diff --git a/client/Makefile b/client/Makefile
index 35dfe19..48c3976 100644
--- a/client/Makefile
+++ b/client/Makefile
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ GOFILES=\
 	connection.go\
 	commands.go\
 	handlers.go\
+	line.go\
 	nickchan.go
 
 include $(GOROOT)/src/Make.pkg
diff --git a/client/connection.go b/client/connection.go
index 2202094..73706f3 100644
--- a/client/connection.go
+++ b/client/connection.go
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ import (
 	"time"
 )
 
+const (
+	second = int64(1e9)
+)
+
 // An IRC connection is represented by this struct. Once connected, any errors
 // encountered are piped down *Conn.Err; this channel is closed on disconnect.
 type Conn struct {
@@ -32,6 +36,9 @@ type Conn struct {
 	out       chan string
 	connected bool
 
+	// Control channels to goroutines
+	cSend, cLoop chan bool
+
 	// Error channel to transmit any fail back to the user
 	Err chan os.Error
 
@@ -40,9 +47,15 @@ type Conn struct {
 	SSL       bool
 	SSLConfig *tls.Config
 
+	// Socket timeout, in seconds. Defaulted to 5m in New().
+	Timeout int64
+
 	// Set this to true to disable flood protection and false to re-enable
 	Flood bool
 
+	// Internal counters for flood protection
+	badness, lastsent int64
+
 	// Function which returns a *time.Time for use as a timestamp
 	Timestamp func() *time.Time
 
@@ -51,43 +64,38 @@ type Conn struct {
 	TSFormat string
 }
 
-// We parse an incoming line into this struct. Line.Cmd is used as the trigger
-// name for incoming event handlers, see *Conn.recv() for details.
-//   Raw =~ ":nick!user@host cmd args[] :text"
-//   Src == "nick!user@host"
-//   Cmd == e.g. PRIVMSG, 332
-type Line struct {
-	Nick, Ident, Host, Src string
-	Cmd, Raw               string
-	Args                   []string
-	Time                   *time.Time
-}
-
 // Creates a new IRC connection object, but doesn't connect to anything so
 // that you can add event handlers to it. See AddHandler() for details.
 func New(nick, user, name string) *Conn {
-	conn := new(Conn)
+	conn := &Conn{
+		in: make(chan *Line, 32),
+		out: make(chan string, 32),
+		Err: make(chan os.Error, 4),
+		cSend: make(chan bool),
+		cLoop: make(chan bool),
+		SSL: false,
+		SSLConfig: nil,
+		Timeout: 300,
+		Flood: false,
+		badness: 0,
+		lastsent: 0,
+		Timestamp: time.LocalTime,
+		TSFormat: "15:04:05",
+	}
 	conn.initialise()
-	conn.SSL = false
-	conn.SSLConfig = nil
-	conn.Me = conn.NewNick(nick, user, name, "")
-	conn.Timestamp = time.LocalTime
-	conn.TSFormat = "15:04:05"
 	conn.setupEvents()
+	conn.Me = conn.NewNick(nick, user, name, "")
 	return conn
 }
 
+// Per-connection state initialisation.
 func (conn *Conn) initialise() {
-	// allocate meh some memoraaaahh
 	conn.nicks = make(map[string]*Nick)
 	conn.chans = make(map[string]*Channel)
-	conn.in = make(chan *Line, 32)
-	conn.out = make(chan string, 32)
-	conn.Err = make(chan os.Error, 4)
 	conn.io = nil
 	conn.sock = nil
 
