diff --git a/decodedtext.cpp b/decodedtext.cpp
index da86d5212..e8a293fab 100644
--- a/decodedtext.cpp
+++ b/decodedtext.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include <QStringList>
 #include <QRegularExpression>
+#include <QDebug>
 
 extern "C" {
   bool stdmsg_(char const * msg, bool contest_mode, char const * mygrid, int len_msg, int len_grid);
@@ -60,7 +61,11 @@ QStringList DecodedText::messageWords () const
       // extract up to the first four message words
       return words_re.match (message_).capturedTexts ();
     }
-  return message_.split (' ');  // simple word split for free text messages
+  // simple word split for free text messages
+  auto words = message_.split (' ', QString::SkipEmptyParts);
+  // add whole message as item 0 to mimic RE capture list
+  words.prepend (message_);
+  return words;
 }
 
 QString DecodedText::CQersCall() const
diff --git a/mainwindow.cpp b/mainwindow.cpp
index f9292c066..890a1b845 100644
--- a/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -4091,14 +4091,18 @@ void MainWindow::genStdMsgs(QString rpt, bool unconditional)
       switch (m_config.type_2_msg_gen ())
         {
         case Configuration::type_2_msg_1_full:
-          t="DE " + my_callsign + " " + my_grid;
-          msgtype(t, ui->tx1);
+          t="DE " + my_callsign + " ";
+          msgtype(t + my_grid, ui->tx1);
           if (!eme_short_codes) {
-            t=t0 + "R" + rpt;
-            msgtype(t, ui->tx3);
+            if ((m_mode=="MSK144" || m_mode=="FT8")
+                && m_config.contestMode()) {
+              msgtype(t + "R " + my_grid, ui->tx3);
+            }
+            else {
+              msgtype(t + "R" + rpt, ui->tx3);
+            }
             if ((m_mode != "JT4" && m_mode != "QRA64") || !m_bShMsgs) {
-              t="DE " + my_callsign + " 73";
-              msgtype(t, ui->tx5->lineEdit ());
+              msgtype(t + "73", ui->tx5->lineEdit ());
             }
           }
           break;