diff --git a/bot.sh b/bot.sh
index 5c079ca..a87a123 100644
--- a/bot.sh
+++ b/bot.sh
@@ -88,16 +88,17 @@ do
             from=$(printf "%s" "$line" | sed -E "s/.*PRIVMSG (.*[#]?([a-zA-Z]|\-)*) :.*/\1/")
 
             # "#" would mean it's a channel
-            if [[ $from =~ ^#.* ]]; then
-                test "$(printf %s "$line" | grep ":$nick:")" || continue
-                args=$(printf %s "$line" | sed -E "s/.*:$nick:(.*)/\1/")
+            if printf %s "$from" | grep -q "^#"; then
+                # channel messages need to continue our nick
+                printf %s "$line" | grep -q ":$nick:" || continue
+                trailing=$(printf %s "$line" | sed -E "s/.*:$nick:(.*)/\1/")
             else
-                args=$(printf %s "$line" | sed -E "s/.*$nick :(.*)/\1/")
+                trailing=$(printf %s "$line" | sed -E "s/.*$nick :(.*)/\1/")
                 from="$who"
             fi
 
             # trim leading and split args on space
-            args=( $(printf %s "$args" | sed -E "s/^ //") )
+            IFS=" " read -r -a args <<< "$(printf %s "$trailing" | sed -E "s/^ //")"
 
             case "${args[0]}" in
                 subscribe)