diff --git a/bsky.py b/bsky.py
index 1afd51a..fa6e58f 100644
--- a/bsky.py
+++ b/bsky.py
@@ -588,20 +588,22 @@ Use the bluesky_reply tool to send a response less than 300 characters."""
             # Send the reply(s) with language
             if len(reply_messages) == 1:
                 # Single reply - use existing function
-                logger.info(f"Sending single reply: {reply_messages[0][:50]}... (lang: {reply_lang})")
+                cleaned_text = bsky_utils.remove_outside_quotes(reply_messages[0])
+                logger.info(f"Sending single reply: {cleaned_text[:50]}... (lang: {reply_lang})")
                 response = bsky_utils.reply_to_notification(
                     client=atproto_client,
                     notification=notification_data,
-                    reply_text=reply_messages[0],
+                    reply_text=cleaned_text,
                     lang=reply_lang
                 )
             else:
                 # Multiple replies - use new threaded function
-                logger.info(f"Sending threaded reply with {len(reply_messages)} messages (lang: {reply_lang})")
+                cleaned_messages = [bsky_utils.remove_outside_quotes(msg) for msg in reply_messages]
+                logger.info(f"Sending threaded reply with {len(cleaned_messages)} messages (lang: {reply_lang})")
                 response = bsky_utils.reply_with_thread_to_notification(
                     client=atproto_client,
                     notification=notification_data,
-                    reply_messages=reply_messages,
+                    reply_messages=cleaned_messages,
                     lang=reply_lang
                 )
 
diff --git a/bsky_utils.py b/bsky_utils.py
index f4ee80d..091e5e9 100644
--- a/bsky_utils.py
+++ b/bsky_utils.py
@@ -253,6 +253,31 @@ def default_login() -> Client:
 
     return init_client(username, password)
 
+def remove_outside_quotes(text: str) -> str:
+    """
+    Remove outside double quotes from response text.
+    
+    Only handles double quotes to avoid interfering with contractions:
+    - Double quotes: "text" → text
+    - Preserves single quotes and internal quotes
+    
+    Args:
+        text: The text to process
+        
+    Returns:
+        Text with outside double quotes removed
+    """
+    if not text or len(text) < 2:
+        return text
+    
+    text = text.strip()
+    
+    # Only remove double quotes from start and end
+    if text.startswith('"') and text.endswith('"'):
+        return text[1:-1]
+    
+    return text
+
 def reply_to_post(client: Client, text: str, reply_to_uri: str, reply_to_cid: str, root_uri: Optional[str] = None, root_cid: Optional[str] = None, lang: Optional[str] = None) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     """
     Reply to a post on Bluesky with rich text support.