((str[l]=='`' || str[l]=='ú') && str[l+1]=='[') {   
@@ -227,6 +230,7 @@ char sbbs_t::putmsg(const char *buf, long mode)
 					attr(LIGHTGRAY);
 				if(l==0 || str[l-1]!='\r')	/* expand sole LF to CR/LF */
 					outchar('\r');
+				lines_printed++;
 			}
 
 			/* ansi escape sequence */
@@ -259,6 +263,8 @@ char sbbs_t::putmsg(const char *buf, long mode)
 				}
 				i=show_atcode((char *)str+l);	/* returns 0 if not valid @ code */
 				l+=i;					/* i is length of code string */
+				if((sys_status&SS_ABORT) && !lines_printed)	/* Aborted at (auto) pause prompt (e.g. due to CLS)? */
+					sys_status &= ~SS_ABORT;				/* Clear the abort flag (keep displaying the msg/file) */
 				if(i)					/* if valid string, go to top */
 					continue; 
 			}