diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/config.py b/mautrix_telegram/config.py
index 14148881..0d725557 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/config.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/config.py
@@ -217,6 +217,7 @@ def do_update(self, helper: ConfigUpdateHelper) -> None:
             del self["bridge.message_formats"]
         copy_dict("bridge.message_formats", override_existing_map=False)
         copy("bridge.emote_format")
+        copy("bridge.convert_commands")
         copy("bridge.relay_user_distinguishers")
 
         copy("bridge.state_event_formats.join")
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/example-config.yaml b/mautrix_telegram/example-config.yaml
index b23083e4..3fbb5080 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/example-config.yaml
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/example-config.yaml
@@ -475,7 +475,8 @@ bridge:
     #    $username    - Telegram username (may not exist)
     #    $mention     - Telegram @username or displayname mention (depending on which exists)
     emote_format: "* $mention $formatted_body"
-
+    # Replace ! with / to send telegram bot commands without interfering with matrix client commands
+    convert_commands: true
     # The formats to use when sending state events to Telegram via the relay bot.
     #
     # Variables from `message_formats` that have the `sender_` prefix are available without the prefix.
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/formatter/from_matrix/__init__.py b/mautrix_telegram/formatter/from_matrix/__init__.py
index 87210f08..195b4062 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/formatter/from_matrix/__init__.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/formatter/from_matrix/__init__.py
@@ -54,10 +54,14 @@ async def matrix_reply_to_telegram(
 
 
 async def matrix_to_telegram(
-    client: TelegramClient, *, text: str | None = None, html: str | None = None
+    client: TelegramClient,
+    *,
+    text: str | None = None,
+    html: str | None = None,
+    convert_commands: bool = True,
 ) -> tuple[str, list[TypeMessageEntity]]:
     if html is not None:
-        return await _matrix_html_to_telegram(client, html)
+        return await _matrix_html_to_telegram(client, html, convert_commands)
     elif text is not None:
         return _matrix_text_to_telegram(text)
     else:
@@ -65,10 +69,11 @@ async def matrix_to_telegram(
 
 
 async def _matrix_html_to_telegram(
-    client: TelegramClient, html: str
+    client: TelegramClient, html: str, convert_commands: bool
 ) -> tuple[str, list[TypeMessageEntity]]:
     try:
-        html = command_regex.sub(r"<command>\1</command>", html)
+        if convert_commands:
+            html = command_regex.sub(r"<command>\1</command>", html)
         html = html.replace("\t", " " * 4)
         html = not_command_regex.sub(r"\1", html)
 
@@ -99,7 +104,8 @@ def _cut_long_message(
 
 
 def _matrix_text_to_telegram(text: str) -> tuple[str, list[TypeMessageEntity]]:
-    text = command_regex.sub(r"/\1", text)
+    if convert_commands:
+        text = command_regex.sub(r"/\1", text)
     text = text.replace("\t", " " * 4)
     text = not_command_regex.sub(r"\1", text)
     entities = []
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/portal.py b/mautrix_telegram/portal.py
index 6f0f51f6..a47f0a2a 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/portal.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/portal.py
@@ -1503,7 +1503,11 @@ async def _send_state_change_message(
             message = await self._get_state_change_message(event, user, **kwargs)
             if not message:
                 return
-            message, entities = await formatter.matrix_to_telegram(self.bot.client, html=message)
+            message, entities = await formatter.matrix_to_telegram(
+                self.bot.client,
+                html=message,
+                convert_commands=self.config["bridge.convert_commands"],
+            )
             response = await self.bot.client.send_message(
                 self.peer, message, formatting_entities=entities
             )
@@ -1789,7 +1793,10 @@ async def _handle_matrix_text(
         reply_to: TelegramID | None,
     ) -> None:
         message, entities = await formatter.matrix_to_telegram(
-            client, text=content.body, html=content.formatted(Format.HTML)
+            client,
+            text=content.body,
+            html=content.formatted(Format.HTML),
+            convert_commands=self.config["bridge.convert_commands"],
         )
         sender_id = sender.tgid if logged_in else self.bot.tgid
         async with self.send_lock(sender_id):
@@ -1933,7 +1940,10 @@ async def _handle_matrix_file(
 
         capt, entities = (
             await formatter.matrix_to_telegram(
-                client, text=caption.body, html=caption.formatted(Format.HTML)
+                client,
+                text=caption.body,
+                html=caption.formatted(Format.HTML),
+                convert_commands=self.config["bridge.convert_commands"],
             )
             if caption
             else (None, None)
@@ -2030,7 +2040,9 @@ async def _handle_matrix_location(
             caption = content["org.matrix.msc3488.location"]["description"]
             entities = []
         except KeyError:
-            caption, entities = await formatter.matrix_to_telegram(client, text=content.body)
+            caption, entities = await formatter.matrix_to_telegram(
+                client, text=content.body, convert_commands=self.config["bridge.convert_commands"]
+            )
         media = MessageMediaGeo(geo=GeoPoint(lat=lat, long=long, access_hash=0))
 
         async with self.send_lock(sender_id):