diff --git a/ui/chat_ui.gd b/ui/chat_ui.gd
index c79d80c..3af30f3 100644
--- a/ui/chat_ui.gd
+++ b/ui/chat_ui.gd
@@ -894,7 +894,8 @@ func _send() -> void:
 	if _send_pending:
 		return
 	var body := _entry.text
-	if body.strip_edges().is_empty():
+	var not_empty: = RegEx.create_from_string("\\w")
+	if not_empty.search(body) == null:
 		close_chat()
 		return
 	_send_pending = true