diff --git a/client/commands.go b/client/commands.go
index a47c687..9f06a97 100644
--- a/client/commands.go
+++ b/client/commands.go
@@ -2,6 +2,34 @@ package client
 
 import "strings"
 
+const (
+	REGISTER     = "REGISTER"
+	CONNECTED    = "CONNECTED"
+	DISCONNECTED = "DISCONNECTED"
+	ACTION       = "ACTION"
+	AWAY         = "AWAY"
+	CTCP         = "CTCP"
+	CTCPREPLY    = "CTCPREPLY"
+	INVITE       = "INVITE"
+	JOIN         = "JOIN"
+	KICK         = "KICK"
+	MODE         = "MODE"
+	NICK         = "NICK"
+	NOTICE       = "NOTICE"
+	OPER         = "OPER"
+	PART         = "PART"
+	PASS         = "PASS"
+	PING         = "PING"
+	PONG         = "PONG"
+	PRIVMSG      = "PRIVMSG"
+	QUIT         = "QUIT"
+	TOPIC        = "TOPIC"
+	USER         = "USER"
+	VERSION      = "VERSION"
+	WHO          = "WHO"
+	WHOIS        = "WHOIS"
+)
+
 // this file contains the various commands you can
 // send to the server using an Conn connection
 
@@ -14,18 +42,18 @@ import "strings"
 func (conn *Conn) Raw(rawline string) { conn.out <- rawline }
 
 // Pass() sends a PASS command to the server
-func (conn *Conn) Pass(password string) { conn.out <- "PASS " + password }
+func (conn *Conn) Pass(password string) { conn.out <- PASS + " " + password }
 
 // Nick() sends a NICK command to the server
-func (conn *Conn) Nick(nick string) { conn.out <- "NICK " + nick }
+func (conn *Conn) Nick(nick string) { conn.out <- NICK + " " + nick }
 
 // User() sends a USER command to the server
 func (conn *Conn) User(ident, name string) {
-	conn.out <- "USER " + ident + " 12 * :" + name
+	conn.out <- USER + " " + ident + " 12 * :" + name
 }
 
 // Join() sends a JOIN command to the server
-func (conn *Conn) Join(channel string) { conn.out <- "JOIN " + channel }
+func (conn *Conn) Join(channel string) { conn.out <- JOIN + " " + channel }
 
 // Part() sends a PART command to the server with an optional part message
 func (conn *Conn) Part(channel string, message ...string) {
@@ -33,7 +61,7 @@ func (conn *Conn) Part(channel string, message ...string) {
 	if msg != "" {
 		msg = " :" + msg
 	}
-	conn.out <- "PART " + channel + msg
+	conn.out <- PART + " " + channel + msg
 }
 
 // Kick() sends a KICK command to remove a nick from a channel
@@ -42,7 +70,7 @@ func (conn *Conn) Kick(channel, nick string, message ...string) {
 	if msg != "" {
 		msg = " :" + msg
 	}
-	conn.out <- "KICK " + channel + " " + nick + msg
+	conn.out <- KICK + " " + channel + " " + nick + msg
 }
 
 // Quit() sends a QUIT command to the server with an optional quit message
@@ -51,20 +79,20 @@ func (conn *Conn) Quit(message ...string) {
 	if msg == "" {
 		msg = conn.cfg.QuitMessage
 	}
-	conn.out <- "QUIT :" + msg
+	conn.out <- QUIT + " :" + msg
 }
 
 // Whois() sends a WHOIS command to the server
-func (conn *Conn) Whois(nick string) { conn.out <- "WHOIS " + nick }
+func (conn *Conn) Whois(nick string) { conn.out <- WHOIS + " " + nick }
 
 //Who() sends a WHO command to the server
-func (conn *Conn) Who(nick string) { conn.out <- "WHO " + nick }
+func (conn *Conn) Who(nick string) { conn.out <- WHO + " " + nick }
 
 // Privmsg() sends a PRIVMSG to the target t
-func (conn *Conn) Privmsg(t, msg string) { conn.out <- "PRIVMSG " + t + " :" + msg }
+func (conn *Conn) Privmsg(t, msg string) { conn.out <- PRIVMSG + " " + t + " :" + msg }
 
 // Notice() sends a NOTICE to the target t
-func (conn *Conn) Notice(t, msg string) { conn.out <- "NOTICE " + t + " :" + msg }
+func (conn *Conn) Notice(t, msg string) { conn.out <- NOTICE + " " + t + " :" + msg }
 
 // Ctcp() sends a (generic) CTCP message to the target t
 // with an optional argument
@@ -87,10 +115,10 @@ func (conn *Conn) CtcpReply(t, ctcp string, arg ...string) {
 }
 
