diff --git a/src/config.js b/src/config.js
index 7208612..8ea73e8 100644
--- a/src/config.js
+++ b/src/config.js
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ const defaultConfig = {
 
   "newThreadCategoryId": null,
   "mentionRole": "here",
+  "pingOnBotMention": true,
 
   "inboxServerPermission": null,
   "alwaysReply": false,
diff --git a/src/data/threads.js b/src/data/threads.js
index 2701529..8e195d3 100644
--- a/src/data/threads.js
+++ b/src/data/threads.js
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ async function createNewThreadForUser(user, quiet = false) {
   });
 
   const newThread = await findById(newThreadId);
+  let responseMessageError = null;
 
   if (! quiet) {
     // Ping moderators of the new thread
@@ -97,7 +98,11 @@ async function createNewThreadForUser(user, quiet = false) {
 
     // Send auto-reply to the user
     if (config.responseMessage) {
-      newThread.postToUser(config.responseMessage);
+      try {
+        await newThread.postToUser(config.responseMessage);
+      } catch (err) {
+        responseMessageError = err;
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -145,6 +150,11 @@ async function createNewThreadForUser(user, quiet = false) {
 
   await newThread.postSystemMessage(infoHeader);
 
+  // If there were errors sending a response to the user, note that
+  if (responseMessageError) {
+    await newThread.postSystemMessage(`**NOTE:** Could not send auto-response to the user. The error given was: \`${responseMessageError.message}\``);
+  }
+
   // Return the thread
   return newThread;
 }
diff --git a/src/main.js b/src/main.js
index 58f3c30..6b51fcc 100644
--- a/src/main.js
+++ b/src/main.js
@@ -155,11 +155,12 @@ bot.on('messageCreate', async msg => {
 
   let content;
   const mainGuilds = utils.getMainGuilds();
+  const staffMention = (config.pingOnBotMention ? utils.getInboxMention() : '');
 
   if (mainGuilds.length === 1) {
-    content = `${utils.getInboxMention()}Bot mentioned in ${msg.channel.mention} by **${msg.author.username}#${msg.author.discriminator}**: "${msg.cleanContent}"`;
+    content = `${staffMention}Bot mentioned in ${msg.channel.mention} by **${msg.author.username}#${msg.author.discriminator}**: "${msg.cleanContent}"`;
   } else {
-    content = `${utils.getInboxMention()}Bot mentioned in ${msg.channel.mention} (${msg.channel.guild.name}) by **${msg.author.username}#${msg.author.discriminator}**: "${msg.cleanContent}"`;
+    content = `${staffMention}Bot mentioned in ${msg.channel.mention} (${msg.channel.guild.name}) by **${msg.author.username}#${msg.author.discriminator}**: "${msg.cleanContent}"`;
   }
 
   bot.createMessage(utils.getLogChannel(bot).id, {