diff --git a/matrix/commands.py b/matrix/commands.py
index a74f99c..f2f15fd 100644
--- a/matrix/commands.py
+++ b/matrix/commands.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ from .colors import Formatted
 from .globals import SERVERS, W, UPLOADS, SCRIPT_NAME
 from .server import MatrixServer
 from .utf import utf8_decode
-from .utils import key_from_value
+from .utils import key_from_value, parse_redact_args
 from .uploads import UploadsBuffer, Upload
 
 try:
@@ -1280,14 +1280,9 @@ def matrix_redact_command_cb(data, buffer, args):
         if buffer in server.buffers.values():
             room_buffer = server.find_room_from_ptr(buffer)
 
-            matches = re.match(
-                r"^(\$[a-zA-Z0-9]+:([a-z0-9])(([a-z0-9-]{1,61})?[a-z0-9]{1})?"
-                r"(\.[a-z0-9](([a-z0-9-]{1,61})?[a-z0-9]{1})?)?"
-                r"(\.[a-zA-Z]{2,4})+)(:\".*\")? ?(.*)?$",
-                args
-            )
+            event_id, reason = parse_redact_args(args)
 
-            if not matches:
+            if not event_id:
                 message = (
                     "{prefix}matrix: Invalid command "
                     "arguments (see /help redact)"
@@ -1295,9 +1290,6 @@ def matrix_redact_command_cb(data, buffer, args):
                 W.prnt("", message)
                 return W.WEECHAT_RC_ERROR
 
-            groups = matches.groups()
-            event_id, reason = (groups[0], groups[-1])
-
             lines = room_buffer.weechat_buffer.find_lines(
                 partial(predicate, event_id), max_lines=1
             )
diff --git a/matrix/completion.py b/matrix/completion.py
index 578309e..48a8261 100644
--- a/matrix/completion.py
+++ b/matrix/completion.py
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ def matrix_message_completion_cb(data, completion_item, buffer, completion):
                 if len(message) > REDACTION_COMP_LEN + 2:
                     message = message[:REDACTION_COMP_LEN] + ".."
 
-                item = ('{event_id}:"{message}"').format(
+                item = ('{event_id}|"{message}"').format(
                     event_id=event_id, message=message
                 )
 
diff --git a/matrix/utils.py b/matrix/utils.py
index 6c29003..f233ca7 100644
--- a/matrix/utils.py
+++ b/matrix/utils.py
@@ -166,3 +166,34 @@ def text_block(text, margin=0):
 def colored_text_block(text, margin=0, color_pair=""):
     """ Like text_block, but also colors it."""
     return string_color_and_reset(text_block(text, margin=margin), color_pair)
+
+def parse_redact_args(args):
+    args = args.strip()
+
+    had_example_text = False
+
+    try:
+        event_id, rest = args.split("|", 1)
+        had_example_text = True
+    except ValueError:
+        try:
+            event_id, rest = args.split(" ", 1)
+        except ValueError:
+            event_id, rest = (args, "")
+
+    if had_example_text:
+        try:
+            _, _, reason = rest.split("\"", 2)
+        except ValueError:
+            reason = None
+    else:
+        reason = rest
+
+    event_id = event_id.strip()
+    if reason:
+        reason = reason.strip()
+    # The reason might be an empty string, set it to None if so
+    else:
+        reason = None
+
+    return event_id, reason
diff --git a/tests/buffer_test.py b/tests/buffer_test.py
index e146ac5..0ba5697 100644
--- a/tests/buffer_test.py
+++ b/tests/buffer_test.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 from matrix.buffer import WeechatChannelBuffer
+from matrix.utils import parse_redact_args
 
 
 class TestClass(object):
@@ -14,3 +15,54 @@ class TestClass(object):
         b = WeechatChannelBuffer("test_buffer_name", "example.org", "alice")
         b.message("alice", "hello world", 0, 0)
         assert b
+
+    def test_redact_args_parse(self):
+        args = '$81wbnOYZllVZJcstsnXpq7dmugA775-JT4IB-uPT680|"Hello world" No specific reason'
+        event_id, reason = parse_redact_args(args)
+        assert event_id == '$81wbnOYZllVZJcstsnXpq7dmugA775-JT4IB-uPT680'
+        assert reason == 'No specific reason'
+
+        args = '$15677776791893pZSXx:example.org|"Hello world" No reason at all'
+        event_id, reason = parse_redact_args(args)
+        assert event_id == '$15677776791893pZSXx:example.org'
+        assert reason == 'No reason at all'
+
+        args = '$15677776791893pZSXx:example.org No reason at all'
+        event_id, reason = parse_redact_args(args)
+        assert event_id == '$15677776791893pZSXx:example.org'
+        assert reason == 'No reason at all'
+
+        args = '$81wbnOYZllVZJcstsnXpq7dmugA775-JT4IB-uPT680 No specific reason'
+        event_id, reason = parse_redact_args(args)
+        assert event_id == '$81wbnOYZllVZJcstsnXpq7dmugA775-JT4IB-uPT680'
+        assert reason == 'No specific reason'
+
+        args = '$81wbnOYZllVZJcstsnXpq7dmugA775-JT4IB-uPT680'
+        event_id, reason = parse_redact_args(args)
+        assert event_id == '$81wbnOYZllVZJcstsnXpq7dmugA775-JT4IB-uPT680'
+        assert reason == None
+
+        args = '$15677776791893pZSXx:example.org'
+        event_id, reason = parse_redact_args(args)
+        assert event_id == '$15677776791893pZSXx:example.org'
+        assert reason == None
+
+        args = '   '
+        event_id, reason = parse_redact_args(args)
+        assert event_id == ''
+        assert reason == None
+
+        args = '$15677776791893pZSXx:example.org|"Hello world"'
+        event_id, reason = parse_redact_args(args)
+        assert event_id == '$15677776791893pZSXx:example.org'
+        assert reason == None
+
+        args = '$15677776791893pZSXx:example.org|"Hello world'
+        event_id, reason = parse_redact_args(args)
+        assert event_id == '$15677776791893pZSXx:example.org'
+        assert reason == None
+
+        args = '$15677776791893pZSXx:example.org "Hello world"'
+        event_id, reason = parse_redact_args(args)
+        assert event_id == '$15677776791893pZSXx:example.org'
+        assert reason == '"Hello world"'