diff --git a/doc/irc.luadoc b/doc/irc.luadoc
index 879c75c..bf3ceec 100644
--- a/doc/irc.luadoc
+++ b/doc/irc.luadoc
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ function irc:setMode(t)
 
 --internal
 function irc:invoke(name, ...)
-function irc:handle(prefix, cmd, params)
+function irc:handle(msg)
 function irc:shutdown()
 
 --- Table with connection information.
@@ -123,17 +123,23 @@ function irc:shutdown()
 -- @name Connection
 -- @class table
 
---- Class representing an IRC message.
+--- Class representing an IRC message.  Objects of this class may contain the following fields:
+-- <ul>
+-- <li><code>prefix</code> - Prefix of the message.</li>
+-- <li><code>user</code> - A User object describing the sender of the message.</li>
+-- <li><code>command</code> - The IRC command.</li>
+-- <li><code>args</code> - A list of the command arguments.</li>
+-- </ul>
+-- Fields may be missing.  The only guarantee is that <code>args</code> is a table.
+-- Messages have the following methods:
 -- <ul>
--- <li><code>sender</code></li>
--- <li><code>command</code></li>
--- <li><code>args</code></li>
 -- <li><code>toRFC1459()</code></li>
 -- </ul>
 -- @name Message
 -- @class table
 
---- List of hooks you can use with irc:hook. The parameter list describes the parameters passed to the callback function.
+--- List of hooks you can use with irc:hook.
+-- The parameter list describes the parameters passed to the callback function.
 -- <ul>
 -- <li><code>PreRegister(connection)</code>Useful for CAP commands and SASL.</li>
 -- <li><code>OnRaw(line) - (any non false/nil return value assumes line handled and will not be further processed)</code></li>
@@ -152,7 +158,7 @@ function irc:shutdown()
 -- <li><code>OnUserMode(modes)</code></li>
 -- <li><code>OnChannelMode(user, channel, modes)</code></li>
 -- <li><code>OnModeChange(user, target, modes, ...)</code>* ('...' contains mode options such as banmasks)</li>
--- <li><code>DoX(user, ...)</code>'X' is any IRC command or numeric with the first letter capitalized (eg, DoPing and Do001)</li>
+-- <li><code>DoX(msg)</code>'X' is any IRC command or numeric with the first letter capitalized (eg, DoPing and Do001)</li>
 -- </ul>
 -- * Event also invoked for yourself.
 -- † Channel passed only when user tracking is enabled
@@ -161,12 +167,14 @@ function irc:shutdown()
 
 --- Table with information about a user.
 -- <ul>
--- <li><code>nick</code> - User nickname. Always present.</li>
+-- <li><code>server</code> - Server name.</li>
+-- <li><code>nick</code> - User nickname.</li>
 -- <li><code>username</code> - User username.</li>
 -- <li><code>host</code> - User hostname.</li>
 -- <li><code>realname</code> - User real name.</li>
 -- <li><code>access</code> - User access, available in channel-oriented callbacks. A table containing boolean fields for each access mode that the server supports. Eg: 'o', and 'v'.</li>
 -- </ul>
--- Apart from <code>nick</code>, fields may be missing. To fill them in, enable user tracking and use irc:whois.
+-- Fields may be missing. To fill them in, enable user tracking and use irc:whois.
 -- @name User
 -- @class table
+
diff --git a/handlers.lua b/handlers.lua
index 38fd7f6..fb4de37 100644
--- a/handlers.lua
+++ b/handlers.lua
@@ -2,82 +2,87 @@ local pairs = pairs
 local error = error
 local tonumber = tonumber
 local table = table
+local unpack = unpack
 
 module "irc"
 
 handlers = {}
 
-handlers["PING"] = function(o, user, query)
-	o:send(Message("PONG", {query}))
+handlers["PING"] = function(conn, msg)
+	conn:send(Message("PONG", msg.args))
 end
 
-handlers["001"] = function(o, user, me)
-	o.authed = true
-	o.nick = me
+handlers["001"] = function(conn, msg)
+	conn.authed = true
+	conn.nick = msg.args[1]
 end
 
-handlers["PRIVMSG"] = function(o, user, channel, message)
-	o:invoke("OnChat", user, channel, message)
+handlers["PRIVMSG"] = function(conn, msg)
+	conn:invoke("OnChat", msg.user, msg.args[1], msg.args[2])
 end
 
-handlers["NOTICE"] = function(o, user, channel, message)
-	o:invoke("OnNotice", user, channel, message)
+
+handlers["NOTICE"] = function(conn, msg)
+	conn:invoke("OnNotice", msg.user, msg.args[1], msg.args[2])
 end
 
