diff --git a/daemon.go b/daemon.go
index 1f142c2..1f979ce 100644
--- a/daemon.go
+++ b/daemon.go
@@ -18,11 +18,9 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 package main
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
-	"os"
 	"regexp"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
@@ -72,29 +70,23 @@ func (daemon *Daemon) SendLusers(client *Client) {
 }
 
 func (daemon *Daemon) SendMotd(client *Client) {
-	if daemon.motd != "" {
-		fd, err := os.Open(daemon.motd)
-		if err == nil {
-			defer fd.Close()
-			motd := []byte{}
-			var err error
-			for err != io.EOF {
-				buf := make([]byte, 1024)
-				_, err = fd.Read(buf)
-				motd = append(motd, bytes.TrimRight(buf, "\x00")...)
-			}
-
-			client.ReplyNicknamed("375", "- "+daemon.hostname+" Message of the day -")
-			for _, s := range bytes.Split(bytes.TrimRight(motd, "\n"), []byte("\n")) {
-				client.ReplyNicknamed("372", "- "+string(s))
-			}
-			client.ReplyNicknamed("376", "End of /MOTD command")
-			return
-		} else {
-			log.Println("Can not open motd file", daemon.motd, err)
-		}
+	if len(daemon.motd) == 0 {
+		client.ReplyNicknamed("422", "MOTD File is missing")
+		return
 	}
-	client.ReplyNicknamed("422", "MOTD File is missing")
+
+	motd, err := ioutil.ReadFile(daemon.motd)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("Can not read motd file %s: %v", daemon.motd, err)
+		client.ReplyNicknamed("422", "Error reading MOTD File")
+		return
+	}
+
+	client.ReplyNicknamed("375", "- "+daemon.hostname+" Message of the day -")
+	for _, s := range strings.Split(strings.Trim(string(motd), "\n"), "\n") {
+		client.ReplyNicknamed("372", "- "+string(s))
+	}
+	client.ReplyNicknamed("376", "End of /MOTD command")
 }
 
 func (daemon *Daemon) SendWhois(client *Client, nicknames []string) {
diff --git a/daemon_test.go b/daemon_test.go
index 1c86f35..9c9db3d 100644
--- a/daemon_test.go
+++ b/daemon_test.go
@@ -113,10 +113,10 @@ func TestRegistrationWorkflow(t *testing.T) {
 func TestMotd(t *testing.T) {
 	fd, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "motd")
 	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal("can not create temporary file")
+		t.Fatalf("can not create temporary file: %v", err)
 	}
 	defer os.Remove(fd.Name())
-	fd.Write([]byte("catched\n"))
+	fd.WriteString("catched\n")
 
 	conn := NewTestingConn()
 	client := NewClient("foohost", conn)
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ func TestMotd(t *testing.T) {
 	if r := <-conn.outbound; !strings.Contains(r, "372 * :- catched\r\n") {
 		t.Fatal("MOTD contents", r)
 	}
-	if r := <-conn.outbound; !strings.HasPrefix(r, ":foohost 376") {
-		t.Fatal("MOTD end", r)
+	if got, want := <-conn.outbound, ":foohost 376"; !strings.HasPrefix(got, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("MOTD end: got %q, want prefix %q", got, want)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/events.go b/events.go
index 95760e8..0921069 100644
--- a/events.go
+++ b/events.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"path"
@@ -94,16 +95,12 @@ type StateEvent struct {
 // Room states shows that either topic or key has been changed
 // Each room's state is written to separate file in statedir
 func StateKeeper(statedir string, events <-chan StateEvent) {
-	mode := os.O_CREATE | os.O_TRUNC | os.O_WRONLY
-	perm := os.FileMode(0660)
 	for event := range events {
-		state_path := path.Join(statedir, event.where)
-		fd, err := os.OpenFile(state_path, mode, perm)
+		fn := path.Join(statedir, event.where)
+		data := event.topic + "\n" + event.key + "\n"
+		err := ioutil.WriteFile(fn, []byte(data), os.FileMode(0660))
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Println("Can not open statefile", state_path, err)
-			continue
+			log.Printf("Can not write statefile %s: %v", fn, err)
 		}
-		fd.WriteString(event.topic + "\n" + event.key + "\n")
-		fd.Close()
 	}
 }
diff --git a/goircd.go b/goircd.go
index e176804..9fdabc0 100644
--- a/goircd.go
+++ b/goircd.go
@@ -18,12 +18,11 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 package main
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"crypto/tls"
 	"flag"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"net"
-	"os"
 	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
@@ -77,27 +76,24 @@ func Run() {
 		if !path.IsAbs(*statedir) {
 			log.Fatalln("Need absolute path for statedir")
 		}
-		states, err := filepath.Glob(*statedir + "/#*")
+		states, err := filepath.Glob(path.Join(*statedir, "#*"))
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Fatalln("Can not read statedir", err)
 		}
 		for _, state := range states {
-			fd, err := os.Open(state)
+			buf, err := ioutil.ReadFile(state)
 			if err != nil {
-				log.Fatalln("Can not open state", state, err)
-			}
-			buf := make([]byte, 1024)
-			_, err = fd.Read(buf)
-			fd.Close()
-			if err != nil {
-				log.Fatalln("Can not read state", state, err)
+				log.Fatalf("Can not read state %s: %v", state, err)
 			}
 			room, _ := daemon.RoomRegister(path.Base(state))
-			buf = bytes.TrimRight(buf, "\x00")
 			contents := strings.Split(string(buf), "\n")
-			room.topic = contents[0]
-			room.key = contents[1]
-			log.Println("Loaded state for room", room.name)
+			if len(contents) < 2 {
+				log.Printf("State corrupted for %s: %q", room.name, contents)
+			} else {
+				room.topic = contents[0]
+				room.key = contents[1]
+				log.Println("Loaded state for room", room.name)
+			}
 		}
 		go StateKeeper(*statedir, state_sink)
 		log.Println(*statedir, "statekeeper initialized")