diff --git a/bridge/config/config.go b/bridge/config/config.go
index 7dbbc80b..98935208 100644
--- a/bridge/config/config.go
+++ b/bridge/config/config.go
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ const (
 	EventNoticeIRC         = "notice_irc"
 )
 
+const ParentIDNotFound = "msg-parent-not-found"
+
 type Message struct {
 	Text      string    `json:"text"`
 	Channel   string    `json:"channel"`
@@ -45,6 +47,14 @@ type Message struct {
 	Extra     map[string][]interface{}
 }
 
+func (m Message) ParentNotFound() bool {
+	return m.ParentID == ParentIDNotFound
+}
+
+func (m Message) ParentValid() bool {
+	return m.ParentID != "" && !m.ParentNotFound()
+}
+
 type FileInfo struct {
 	Name    string
 	Data    *[]byte
diff --git a/bridge/discord/discord.go b/bridge/discord/discord.go
index daeaa403..184dde85 100644
--- a/bridge/discord/discord.go
+++ b/bridge/discord/discord.go
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ func (b *Bdiscord) Send(msg config.Message) (string, error) {
 	}
 
 	// Handle prefix hint for unthreaded messages.
-	if msg.ParentID == "msg-parent-not-found" {
+	if msg.ParentNotFound() {
 		msg.ParentID = ""
 		msg.Text = fmt.Sprintf("[thread]: %s", msg.Text)
 	}
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ func (b *Bdiscord) handleEventBotUser(msg *config.Message, channelID string) (st
 		Content: msg.Username + msg.Text,
 	}
 
-	if msg.ParentID != "" && msg.ParentID != "msg-parent-not-found" {
+	if msg.ParentValid() {
 		m.Reference = &discordgo.MessageReference{
 			MessageID: msg.ParentID,
 			ChannelID: channelID,
diff --git a/bridge/mattermost/mattermost.go b/bridge/mattermost/mattermost.go
index 2c11b79e..bb44c48a 100644
--- a/bridge/mattermost/mattermost.go
+++ b/bridge/mattermost/mattermost.go
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ func (b *Bmattermost) Send(msg config.Message) (string, error) {
 	}
 
 	// Handle prefix hint for unthreaded messages.
-	if msg.ParentID == "msg-parent-not-found" {
+	if msg.ParentNotFound() {
 		msg.ParentID = ""
 		msg.Text = fmt.Sprintf("[thread]: %s", msg.Text)
 	}
diff --git a/bridge/msteams/msteams.go b/bridge/msteams/msteams.go
index 4d4acc2a..87a15a7a 100644
--- a/bridge/msteams/msteams.go
+++ b/bridge/msteams/msteams.go
@@ -86,13 +86,16 @@ func (b *Bmsteams) JoinChannel(channel config.ChannelInfo) error {
 
 func (b *Bmsteams) Send(msg config.Message) (string, error) {
 	b.Log.Debugf("=> Receiving %#v", msg)
-	if msg.ParentID != "" && msg.ParentID != "msg-parent-not-found" {
+	if msg.ParentValid() {
 		return b.sendReply(msg)
 	}
-	if msg.ParentID == "msg-parent-not-found" {
+
+	// Handle prefix hint for unthreaded messages.
+	if msg.ParentNotFound() {
 		msg.ParentID = ""
 		msg.Text = fmt.Sprintf("[thread]: %s", msg.Text)
 	}
+
 	ct := b.gc.Teams().ID(b.GetString("TeamID")).Channels().ID(msg.Channel).Messages().Request()
 	text := msg.Username + msg.Text
 	content := &msgraph.ItemBody{Content: &text}
diff --git a/bridge/slack/slack.go b/bridge/slack/slack.go
index 384581ef..e016a64f 100644
--- a/bridge/slack/slack.go
+++ b/bridge/slack/slack.go
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ func (b *Bslack) sendRTM(msg config.Message) (string, error) {
 	}
 
 	// Handle prefix hint for unthreaded messages.
-	if msg.ParentID == "msg-parent-not-found" {
+	if msg.ParentNotFound() {
 		msg.ParentID = ""
 		msg.Text = fmt.Sprintf("[thread]: %s", msg.Text)
 	}
diff --git a/gateway/gateway.go b/gateway/gateway.go
index eb530afd..aa7144f8 100644
--- a/gateway/gateway.go
+++ b/gateway/gateway.go
@@ -459,9 +459,9 @@ func (gw *Gateway) SendMessage(
 	}
 
 	// if the parentID is still empty and we have a parentID set in the original message
-	// this means that we didn't find it in the cache so set it "msg-parent-not-found"
+	// this means that we didn't find it in the cache so set it to a "msg-parent-not-found" constant
 	if msg.ParentID == "" && rmsg.ParentID != "" {
-		msg.ParentID = "msg-parent-not-found"
+		msg.ParentID = config.ParentIDNotFound
 	}
 
 	drop, err := gw.modifyOutMessageTengo(rmsg, &msg, dest)