A method and system enter a correction for a previously sent message, determine whether to send a complete corrected message or a message correction specification, and send the selected message to a messaging server. The messaging server receives the message correction specification and a message identifier (ID), and sends the message correction specification and the message ID to a recipient client system if a message with a corresponding message ID has previously been sent to the recipient client system. Then, the recipient client system receives the message correction specification and message ID, retrieves the message with a corresponding message ID from its conversation log, corrects the message, updates the conversation log, and activates an alert to notify a user of an update. If the message has not previously been sent, the messaging server corrects the message and sends the corrected message and the message ID to the recipient client system.