-handlers["JOIN"] = function(o, user, channel)
-	if o.track_users then
-		if user.nick == o.nick then
-			o.channels[channel] = {users = {}}
+handlers["JOIN"] = function(conn, msg)
+	local channel = msg.args[1]
+	if conn.track_users then
+		if msg.user.nick == conn.nick then
+			conn.channels[channel] = {users = {}}
 		else
-			o.channels[channel].users[user.nick] = user
+			conn.channels[channel].users[msg.user.nick] = user
 		end
 	end
 
-	o:invoke("OnJoin", user, channel)
+	conn:invoke("OnJoin", msg.user, msg.args[1])
 end
 
-handlers["PART"] = function(o, user, channel, reason)
-	if o.track_users then
-		if user.nick == o.nick then
-			o.channels[channel] = nil
+handlers["PART"] = function(conn, msg)
+	local channel = msg.args[1]
+	if conn.track_users then
+		if msg.user.nick == conn.nick then
+			conn.channels[channel] = nil
 		else
-			o.channels[channel].users[user.nick] = nil
+			conn.channels[channel].users[msg.user.nick] = nil
 		end
 	end
-	o:invoke("OnPart", user, channel, reason)
+	conn:invoke("OnPart", msg.user, msg.args[1], msg.args[2])
 end
 
-handlers["QUIT"] = function(o, user, msg)
-	if o.track_users then
-		for channel, v in pairs(o.channels) do
-			v.users[user.nick] = nil
+handlers["QUIT"] = function(conn, msg)
+	if conn.track_users then
+		for chanName, chan in pairs(conn.channels) do
+			chan.users[msg.user.nick] = nil
 		end
 	end
-	o:invoke("OnQuit", user, msg)
+	conn:invoke("OnQuit", msg.user, msg.args[1], msg.args[2])
 end
 
-handlers["NICK"] = function(o, user, newnick)
-	if o.track_users then
-		for channel, v in pairs(o.channels) do
-			local users = v.users
-			local oldinfo = users[user.nick]
+handlers["NICK"] = function(conn, msg)
+	local newNick = msg.args[1]
+	if conn.track_users then
+		for chanName, chan in pairs(conn.channels) do
+			local users = chan.users
+			local oldinfo = users[msg.user.nick]
 			if oldinfo then
-				users[newnick] = oldinfo
-				users[user.nick] = nil
-				o:invoke("NickChange", user, newnick, channel)
+				users[newNick] = oldinfo
+				users[msg.user.nick] = nil
+				conn:invoke("NickChange", msg.user, newNick, chanName)
 			end
 		end
 	else
-		o:invoke("NickChange", user, newnick)
+		conn:invoke("NickChange", msg.user, newNick)
 	end
-	if user.nick == o.nick then
-		o.nick = newnick
+	if msg.user.nick == conn.nick then
+		conn.nick = newnick
 	end
 end
 
-local function needNewNick(o, user, target, badnick)
-	local newnick = o.nickGenerator(badnick)
-	o:send(msgs.nick(newnick))
+local function needNewNick(conn, msg)
+	local newnick = conn.nickGenerator(msg.args[2])
+	conn:send(msgs.nick(newnick))
 end
 
 -- ERR_ERRONEUSNICKNAME (Misspelt but remains for historical reasons)
@@ -87,111 +92,119 @@ handlers["432"] = needNewNick
 handlers["433"] = needNewNick
 
 -- RPL_ISUPPORT
-handlers["005"] = function(o, user, nick, ...)
-	local list = {...}
-	local listlen = #list
-	-- Skip last parameter (info)
-	for i = 1, listlen - 1 do
-		local item = list[i]
+handlers["005"] = function(conn, msg)
+	local arglen = #msg.args
+	-- Skip first and last parameters (nick and info)
+	for i = 2, arglen - 1 do
+		local item = msg.args[i]
 		local pos = item:find("=")
 		if pos then
-			o.supports[item:sub(1, pos - 1)] = item:sub(pos + 1)
+			conn.supports[item:sub(1, pos - 1)] = item:sub(pos + 1)
 		else
-			o.supports[item] = true
+			conn.supports[item] = true
 		end
 	end
 end
 
 -- RPL_MOTDSTART
-handlers["375"] = function(o, user, info)
-	o.motd = ""
+handlers["375"] = function(conn, msg)
+	conn.motd = ""
 end
 
 -- RPL_MOTD
-handlers["372"] = function(o, user, nick, line)
+handlers["372"] = function(conn, msg)
 	-- MOTD lines have a "- " prefix, strip it.
-	o.motd = o.motd..line:sub(3)..'\n'
+	conn.motd = conn.motd .. msg.args[2]:sub(3) .. '\n'
 end
 
