diff --git a/plugins/babbler/babbler.go b/plugins/babbler/babbler.go
index 4b144b9..49c2aed 100644
--- a/plugins/babbler/babbler.go
+++ b/plugins/babbler/babbler.go
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/velour/catbase/config"
 )
 
-const (
-	NO_BABBLER = "babbler not found"
-	SAID_NOTHING = "hasn't said anything yet"
+var (
+	NO_BABBLER = errors.New("babbler not found")
+	SAID_NOTHING = errors.New("hasn't said anything yet")
 )
 
 
@@ -72,108 +72,26 @@ func (p *BabblerPlugin) Message(message msg.Message) bool {
 	tokens := strings.Fields(lowercase)
 	numTokens := len(tokens)
 
+	saidSomething := false
+	saidWhat := ""
+
 	if numTokens >= 2 && tokens[1] == "says" {
-		who := tokens[0]
-		_, err := p.getBabbler(who)
-
-		if err != nil {
-			if err.Error() == NO_BABBLER {
-				p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, fmt.Sprintf("%s babbler not found.", who))
-				return true
-			}
-			return false
-		}
-
-		var saying string
-		if len(tokens) == 2 {
-			saying, err = p.babble(who)
-		} else {
-			saying, err = p.babbleSeed(who, tokens[2:])
-		}
-
-		if err != nil {
-			if err.Error() == SAID_NOTHING {
-				p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, fmt.Sprintf("%s hasn't said anything yet.", who))
-				return true
-			}
-			return false
-		}
-		if saying != "" {
-			p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, saying)
-			return true
-		}
+		saidWhat, saidSomething = p.getBabble(tokens)
 	} else if len(tokens) == 4 && strings.Index(lowercase, "initialize babbler for ") == 0 {
-		who := tokens[3]
-		_, err := p.getOrCreateBabbler(who)
-		if err != nil {
-			p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, "babbler initialization failed.")
-			return true
-		}
-		p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, "okay.")
-		return true
+		saidWhat, saidSomething = p.initializeBabbler(tokens)
 	} else if strings.Index(lowercase, "batch learn for ") == 0 {
-		who := tokens[3]
-		babblerId, err := p.getOrCreateBabbler(who)
-		if err != nil {
-			p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, "batch learn failed.")
-			return true
-		}
-
-		body := strings.Join(tokens[4:], " ")
-		body = strings.ToLower(body)
-
-		for _, a := range strings.Split(body, ".") {
-			for _, b := range strings.Split(a, "!") {
-				for _, c := range strings.Split(b, "?") {
-					for _, d := range strings.Split(c, "\n") {
-						trimmed := strings.TrimSpace(d)
-						if trimmed != "" {
-							p.addToMarkovChain(babblerId, trimmed)
-						}
-					}
-				}
-			}
-		}
-
-		p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, "phew that was tiring.")
-		return true
+		saidWhat, saidSomething = p.batchLearn(tokens)
 	} else if len(tokens) == 5 && strings.Index(lowercase, "merge babbler") == 0 {
-		if tokens[3] != "into" {
-			p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, "try using 'merge babbler [x] into [y]'")
-			return true
-		}
-
-		who := tokens[2]
-		into := tokens[4]
-
-		if who == into {
-			p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, "that's annoying. stop it.")
-			return true
-		}
-
-		whoBabbler, err := p.getBabbler(who)
-		if err != nil {
-			p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, "merge failed.")
-			return true
-		}
-		intoBabbler, err := p.getOrCreateBabbler(into)
-		if err != nil {
-			p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, "merge failed.")
-			return true
-		}
-
-		p.merge(intoBabbler, whoBabbler, into, who)
-
-		p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, "mooooiggged")
-		return true
+		saidWhat, saidSomething = p.merge(tokens)
 	} else {
-		babblerId, err := p.getOrCreateBabbler(message.User.Name)
-		if err == nil {
-			p.addToMarkovChain(babblerId, lowercase)
-		}
+		//this should always return "", false
+		saidWhat, saidSomething = p.addToBabbler(message.User.Name, lowercase)
 	}
 
-	return false
+	if saidSomething {
+		p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, saidWhat)
+	}
+	return saidSomething
 }
 
 func (p *BabblerPlugin) Help(channel string, parts []string) {
@@ -205,7 +123,7 @@ func (p *BabblerPlugin) getBabbler(babbler string) (int64, error) {
 	id := int64(-1)
 	err := p.db.Get(&id, `select id from babblers where babbler = ?`, babbler)
 	if err != nil && err == sql.ErrNoRows {
-		return -1, errors.New(NO_BABBLER)
+		return -1, NO_BABBLER
 	}
 	return id, err
 }
@@ -315,6 +233,10 @@ func (p *BabblerPlugin) incrementWordArcHelper(babblerId, fromWordId int64, toWo
 func (p *BabblerPlugin) addToMarkovChain(babblerId int64, phrase string) {
 	words := strings.Fields(strings.ToLower(phrase))
 
