diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index cc9ec66..c34b62b 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
         "axios": "^1.5.0",
         "dotenv": "^16.3.1",
         "n-readlines": "^1.0.1",
+        "node-emoji": "^2.1.0",
         "reflect-metadata": "^0.1.13",
         "sqlite3": "^5.1.6",
         "typeorm": "^0.3.17",
@@ -1405,6 +1406,17 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-+Fj43pSMwJs4KRrH/938Uf+uAELIgVBmQzg/q1YG10djyfA3TnrU8N8XzqCh/okZdszqBQTZf96idMfE5lnwTA==",
       "dev": true
     },
+    "node_modules/@sindresorhus/is": {
+      "version": "3.1.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@sindresorhus/is/-/is-3.1.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-JiX9vxoKMmu8Y3Zr2RVathBL1Cdu4Nt4MuNWemt1Nc06A0RAin9c5FArkhGsyMBWfCu4zj+9b+GxtjAnE4qqLQ==",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=10"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "url": "https://github.com/sindresorhus/is?sponsor=1"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/@sinonjs/commons": {
       "version": "3.0.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@sinonjs/commons/-/commons-3.0.0.tgz",
@@ -2498,8 +2510,6 @@
       "version": "1.0.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/char-regex/-/char-regex-1.0.2.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-kWWXztvZ5SBQV+eRgKFeh8q5sLuZY2+8WUIzlxWVTg+oGwY14qylx1KbKzHd8P6ZYkAg0xyIDU9JMHhyJMZ1jw==",
-      "dev": true,
-      "peer": true,
       "engines": {
         "node": ">=10"
       }
@@ -3204,6 +3214,11 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-L18DaJsXSUk2+42pv8mLs5jJT2hqFkFE4j21wOmgbUqsZ2hL72NsUU785g9RXgo3s0ZNgVl42TiHp3ZtOv/Vyg==",
       "dev": true
     },
+    "node_modules/emojilib": {
+      "version": "2.4.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/emojilib/-/emojilib-2.4.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-5U0rVMU5Y2n2+ykNLQqMoqklN9ICBT/KsvC1Gz6vqHbz2AXXGkG+Pm5rMWk/8Vjrr/mY9985Hi8DYzn1F09Nyw=="
+    },
     "node_modules/enabled": {
       "version": "2.0.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/enabled/-/enabled-2.0.0.tgz",
@@ -6317,6 +6332,17 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/node-addon-api/-/node-addon-api-4.3.0.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-73sE9+3UaLYYFmDsFZnqCInzPyh3MqIwZO9cw58yIqAZhONrrabrYyYe3TuIqtIiOuTXVhsGau8hcrhhwSsDIQ=="
     },
+    "node_modules/node-emoji": {
+      "version": "2.1.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/node-emoji/-/node-emoji-2.1.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-tcsBm9C6FmPN5Wo7OjFi9lgMyJjvkAeirmjR/ax8Ttfqy4N8PoFic26uqFTIgayHPNI5FH4ltUvfh9kHzwcK9A==",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "@sindresorhus/is": "^3.1.2",
+        "char-regex": "^1.0.2",
+        "emojilib": "^2.4.0",
+        "skin-tone": "^2.0.0"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/node-fetch": {
       "version": "2.7.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/node-fetch/-/node-fetch-2.7.0.tgz",
@@ -7426,6 +7452,17 @@
       "dev": true,
       "peer": true
     },
+    "node_modules/skin-tone": {
+      "version": "2.0.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/skin-tone/-/skin-tone-2.0.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-kUMbT1oBJCpgrnKoSr0o6wPtvRWT9W9UKvGLwfJYO2WuahZRHOpEyL1ckyMGgMWh0UdpmaoFqKKD29WTomNEGA==",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "unicode-emoji-modifier-base": "^1.0.0"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=8"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/slash": {
       "version": "3.0.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/slash/-/slash-3.0.0.tgz",
@@ -8292,6 +8329,14 @@
         "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/ljharb"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/unicode-emoji-modifier-base": {
+      "version": "1.0.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/unicode-emoji-modifier-base/-/unicode-emoji-modifier-base-1.0.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-yLSH4py7oFH3oG/9K+XWrz1pSi3dfUrWEnInbxMfArOfc1+33BlGPQtLsOYwvdMy11AwUBetYuaRxSPqgkq+8g==",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=4"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/unique-filename": {