---NAMES list
-handlers["353"] = function(o, user, me, chanType, channel, names)
-	if o.track_users then
-		o.channels[channel] = o.channels[channel] or {users = {}, type = chanType}
+-- NAMES list
+handlers["353"] = function(conn, msg)
+	local chanType = msg.args[2]
+	local channel = msg.args[3]
+	local names = msg.args[4]
+	if conn.track_users then
+		conn.channels[channel] = conn.channels[channel] or {users = {}, type = chanType}
 
-		local users = o.channels[channel].users
+		local users = conn.channels[channel].users
 		for nick in names:gmatch("(%S+)") do
-			local access, name = parseNick(o, nick)
+			local access, name = parseNick(conn, nick)
 			users[name] = {access = access}
 		end
 	end
 end
 
---end of NAMES
-handlers["366"] = function(o, user, me, channel, msg)
-	if o.track_users then
-		o:invoke("NameList", channel, msg)
+-- End of NAMES list
+handlers["366"] = function(conn, msg)
+	if conn.track_users then
+		conn:invoke("NameList", msg.args[2], msg.args[3])
 	end
 end
 
---no topic
-handlers["331"] = function(o, user, me, channel)
-	o:invoke("OnTopic", channel, nil)
+-- No topic
+handlers["331"] = function(conn, msg)
+	conn:invoke("OnTopic", msg.args[2], nil)
 end
 
---new topic
-handlers["TOPIC"] = function(o, user, channel, topic)
-	o:invoke("OnTopic", channel, topic)
+handlers["TOPIC"] = function(conn, msg)
+	conn:invoke("OnTopic", msg.args[1], msg.args[2])
 end
 
-handlers["332"] = function(o, user, me, channel, topic)
-	o:invoke("OnTopic", channel, topic)
+handlers["332"] = function(conn, msg)
+	conn:invoke("OnTopic", msg.args[2], msg.args[3])
 end
 
---topic creation info
-handlers["333"] = function(o, user, me, channel, nick, time)
-	o:invoke("OnTopicInfo", channel, nick, tonumber(time))
+-- Topic creation info
+handlers["333"] = function(conn, msg)
+	conn:invoke("OnTopicInfo", msg.args[2], msg.args[3], tonumber(msg.args[4]))
 end
 
-handlers["KICK"] = function(o, user, channel, kicked, reason)
-	o:invoke("OnKick", channel, kicked, user, reason)
+handlers["KICK"] = function(conn, msg)
+	conn:invoke("OnKick", msg.args[1], msg.args[2], msg.user, msg.args[3])
 end
 
---RPL_UMODEIS
---To answer a query about a client's own mode, RPL_UMODEIS is sent back
-handlers["221"] = function(o, user, user, modes)
-	o:invoke("OnUserMode", modes)
+-- RPL_UMODEIS
+-- To answer a query about a client's own mode, RPL_UMODEIS is sent back
+handlers["221"] = function(conn, msg)
+	conn:invoke("OnUserMode", msg.args[2])
 end
 
---RPL_CHANNELMODEIS
---The result from common irc servers differs from that defined by the rfc
-handlers["324"] = function(o, user, user, channel, modes)
-	o:invoke("OnChannelMode", channel, modes)
+-- RPL_CHANNELMODEIS
+-- The result from common irc servers differs from that defined by the rfc
+handlers["324"] = function(conn, msg)
+	conn:invoke("OnChannelMode", msg.args[2], msg.args[3])
 end
 
-handlers["MODE"] = function(o, user, target, modes, ...)
-	if o.track_users and target ~= o.nick then
+handlers["MODE"] = function(conn, msg)
+	local target = msg.args[1]
+	local modes = msg.args[2]
+	local optList = {}
+	for i = 3, #msg.args do
+		table.insert(optList, msg.args[i])
+	end
+	if conn.track_users and target ~= conn.nick then
 		local add = true
-		local optList = {...}
-		updatePrefixModes(o)
+		local argNum = 1
+		updatePrefixModes(conn)
 		for c in modes:gmatch(".") do
 			if     c == "+" then add = true
 			elseif c == "-" then add = false
-			elseif o.modeprefix[c] then
-				local nick = table.remove(optList, 1)
-				local access = o.channels[target].users[nick].access
-				access[o.modeprefix[c]] = add
+			elseif conn.modeprefix[c] then
+				local nick = optList[argNum]
+				argNum = argNum + 1
+				local access = conn.channels[target].users[nick].access
+				access[conn.modeprefix[c]] = add
 				if     c == "o" then access.op = add
 				elseif c == "v" then access.voice = add
 				end
 			end
 		end
 	end
-	o:invoke("OnModeChange", user, target, modes, ...)
+	conn:invoke("OnModeChange", msg.user, target, modes, unpack(optList))
 end
 
