diff --git a/irc/message.go b/irc/message.go
index be4cbfc3..c2050c47 100644
--- a/irc/message.go
+++ b/irc/message.go
@@ -49,11 +49,11 @@ func parseMessage(line string) *Message {
 		trailing = line[i+2:]
 	}
 
-	cmd := strings.Split(line[cmdStart:cmdEnd], " ")
-	msg.Command = cmd[0]
-	if msg.Command == "" {
+	cmd := strings.Fields(line[cmdStart:cmdEnd])
+	if len(cmd) == 0 {
 		return nil
 	}
+	msg.Command = cmd[0]
 
 	if len(cmd) > 1 {
 		msg.Params = cmd[1:]
diff --git a/irc/message_test.go b/irc/message_test.go
index 398431a9..1a172013 100644
--- a/irc/message_test.go
+++ b/irc/message_test.go
@@ -76,6 +76,30 @@ func TestParseMessage(t *testing.T) {
 				Command: "CMD",
 				Params:  []string{"#cake", "pie"},
 			},
+		}, {
+			"CMD #cake ::pie\r\n",
+			&Message{
+				Command: "CMD",
+				Params:  []string{"#cake", ":pie"},
+			},
+		}, {
+			"CMD #cake :  pie\r\n",
+			&Message{
+				Command: "CMD",
+				Params:  []string{"#cake", "  pie"},
+			},
+		}, {
+			"CMD #cake :pie :P <3\r\n",
+			&Message{
+				Command: "CMD",
+				Params:  []string{"#cake", "pie :P <3"},
+			},
+		}, {
+			"CMD   #cake  :pie!\r\n",
+			&Message{
+				Command: "CMD",
+				Params:  []string{"#cake", "pie!"},
+			},
 		},
 	}