diff --git a/code/game/g_cmds.c b/code/game/g_cmds.c
index 3eacfe94..790b928d 100644
--- a/code/game/g_cmds.c
+++ b/code/game/g_cmds.c
@@ -878,7 +878,7 @@ void G_Say( gentity_t *ent, gentity_t *target, int mode, const char *chatText )
 		color = COLOR_CYAN;
 		break;
 	case SAY_TELL:
-		if (target && g_gametype.integer >= GT_TEAM &&
+		if (target && target->inuse && target->client && g_gametype.integer >= GT_TEAM &&
 			target->client->sess.sessionTeam == ent->client->sess.sessionTeam &&
 			Team_GetLocationMsg(ent, location, sizeof(location)))
 			Com_sprintf (name, sizeof(name), EC"[%s%c%c"EC"] (%s)"EC": ", ent->client->pers.netname, Q_COLOR_ESCAPE, COLOR_WHITE, location );
@@ -943,13 +943,14 @@ static void Cmd_Tell_f( gentity_t *ent ) {
 	char		*p;
 	char		arg[MAX_TOKEN_CHARS];
 
-	if ( trap_Argc () < 2 ) {
+	if ( trap_Argc () < 3 ) {
+		trap_SendServerCommand( ent-g_entities, "print \"Usage: tell <player id> <message>\n\"" );
 		return;
 	}
 
 	trap_Argv( 1, arg, sizeof( arg ) );
-	targetNum = atoi( arg );
-	if ( targetNum < 0 || targetNum >= level.maxclients ) {
+	targetNum = ClientNumberFromString( ent, arg );
+	if ( targetNum == -1 ) {
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -1068,13 +1069,14 @@ static void Cmd_VoiceTell_f( gentity_t *ent, qboolean voiceonly ) {
 	char		*id;
 	char		arg[MAX_TOKEN_CHARS];
 
-	if ( trap_Argc () < 2 ) {
+	if ( trap_Argc () < 3 ) {
+		trap_SendServerCommand( ent-g_entities, va( "print \"Usage: %s <player id> <voice id>\n\"", voiceonly ? "votell" : "vtell" ) );
 		return;
 	}
 
 	trap_Argv( 1, arg, sizeof( arg ) );
-	targetNum = atoi( arg );
-	if ( targetNum < 0 || targetNum >= level.maxclients ) {
+	targetNum = ClientNumberFromString( ent, arg );
+	if ( targetNum == -1 ) {
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -1180,24 +1182,45 @@ static char	*gc_orders[] = {
 	"report"
 };
 
+static const int numgc_orders = ARRAY_LEN( gc_orders );
+
 void Cmd_GameCommand_f( gentity_t *ent ) {
-	int		player;
-	int		order;
-	char	str[MAX_TOKEN_CHARS];
+	int			targetNum;
+	gentity_t	*target;
+	int			order;
+	char		arg[MAX_TOKEN_CHARS];
 
-	trap_Argv( 1, str, sizeof( str ) );
-	player = atoi( str );
-	trap_Argv( 2, str, sizeof( str ) );
-	order = atoi( str );
-
-	if ( player < 0 || player >= MAX_CLIENTS ) {
+	if ( trap_Argc() != 3 ) {
+		trap_SendServerCommand( ent-g_entities, va( "print \"Usage: gc <player id> <order 0-%d>\n\"", numgc_orders - 1 ) );
 		return;
 	}
-	if ( order < 0 || order > ARRAY_LEN( gc_orders ) ) {
+
+	trap_Argv( 1, arg, sizeof( arg ) );
+	targetNum = ClientNumberFromString( ent, arg );
+	if ( targetNum == -1 ) {
 		return;
 	}
-	G_Say( ent, &g_entities[player], SAY_TELL, gc_orders[order] );
-	G_Say( ent, ent, SAY_TELL, gc_orders[order] );
+
+	target = &g_entities[targetNum];
+	if ( !target || !target->inuse || !target->client ) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	trap_Argv( 2, arg, sizeof( arg ) );
+	order = atoi( arg );
+
+	if ( order < 0 || order >= numgc_orders ) {
+		trap_SendServerCommand( ent-g_entities, va("print \"Bad order: %i\n\"", order));
+		return;
+	}
+
+	G_LogPrintf( "tell: %s to %s: %s\n", ent->client->pers.netname, target->client->pers.netname, gc_orders[order] );
+	G_Say( ent, target, SAY_TELL, gc_orders[order] );
+	// don't tell to the player self if it was already directed to this player
+	// also don't send the chat back to a bot
+	if ( ent != target && !(ent->r.svFlags & SVF_BOT)) {
+		G_Say( ent, ent, SAY_TELL, gc_orders[order] );
+	}
 }
 
 /*