-handlers["ERROR"] = function(o, user, message)
-	o:invoke("OnDisconnect", message, true)
-	o:shutdown()
-	error(message, 3)
+handlers["ERROR"] = function(conn, msg)
+	conn:invoke("OnDisconnect", msg.args[1], true)
+	conn:shutdown()
+	error(msg.args[1], 3)
 end
 
diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 98f29eb..5176367 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ meta_preconnect.unhook = meta.unhook
 function meta:invoke(name, ...)
 	local hooks = self.hooks[name]
 	if hooks then
-		for id,f in pairs(hooks) do
+		for id, f in pairs(hooks) do
 			if f(...) then
 				return true
 			end
@@ -184,13 +184,12 @@ end
 
 local handlers = handlers
 
-function meta:handle(prefix, cmd, params)
-	local user = parsePrefix(prefix)
-	local handler = handlers[cmd]
+function meta:handle(msg)
+	local handler = handlers[msg.command]
 	if handler then
-		handler(self, user, unpack(params))
+		handler(self, msg)
 	end
-	self:invoke("Do"..capitalize(cmd), user, unpack(params))
+	self:invoke("Do"..capitalize(msg.command), msg)
 end
 
 local whoisHandlers = {
@@ -209,15 +208,15 @@ function meta:whois(nick)
 	while true do
 		local line = getline(self, 3)
 		if line then
-			local prefix, cmd, args = parse(line)
+			local msg = parse(line)
 
-			local handler = whoisHandlers[cmd]
+			local handler = whoisHandlers[msg.command]
 			if handler then
-				result[handler] = args
+				result[handler] = msg.args
 			elseif cmd == "318" then
 				break
 			else
-				self:handle(prefix, cmd, args)
+				self:handle(msg)
 			end
 		end
 	end
diff --git a/util.lua b/util.lua
index a16f7cd..d22f16a 100644
--- a/util.lua
+++ b/util.lua
@@ -10,44 +10,31 @@ local random = math.random
 
 module "irc"
 
---protocol parsing
+-- Protocol parsing
 function parse(line)
-	local prefix
-	local lineStart = 1
-	if line:sub(1,1) == ":" then
+	local msg = Message()
+
+	if line:sub(1, 1) == ":" then
 		local space = line:find(" ")
-		prefix = line:sub(2, space-1)
-		lineStart = space
+		msg.prefix = line:sub(2, space - 1)
+		msg.user = parsePrefix(msg.prefix)
+		line = line:sub(space + 1)
 	end
 
-	local _, trailToken = line:find("%s+:", lineStart)
-	local lineStop = line:len()
-	local trailing
-	if trailToken then
-		trailing = line:sub(trailToken + 1)
-		lineStop = trailToken - 2
-	end
+	local pos
+	msg.command, pos = line:match("(%S+)()")
+	line = line:sub(pos)
 
-	local params = {}
-
-	local _, cmdEnd, cmd = line:find("(%S+)", lineStart)
-	local pos = cmdEnd + 1
-	while true do
-		local _, stop, param = line:find("(%S+)", pos)
-		
-		if not param or stop > lineStop then
+	for pos, param in line:gmatch("()(%S+)") do
+		if param:sub(1, 1) == ":" then
+			param = line:sub(pos + 1)
+			table.insert(msg.args, param)
 			break
 		end
-
-		pos = stop + 1
-		params[#params + 1] = param
+		table.insert(msg.args, param)
 	end
 
-	if trailing then 
-		params[#params + 1] = trailing 
-	end
-
-	return prefix, cmd, params
+	return msg
 end
 
 function parseNick(conn, nick)
@@ -71,8 +58,9 @@ end
 
 function parsePrefix(prefix)
 	local user = {}
-	if prefix then
-		user.nick, user.username, user.host = prefix:match("^(.+)!(.+)@(.+)$")
+	user.nick, user.username, user.host = prefix:match("^(.+)!(.+)@(.+)$")
+	if not user.nick and prefix:find(".", 1, true) then
+		user.server = prefix
 	end
 	return user
 end
@@ -163,7 +151,7 @@ function capitalize(text)
 end
 
 function split(str, sep)
-	t = {}
+	local t = {}
 	for s in str:gmatch("%S+") do
 		table.insert(t, s)
 	end