diff --git a/plugins/leftpad/leftpad.go b/plugins/leftpad/leftpad.go
index 0c97399..f327e06 100644
--- a/plugins/leftpad/leftpad.go
+++ b/plugins/leftpad/leftpad.go
@@ -5,12 +5,11 @@ package leftpad
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"regexp"
 	"strconv"
-	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/chrissexton/leftpad"
 	"github.com/velour/catbase/bot"
-	"github.com/velour/catbase/bot/msg"
 	"github.com/velour/catbase/config"
 )
 
@@ -25,7 +24,7 @@ func New(b bot.Bot) *LeftpadPlugin {
 		bot:    b,
 		config: b.Config(),
 	}
-	b.Register(p, bot.Message, p.message)
+	b.RegisterRegexCmd(p, bot.Message, leftpadRegex, p.leftpadCmd)
 	return p
 }
 
@@ -33,32 +32,25 @@ type leftpadResp struct {
 	Str string
 }
 
-func (p *LeftpadPlugin) message(c bot.Connector, kind bot.Kind, message msg.Message, args ...interface{}) bool {
-	if !message.Command {
-		return false
-	}
+var leftpadRegex = regexp.MustCompile(`(?i)^leftpad (?P<padstr>\S+) (?P<padding>\d+) (?P<text>.+)$`)
 
-	parts := strings.Fields(message.Body)
-	if len(parts) > 3 && parts[0] == "leftpad" {
-		padchar := parts[1]
-		length, err := strconv.Atoi(parts[2])
-		if err != nil {
-			p.bot.Send(c, bot.Message, message.Channel, "Invalid padding number")
-			return true
-		}
-		maxLen, who := p.config.GetInt("LeftPad.MaxLen", 50), p.config.Get("LeftPad.Who", "Putin")
-		if length > maxLen && maxLen > 0 {
-			msg := fmt.Sprintf("%s would kill me if I did that.", who)
-			p.bot.Send(c, bot.Message, message.Channel, msg)
-			return true
-		}
-		text := strings.Join(parts[3:], " ")
-
-		res := leftpad.LeftPad(text, length, padchar)
-
-		p.bot.Send(c, bot.Message, message.Channel, res)
+func (p *LeftpadPlugin) leftpadCmd(r bot.Request) bool {
+	padchar := r.Values["padstr"]
+	length, err := strconv.Atoi(r.Values["padding"])
+	if err != nil {
+		p.bot.Send(r.Conn, bot.Message, r.Msg.Channel, "Invalid padding number")
 		return true
 	}
+	maxLen, who := p.config.GetInt("LeftPad.MaxLen", 50), p.config.Get("LeftPad.Who", "Putin")
+	if length > maxLen && maxLen > 0 {
+		msg := fmt.Sprintf("%s would kill me if I did that.", who)
+		p.bot.Send(r.Conn, bot.Message, r.Msg.Channel, msg)
+		return true
+	}
+	text := r.Values["text"]
 
-	return false
+	res := leftpad.LeftPad(text, length, padchar)
+
+	p.bot.Send(r.Conn, bot.Message, r.Msg.Channel, res)
+	return true
 }
diff --git a/plugins/leftpad/leftpad_test.go b/plugins/leftpad/leftpad_test.go
index fcfc10b..a1e18db 100644
--- a/plugins/leftpad/leftpad_test.go
+++ b/plugins/leftpad/leftpad_test.go
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
 package leftpad
 
 import (
-	"github.com/velour/catbase/plugins/cli"
-	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/velour/catbase/plugins/cli"
+
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/velour/catbase/bot"
 	"github.com/velour/catbase/bot/msg"
@@ -14,16 +14,24 @@ import (
 	"github.com/velour/catbase/plugins/counter"
 )
 
