diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 4067f0a..56c3945 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/go-irc/irc"
 	"github.com/gofrs/uuid/v3"
 	"github.com/gorilla/mux"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -55,8 +54,6 @@ var (
 	runID                 = uuid.Must(uuid.NewV4()).String()
 	externalHTTPAvailable bool
 
-	sendMessage func(m *irc.Message) error
-
 	store                = newStorageFile(false)
 	twitchClient         *twitch.Client
 	twitchEventSubClient *twitch.EventSubClient
@@ -249,7 +246,6 @@ func main() {
 
 		case <-ircDisconnected:
 			if ircHdl != nil {
-				sendMessage = nil
 				ircHdl.Close()
 			}
 
@@ -258,11 +254,9 @@ func main() {
 			}
 
 			go func() {
-				sendMessage = ircHdl.SendMessage
 				if err := ircHdl.Run(); err != nil {
 					log.WithError(err).Error("IRC run exited unexpectedly")
 				}
-				sendMessage = nil
 				time.Sleep(ircReconnectDelay)
 				ircDisconnected <- struct{}{}
 			}()
diff --git a/plugins_core.go b/plugins_core.go
index d393539..0f3384d 100644
--- a/plugins_core.go
+++ b/plugins_core.go
@@ -4,9 +4,11 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 
+	"github.com/go-irc/irc"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 
+	"github.com/Luzifer/go_helpers/v2/backoff"
 	"github.com/Luzifer/go_helpers/v2/str"
 	"github.com/Luzifer/twitch-bot/internal/actors/ban"
 	"github.com/Luzifer/twitch-bot/internal/actors/delay"
@@ -25,6 +27,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/Luzifer/twitch-bot/twitch"
 )
 
+const ircHandleWaitRetries = 10
+
 var (
 	corePluginRegistrations = []plugins.RegisterFunc{
 		// Actors
@@ -105,3 +109,16 @@ func getRegistrationArguments() plugins.RegistrationArguments {
 		SendMessage:                sendMessage,
 	}
 }
+
+func sendMessage(m *irc.Message) error {
+	if err := backoff.NewBackoff().WithMaxIterations(ircHandleWaitRetries).Retry(func() error {
+		if ircHdl == nil {
+			return errors.New("irc handle not available")
+		}
+		return nil
+	}); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "waiting for IRC connection")
+	}
+
+	return ircHdl.SendMessage(m)
+}