 // Version() sends a CTCP "VERSION" to the target t
-func (conn *Conn) Version(t string) { conn.Ctcp(t, "VERSION") }
+func (conn *Conn) Version(t string) { conn.Ctcp(t, VERSION) }
 
 // Action() sends a CTCP "ACTION" to the target t
-func (conn *Conn) Action(t, msg string) { conn.Ctcp(t, "ACTION", msg) }
+func (conn *Conn) Action(t, msg string) { conn.Ctcp(t, ACTION, msg) }
 
 // Topic() sends a TOPIC command to the channel
 //   Topic(channel) retrieves the current channel topic (see "332" handler)
@@ -100,7 +128,7 @@ func (conn *Conn) Topic(channel string, topic ...string) {
 	if t != "" {
 		t = " :" + t
 	}
-	conn.out <- "TOPIC " + channel + t
+	conn.out <- TOPIC + " " + channel + t
 }
 
 // Mode() sends a MODE command to the server. This one can get complicated if
@@ -115,7 +143,7 @@ func (conn *Conn) Mode(t string, modestring ...string) {
 	if mode != "" {
 		mode = " " + mode
 	}
-	conn.out <- "MODE " + t + mode
+	conn.out <- MODE + " " + t + mode
 }
 
 // Away() sends an AWAY command to the server
@@ -126,15 +154,18 @@ func (conn *Conn) Away(message ...string) {
 	if msg != "" {
 		msg = " :" + msg
 	}
-	conn.out <- "AWAY" + msg
+	conn.out <- AWAY + msg
 }
 
 // Invite() sends an INVITE command to the server
-func (conn *Conn) Invite(nick, channel string) {
-	conn.out <- "INVITE " + nick + " " + channel
-}
+func (conn *Conn) Invite(nick, channel string) { conn.out <- INVITE + " " + nick + " " + channel }
 
 // Oper() sends an OPER command to the server
-func (conn *Conn) Oper(user, pass string) {
-	conn.out <- "OPER " + user + " " + pass
-}
+func (conn *Conn) Oper(user, pass string) { conn.out <- OPER + " " + user + " " + pass }
+
+// Ping() sends a PING command to the server
+// A PONG response is to be expected afterwards
+func (conn *Conn) Ping(message string) { conn.out <- PING + " :" + message }
+
+// Pong() sends a PONG command to the server
+func (conn *Conn) Pong(message string) { conn.out <- PONG + " :" + message }
diff --git a/client/connection.go b/client/connection.go
index 89a631a..7d79ba9 100644
--- a/client/connection.go
+++ b/client/connection.go
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ func (conn *Conn) ping() {
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-tick.C:
-			conn.Raw(fmt.Sprintf("PING :%d", time.Now().UnixNano()))
+			conn.Ping(time.Now().UnixNano())
 		case <-conn.cPing:
 			tick.Stop()
 			return
diff --git a/client/handlers.go b/client/handlers.go
index aadd5d7..a1c0676 100644
--- a/client/handlers.go
+++ b/client/handlers.go
@@ -7,20 +7,14 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 )
 
-const (
-	REGISTER     = "REGISTER"
-	CONNECTED    = "CONNECTED"
-	DISCONNECTED = "DISCONNECTED"
-)
-
 // sets up the internal event handlers to do essential IRC protocol things
 var intHandlers = map[string]HandlerFunc{
 	REGISTER: (*Conn).h_REGISTER,
 	"001":    (*Conn).h_001,
 	"433":    (*Conn).h_433,
-	"CTCP":   (*Conn).h_CTCP,
-	"NICK":   (*Conn).h_NICK,
-	"PING":   (*Conn).h_PING,
+	CTCP:     (*Conn).h_CTCP,
+	NICK:     (*Conn).h_NICK,
+	PING:     (*Conn).h_PING,
 }
 
 func (conn *Conn) addIntHandlers() {
@@ -33,7 +27,7 @@ func (conn *Conn) addIntHandlers() {
 
 // Basic ping/pong handler
 func (conn *Conn) h_PING(line *Line) {
-	conn.Raw("PONG :" + line.Args[0])
+	conn.Pong(line.Args[0])
 }
 
 // Handler for initial registration with server once tcp connection is made.
@@ -86,10 +80,10 @@ func (conn *Conn) h_433(line *Line) {
 
 // Handle VERSION requests and CTCP PING
 func (conn *Conn) h_CTCP(line *Line) {
-	if line.Args[0] == "VERSION" {
-		conn.CtcpReply(line.Nick, "VERSION", conn.cfg.Version)
-	} else if line.Args[0] == "PING" {
-		conn.CtcpReply(line.Nick, "PING", line.Args[2])
+	if line.Args[0] == VERSION {
+		conn.CtcpReply(line.Nick, VERSION, conn.cfg.Version)
+	} else if line.Args[0] == PING {
+		conn.CtcpReply(line.Nick, PING, line.Args[2])
 	}
 }