=== modified file 'lisp/erc/erc-match.el'
--- lisp/erc/erc-match.el	2013-02-11 22:53:36 +0000
+++ lisp/erc/erc-match.el	2013-02-13 01:54:07 +0000
@@ -455,14 +455,14 @@
 	 (message (buffer-substring
 		   (if (and nick-end
 			    (<= (+ 2 nick-end) (point-max)))
+		       ;; Message starts 2 characters after the nick
+		       ;; except for CTCP ACTION messages.  Nick
+		       ;; surrounded by angle brackets only in normal
+		       ;; messages.
 		       (+ nick-end
-			  ;; Message starts 2 characters after the nick except
-			  ;; for CTCP ACTION messages.
-			  (if (string= "* "
-				       (buffer-substring (- nick-beg 2)
-							 nick-beg))
-			      1
-			    2))
+			  (if (eq ?> (char-after nick-end))
+			      2
+			    1))
 		     (point-min))
 		   (point-max))))
     (when (and vector