+	if len(words) <= 0 {
+		return
+	}
+
 	id, err := p.incrementRootWordFrequency(babblerId, words[0])
 	if err != nil {
 		return
@@ -357,7 +279,7 @@ func (p *BabblerPlugin) getWeightedRootWord(babblerId int64) (int64, string, err
 	}
 
 	if total == 0 {
-		return -1, "", errors.New(SAID_NOTHING)
+		return -1, "", SAID_NOTHING
 	}
 
 	which := rand.Int63n(total)
@@ -473,7 +395,7 @@ func (p *BabblerPlugin) babbleSeed(babbler string, seed []string) (string, error
 	return strings.TrimSpace(strings.Join(words, " ")), nil
 }
 
-func (p *BabblerPlugin) merge(intoId, otherId int64, intoName, otherName string) error {
+func (p *BabblerPlugin) mergeBabblers(intoId, otherId int64, intoName, otherName string) error {
 	intoString := "<" + intoName + ">"
 	otherString := "<" + otherName + ">"
 
@@ -540,8 +462,6 @@ func (p *BabblerPlugin) merge(intoId, otherId int64, intoName, otherName string)
 			wordId, _ = res.LastInsertId()
 		}
 
-		log.Printf("%s %d -> %d\n", word.Word, word.Id, wordId)
-
 		mapping[word.Id] = wordId
 	}
 
diff --git a/plugins/babbler/commands.go b/plugins/babbler/commands.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c52210a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/babbler/commands.go
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+package babbler
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+func (p *BabblerPlugin) initializeBabbler(tokens []string) (string, bool) {
+	who := tokens[3]
+	_, err := p.getOrCreateBabbler(who)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "babbler initialization failed.", true
+	}
+	return "okay.", true
+}
+
+func (p *BabblerPlugin) addToBabbler(babblerName, whatWasSaid string) (string, bool) {
+	babblerId, err := p.getOrCreateBabbler(babblerName)
+	if err == nil {
+		p.addToMarkovChain(babblerId, whatWasSaid)
+	}
+	return "", false
+}
+
+func (p *BabblerPlugin) getBabble(tokens []string) (string, bool) {
+	who := tokens[0]
+	_, err := p.getBabbler(who)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		if err == NO_BABBLER {
+			return fmt.Sprintf("%s babbler not found.", who), true
+		}
+	} else {
+
+		var saying string
+		if len(tokens) == 2 {
+			saying, err = p.babble(who)
+		} else {
+			saying, err = p.babbleSeed(who, tokens[2:])
+		}
+
+		if err != nil {
+			if err == SAID_NOTHING {
+				return fmt.Sprintf("%s hasn't said anything yet.", who), true
+			}
+		} else if saying != "" {
+			return saying, true
+		}
+	}
+	return "", false
+}
+
+func (p *BabblerPlugin) batchLearn(tokens []string) (string, bool) {
+	who := tokens[3]
+	babblerId, err := p.getOrCreateBabbler(who)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "batch learn failed.", true
+	}
+
+	body := strings.Join(tokens[4:], " ")
+	body = strings.ToLower(body)
+
+	for _, a := range strings.Split(body, ".") {
+		for _, b := range strings.Split(a, "!") {
+			for _, c := range strings.Split(b, "?") {
+				for _, d := range strings.Split(c, "\n") {
+					trimmed := strings.TrimSpace(d)
+					if trimmed != "" {
+						p.addToMarkovChain(babblerId, trimmed)
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return "phew that was tiring.", true
+}
+
+func (p *BabblerPlugin) merge(tokens []string) (string, bool) {
+	if tokens[3] != "into" {
+		return "try using 'merge babbler [x] into [y]'", true
+	}
+
+	who := tokens[2]
+	into := tokens[4]
+
+	if who == into {
+		return "that's annoying. stop it.", true
+	}
+
+	whoBabbler, err := p.getBabbler(who)
+	if err != nil {
+		if err == NO_BABBLER {
+			return fmt.Sprintf("%s babbler not found.", who), true
+		}
+		return "merge failed.", true
+	}
+	intoBabbler, err := p.getOrCreateBabbler(into)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "merge failed.", true
+	}
+
+	p.mergeBabblers(intoBabbler, whoBabbler, into, who)
+
+	return "mooooiggged", true
+}