diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 1037f55..342882e 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -51,27 +51,31 @@ end
 
 -- supports wildcard IP pattern (both IPv4 and IPv6)
 function xban.find_entry(key, create)
-    -- exact match (player or IP)
-    for i, e in ipairs(xban.db) do
-        if e.names[key] then return e, i end
-    end
-    -- wildcard pattern match for IPs
-    if key and key:find("[.:]") then
-        for i, e in ipairs(xban.db) do
-            for name in pairs(e.names) do
-	            local wildcard_prefix = name:match("(.+[.:])%*$")
-	            if wildcard_prefix and key:sub(1, #wildcard_prefix) == wildcard_prefix then
-	                return e, i
-	            end
-	        end
-        end
-    end
-    if create then
-        local e = { names = { [key] = true }, bans = {} }
-        table.insert(xban.db, e)
-        return e, #xban.db
-    end
-    return nil
+	-- exact match (player or IP)
+	for i, e in ipairs(xban.db) do
+		if e.names[key] then return e, i end
+	end
+	-- wildcard pattern match for IPs
+	if key and key:find("[.:]") then
+		for i, e in ipairs(xban.db) do
+			for name in pairs(e.names) do
+				local wildcard_prefix = name:match("(.+[.:])%*$")
+				if wildcard_prefix and key:sub(1, #wildcard_prefix) == wildcard_prefix then
+					return e, i
+				end
+			end
+		end
+	end
+	if create then
+		local e = {
+			names = { [key]=true },
+			banned = false,
+			record = { },
+		}
+		table.insert(xban.db, e)
+		return e, #xban.db
+	end
+	return nil
 end
 
 function xban.get_info(player) --> ip_name_list, banned, last_record
@@ -197,15 +201,18 @@ function xban.get_record(player)
 end
 
 minetest.register_on_prejoinplayer(function(name, ip)
-	local wl = db.whitelist or { }
+	local wl = db.whitelist or {}
 	if wl[name] or wl[ip] then return end
-	local e = xban.find_entry(name) or xban.find_entry(ip)
-	if not e then return end
-	if e.banned then
-		local date = (e.expires and os.date("%c", e.expires)
-		  or "the end of time")
-		return ("Banned: Expires: %s, Reason: %s"):format(
-		  date, e.reason)
+
+	local e = xban.find_entry(name)
+	if not e or not e.banned then
+		e = ip and xban.find_entry(ip)
+	end
+
+	if e and e.banned then
+		local date = e.expires and os.date("%c", e.expires) or "the end of time"
+		local reason = e.reason or "No reason given"
+		return ("Banned: Expires: %s, Reason: %s"):format(date, reason)
 	end
 end)