diff --git a/builtin/common/misc_helpers.lua b/builtin/common/misc_helpers.lua
index 68481f7c8e79..0bdd4b02ad9f 100644
--- a/builtin/common/misc_helpers.lua
+++ b/builtin/common/misc_helpers.lua
@@ -642,44 +642,26 @@ end
 
 local ESCAPE_CHAR = string.char(0x1b)
 
--- Client-side mods don't have access to settings
-if core.settings and core.settings:get_bool("disable_escape_sequences") then
-
-	function core.get_color_escape_sequence(color)
-		return ""
-	end
-
-	function core.get_background_escape_sequence(color)
-		return ""
-	end
-
-	function core.colorize(color, message)
-		return message
-	end
-
-else
-
-	function core.get_color_escape_sequence(color)
-		return ESCAPE_CHAR .. "(c@" .. color .. ")"
-	end
-
-	function core.get_background_escape_sequence(color)
-		return ESCAPE_CHAR .. "(b@" .. color .. ")"
-	end
+function core.get_color_escape_sequence(color)
+	return ESCAPE_CHAR .. "(c@" .. color .. ")"
+end
 
-	function core.colorize(color, message)
-		local lines = tostring(message):split("\n", true)
-		local color_code = core.get_color_escape_sequence(color)
+function core.get_background_escape_sequence(color)
+	return ESCAPE_CHAR .. "(b@" .. color .. ")"
+end
 
-		for i, line in ipairs(lines) do
-			lines[i] = color_code .. line
-		end
+function core.colorize(color, message)
+	local lines = tostring(message):split("\n", true)
+	local color_code = core.get_color_escape_sequence(color)
 
-		return table.concat(lines, "\n") .. core.get_color_escape_sequence("#ffffff")
+	for i, line in ipairs(lines) do
+		lines[i] = color_code .. line
 	end
 
+	return table.concat(lines, "\n") .. core.get_color_escape_sequence("#ffffff")
 end
 
+
 function core.strip_foreground_colors(str)
 	return (str:gsub(ESCAPE_CHAR .. "%(c@[^)]+%)", ""))
 end
diff --git a/builtin/settingtypes.txt b/builtin/settingtypes.txt
index ba3339d32017..5182cb3f712e 100644
--- a/builtin/settingtypes.txt
+++ b/builtin/settingtypes.txt
@@ -721,11 +721,6 @@ server_announce (Announce server) bool false
 #    If you want to announce your ipv6 address, use  serverlist_url = v6.servers.minetest.net.
 serverlist_url (Serverlist URL) string servers.minetest.net
 
-#    Disable escape sequences, e.g. chat coloring.
-#    Use this if you want to run a server with pre-0.4.14 clients and you want to disable
-#    the escape sequences generated by mods.
-disable_escape_sequences (Disable escape sequences) bool false
-
 [*Network]
 
 #    Network port to listen (UDP).
diff --git a/src/server.cpp b/src/server.cpp
index 1e8e6a5d2a78..e9ccc3d79a8d 100644
--- a/src/server.cpp
+++ b/src/server.cpp
@@ -1643,15 +1643,18 @@ void Server::SendInventory(PlayerSAO* playerSAO)
 void Server::SendChatMessage(u16 peer_id, const std::wstring &message)
 {
 	DSTACK(FUNCTION_NAME);
+	if (peer_id != PEER_ID_INEXISTENT) {
+		NetworkPacket pkt(TOCLIENT_CHAT_MESSAGE, 0, peer_id);
 
-	NetworkPacket pkt(TOCLIENT_CHAT_MESSAGE, 0, peer_id);
-	pkt << message;
+		if (m_clients.getProtocolVersion(peer_id) < 27)
+			pkt << unescape_enriched(message);
+		else
+			pkt << message;
 
-	if (peer_id != PEER_ID_INEXISTENT) {
 		Send(&pkt);
-	}
-	else {
-		m_clients.sendToAll(&pkt);
+	} else {
+		for (u16 id : m_clients.getClientIDs())
+			SendChatMessage(id, message);
 	}
 }