       "version": "1.1.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/unique-filename/-/unique-filename-1.1.1.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 6526bbb..4b1d870 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
     "axios": "^1.5.0",
     "dotenv": "^16.3.1",
     "n-readlines": "^1.0.1",
+    "node-emoji": "^2.1.0",
     "reflect-metadata": "^0.1.13",
     "sqlite3": "^5.1.6",
     "typeorm": "^0.3.17",
diff --git a/src/handlers/messages.ts b/src/handlers/messages.ts
index 0f2e867..1be5ede 100644
--- a/src/handlers/messages.ts
+++ b/src/handlers/messages.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { AxiosError } from 'axios'
+import * as emoji from 'node-emoji'
 import { Entity, entities } from '../Entities'
 import { IdMapping } from '../entity/IdMapping'
 import log from '../helpers/logger'
@@ -106,43 +107,55 @@ export async function handleReactions(
 ): Promise<void> {
   for (const [reaction, value] of Object.entries(reactions)) {
     // Lookup key/emoji
-    // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
-    const reactionKey = (reactionKeys as any)[reaction]
-    value.usernames.map(async (rcUsername: string) => {
-      // generate transaction id
-      const transactionId = Buffer.from(
-        [matrixMessageId, reaction, rcUsername].join('\0')
-      ).toString('base64')
-      // lookup user access token
-      const userMapping = await getUserMappingByName(rcUsername)
-      if (!userMapping) {
-        throw new Error(`Could not find user mapping for name: ${rcUsername}`)
-      }
-      if (!userMapping.accessToken) {
-        throw new Error(
-          `User mapping for name ${rcUsername} has no access token`
-        )
-      }
+    const reactionKey: string =
+      // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+      (reactionKeys as any)[reaction] || emoji.get(reaction.replaceAll(':', ''))
+    if (!reactionKey) {
+      log.warn(
+        `Could not find an emoji for ${reaction} for message ${matrixMessageId}, skipping`
+      )
+      return
+    }
+    await Promise.all(
+      value.usernames.map(async (rcUsername: string) => {
+        // generate transaction id
+        const transactionId = Buffer.from(
+          [matrixMessageId, reaction, rcUsername].join('\0')
+        ).toString('base64')
+        // lookup user access token
+        const userMapping = await getUserMappingByName(rcUsername)
+        if (!userMapping) {
+          log.warn(
+            `Could not find user mapping for name: ${rcUsername}, skipping reaction ${reaction} for message ${matrixMessageId}`
+          )
+          return
+        }
+        if (!userMapping.accessToken) {
+          throw new Error(
+            `User mapping for name ${rcUsername} has no access token`
+          )
+        }
 
-      const userSessionOptions = formatUserSessionOptions(
-        userMapping.accessToken
-      )
-      log.http(
-        `Adding reaction to message ${matrixMessageId} with symbol ${reactionKey} for user ${rcUsername}`
-      )
-      // put reaction
-      await axios.put(
-        `/_matrix/client/v3/rooms/${matrixRoomId}/send/m.reaction/${transactionId}`,
-        {
-          'm.relates_to': {
-            rel_type: 'm.annotation',
-            event_id: matrixMessageId,
-            key: reactionKey,
+        const userSessionOptions = formatUserSessionOptions(
+          userMapping.accessToken
+        )
+        log.http(
+          `Adding reaction to message ${matrixMessageId} with symbol ${reactionKey} for user ${rcUsername}`
+        )
+        // put reaction
+        await axios.put(
+          `/_matrix/client/v3/rooms/${matrixRoomId}/send/m.reaction/${transactionId}`,
+          {
+            'm.relates_to': {
+              rel_type: 'm.annotation',
+              event_id: matrixMessageId,
+              key: reactionKey,
+            },
           },
-        },
-        userSessionOptions
-      )
-    })
+          userSessionOptions
+        )
+      })
+    )
   }
 }