diff --git a/src/sbbs3/chat.cpp b/src/sbbs3/chat.cpp
index 4345cc8faf1d25ada3ea49a06adebdee8ed7ef00..40c9ad5fbbda159b1b6dc5b604059e02e70daa02 100644
--- a/src/sbbs3/chat.cpp
+++ b/src/sbbs3/chat.cpp
@@ -1065,6 +1065,8 @@ void sbbs_t::privchat(bool local)
 					}
 					// SYNC;
 				} 
+			} else { // illegal key
+				continue;
 			}
 
 			read(out,&c,1);