-func makeMessage(payload string) (bot.Connector, bot.Kind, msg.Message) {
-	isCmd := strings.HasPrefix(payload, "!")
-	if isCmd {
-		payload = payload[1:]
+func makeMessage(payload string) bot.Request {
+	values := bot.ParseValues(leftpadRegex, payload)
+	return bot.Request{
+		Kind:   bot.Message,
+		Conn:   &cli.CliPlugin{},
+		Values: values,
+		Msg: msg.Message{
+			User:    &user.User{Name: "tester"},
+			Channel: "test",
+			Body:    payload,
+		},
 	}
-	return &cli.CliPlugin{}, bot.Message, msg.Message{
-		User:    &user.User{Name: "tester"},
-		Channel: "test",
-		Body:    payload,
-		Command: isCmd,
+
+}
+
+func testMessage(p *LeftpadPlugin, body string) {
+	if leftpadRegex.MatchString(body) {
+		p.leftpadCmd(makeMessage(body))
 	}
 }
 
@@ -38,51 +46,48 @@ func makePlugin(t *testing.T) (*LeftpadPlugin, *bot.MockBot) {
 
 func TestLeftpad(t *testing.T) {
 	p, mb := makePlugin(t)
-	p.message(makeMessage("!leftpad test 8 test"))
-	assert.Contains(t, mb.Messages[0], "testtest")
-	assert.Len(t, mb.Messages, 1)
-}
-
-func TestBadNumber(t *testing.T) {
-	p, mb := makePlugin(t)
-	p.message(makeMessage("!leftpad test fuck test"))
-	assert.Contains(t, mb.Messages[0], "Invalid")
-	assert.Len(t, mb.Messages, 1)
+	testMessage(p, "leftpad test 8 test")
+	if assert.Len(t, mb.Messages, 1) {
+		assert.Contains(t, mb.Messages[0], "testtest")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestNotCommand(t *testing.T) {
 	p, mb := makePlugin(t)
-	p.message(makeMessage("leftpad test fuck test"))
+	testMessage(p, "leftpad test fuck test")
 	assert.Len(t, mb.Messages, 0)
 }
 
 func TestNoMaxLen(t *testing.T) {
 	p, mb := makePlugin(t)
 	p.config.Set("LeftPad.MaxLen", "0")
-	p.message(makeMessage("!leftpad dicks 100 dicks"))
-	assert.Len(t, mb.Messages, 1)
-	assert.Contains(t, mb.Messages[0], "dicks")
+	testMessage(p, "leftpad dicks 100 dicks")
+	if assert.Len(t, mb.Messages, 1) {
+		assert.Contains(t, mb.Messages[0], "dicks")
+	}
 }
 
 func Test50Padding(t *testing.T) {
 	p, mb := makePlugin(t)
 	p.config.Set("LeftPad.MaxLen", "50")
 	assert.Equal(t, 50, p.config.GetInt("LeftPad.MaxLen", 100))
-	p.message(makeMessage("!leftpad dicks 100 dicks"))
-	assert.Len(t, mb.Messages, 1)
-	assert.Contains(t, mb.Messages[0], "kill me")
+	testMessage(p, "leftpad dicks 100 dicks")
+	if assert.Len(t, mb.Messages, 1) {
+		assert.Contains(t, mb.Messages[0], "kill me")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestUnder50Padding(t *testing.T) {
 	p, mb := makePlugin(t)
 	p.config.Set("LeftPad.MaxLen", "50")
-	p.message(makeMessage("!leftpad dicks 49 dicks"))
-	assert.Len(t, mb.Messages, 1)
-	assert.Contains(t, mb.Messages[0], "dicks")
+	testMessage(p, "leftpad dicks 49 dicks")
+	if assert.Len(t, mb.Messages, 1) {
+		assert.Contains(t, mb.Messages[0], "dicks")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestNotPadding(t *testing.T) {
 	p, mb := makePlugin(t)
-	p.message(makeMessage("!lololol"))
+	testMessage(p, "lololol")
 	assert.Len(t, mb.Messages, 0)
 }