diff --git a/evennia/utils/ansi.py b/evennia/utils/ansi.py
index 370dda870d..e954590fbb 100644
--- a/evennia/utils/ansi.py
+++ b/evennia/utils/ansi.py
@@ -85,8 +85,7 @@ class ANSIParser(object):
     to ANSI command sequences
 
     We also allow to escape colour codes
-    by prepending with a \ for xterm256,
-    an extra | for Merc-style codes
+    by prepending with an extra |.
 
     """
 
@@ -97,6 +96,7 @@ class ANSIParser(object):
         (r"|n", ANSI_NORMAL),  # reset
         (r"|/", ANSI_RETURN),  # line break
         (r"|-", ANSI_TAB),  # tab
+        (r"|>", ANSI_SPACE * 4),  # indent (4 spaces)
         (r"|_", ANSI_SPACE),  # space
         (r"|*", ANSI_INVERSE),  # invert
         (r"|^", ANSI_BLINK),  # blinking text (very annoying and not supported by all clients)
diff --git a/evennia/utils/text2html.py b/evennia/utils/text2html.py
index 847466aff7..34fd11c9f1 100644
--- a/evennia/utils/text2html.py
+++ b/evennia/utils/text2html.py
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ class TextToHTMLparser(object):
         elif cdict["lineend"]:
             return "<br>"
         elif cdict["tab"]:
-            text = cdict["tab"].replace("\t", "&nbsp;" * self.tabstop)
+            text = cdict["tab"].replace("\t", "<span class=\"tabspace\">&#0009;</span>")
             return text
         elif cdict["space"] or cdict["spacestart"]:
             text = cdict["space"]
diff --git a/evennia/web/webclient/static/webclient/css/webclient.css b/evennia/web/webclient/static/webclient/css/webclient.css
index 0ce0997c56..bc94b84ae8 100644
--- a/evennia/web/webclient/static/webclient/css/webclient.css
+++ b/evennia/web/webclient/static/webclient/css/webclient.css
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ body {
   }
 }
 
-
 a:link, a:visited { color: inherit; }
 a:hover, a:active { color: inherit;
                     font-weight: bold;}
@@ -92,6 +91,12 @@ div {margin:0px;}
   background-color: #333;
 }
 
+.tabspace {
+  white-space: pre;
+  tab-size: 4;
+  -moz-tab-size: 4;
+}
+
 /* Container surrounding entire client */
 #clientwrapper {
   height: 100%;