diff --git a/irc.go b/irc.go
index 29d326e..d3747d0 100644
--- a/irc.go
+++ b/irc.go
@@ -138,6 +138,8 @@ func (i ircHandler) Handle(c *irc.Client, m *irc.Message) {
 
 func (i ircHandler) Run() error { return errors.Wrap(i.c.Run(), "running IRC client") }
 
+func (i ircHandler) SendMessage(m *irc.Message) error { return i.c.WriteMessage(m) }
+
 func (ircHandler) getChannel(m *irc.Message) string {
 	if len(m.Params) > 0 {
 		return m.Params[0]
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 40649cb..0859c24 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/go-irc/irc"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 
@@ -32,6 +33,8 @@ var (
 	config     *configFile
 	configLock = new(sync.RWMutex)
 
+	sendMessage func(m *irc.Message) error
+
 	store = newStorageFile(false)
 
 	version = "dev"
@@ -102,6 +105,7 @@ func main() {
 
 		case <-ircDisconnected:
 			if irc != nil {
+				sendMessage = nil
 				irc.Close()
 			}
 
@@ -110,9 +114,11 @@ func main() {
 			}
 
 			go func() {
+				sendMessage = irc.SendMessage
 				if err := irc.Run(); err != nil {
 					log.WithError(err).Error("IRC run exited unexpectedly")
 				}
+				sendMessage = nil
 				time.Sleep(ircReconnectDelay)
 				ircDisconnected <- struct{}{}
 			}()