diff --git a/portal.go b/portal.go
index c5607c7..bce80d7 100644
--- a/portal.go
+++ b/portal.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/gob"
 	"encoding/hex"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"html"
 	"image"
@@ -912,6 +913,27 @@ type MessageContent struct {
 	IsCustomPuppet bool `json:"net.maunium.whatsapp.puppet,omitempty"`
 }
 
+type serializableContent mautrix.Content
+
+type serializableMessageContent struct {
+	*serializableContent
+	IsCustomPuppet bool `json:"net.maunium.whatsapp.puppet,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// Hacky bypass for mautrix.Content's MarshalSJSON
+func (content *MessageContent) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
+	if mautrix.DisableFancyEventParsing {
+		if content.IsCustomPuppet {
+			content.Raw["net.maunium.whatsapp.puppet"] = content.IsCustomPuppet
+		}
+		return json.Marshal(content.Raw)
+	}
+	return json.Marshal(&serializableMessageContent{
+		serializableContent: (*serializableContent)(content.Content),
+		IsCustomPuppet:      content.IsCustomPuppet,
+	})
+}
+
 func (portal *Portal) HandleTextMessage(source *User, message whatsapp.TextMessage) {
 	if !portal.startHandling(message.Info) {
 		return