-	// if this is being called because we are reconnecting, conn.Me
+	// If this is being called because we are reconnecting, conn.Me
 	// will still have all the old channels referenced -- nuke them!
 	if conn.Me != nil {
 		conn.Me = conn.NewNick(conn.Me.Nick, conn.Me.Ident, conn.Me.Name, "")
@@ -110,18 +118,8 @@ func (conn *Conn) Connect(host string, pass ...string) os.Error {
 		if !hasPort(host) {
 			host += ":6697"
 		}
-		// It's unfortunate that tls.Dial doesn't allow a tls.Config arg,
-		// so we simply replicate it here with the correct Config.
-		// http://codereview.appspot.com/2883041
-		if s, err := net.Dial("tcp", host); err == nil {
-			// Passing nil config => certs are validated.
-			c := tls.Client(s, conn.SSLConfig)
-			if err = c.Handshake(); err == nil {
-				conn.sock = c
-			} else {
-				s.Close()
-				return err
-			}
+		if s, err := tls.Dial("tcp", host, conn.SSLConfig); err == nil {
+			conn.sock = s
 		} else {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -140,7 +138,8 @@ func (conn *Conn) Connect(host string, pass ...string) os.Error {
 	conn.io = bufio.NewReadWriter(
 		bufio.NewReader(conn.sock),
 		bufio.NewWriter(conn.sock))
-	conn.sock.SetTimeout(300000000000) // 5 minutes
+	conn.sock.SetTimeout(conn.Timeout * second)
+	conn.connected = true
 	go conn.send()
 	go conn.recv()
 
@@ -164,38 +163,15 @@ func hasPort(s string) bool {
 	return strings.LastIndex(s, ":") > strings.LastIndex(s, "]")
 }
 
-// dispatch input from channel as \r\n terminated line to peer
-// flood controlled using hybrid's algorithm if conn.Flood is true
+// goroutine to pass data from output channel to write()
 func (conn *Conn) send() {
-	lastsent := time.Nanoseconds()
-	var badness, linetime, second int64 = 0, 0, 1000000000
-	for line := range conn.out {
-		// Hybrid's algorithm allows for 2 seconds per line and an additional
-		// 1/120 of a second per character on that line.
-		linetime = 2*second + int64(len(line))*second/120
-		if !conn.Flood && conn.connected {
-			// No point in tallying up flood protection stuff until connected
-			if badness += linetime + lastsent - time.Nanoseconds(); badness < 0 {
-				// negative badness times are badness...
-				badness = int64(0)
-			}
-		}
-		lastsent = time.Nanoseconds()
-
-		// If we've sent more than 10 second's worth of lines according to the
-		// calculation above, then we're at risk of "Excess Flood".
-		if badness > 10*second && !conn.Flood {
-			// so sleep for the current line's time value before sending it
-			time.Sleep(linetime)
-		}
-		if _, err := conn.io.WriteString(line + "\r\n"); err != nil {
-			conn.error("irc.send(): %s", err.String())
-			conn.shutdown()
-			break
-		}
-		conn.io.Flush()
-		if conn.Debug {
-			fmt.Println(conn.Timestamp().Format(conn.TSFormat) + " -> " + line)
+	for {
+		select {
+		case line := <-conn.out:
+			conn.write(line)
+		case <-conn.cSend:
+			// strobe on control channel, bail out
+			return
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -204,70 +180,86 @@ func (conn *Conn) send() {
 func (conn *Conn) recv() {
 	for {
 		s, err := conn.io.ReadString('\n')
-		t := conn.Timestamp()
 		if err != nil {
 			conn.error("irc.recv(): %s", err.String())
 			conn.shutdown()
 			break
 		}
 		s = strings.Trim(s, "\r\n")
+		t := conn.Timestamp()
 		if conn.Debug {
 			fmt.Println(t.Format(conn.TSFormat) + " <- " + s)
 		}
 
-		line := &Line{Raw: s, Time: t}
-		if s[0] == ':' {
-			// remove a source and parse it
-			if idx := strings.Index(s, " "); idx != -1 {
-				line.Src, s = s[1:idx], s[idx+1:len(s)]
-			} else {
-				// pretty sure we shouldn't get here ...
-				line.Src = s[1:len(s)]
-				conn.in <- line
-				continue
-			}
-
-			// src can be the hostname of the irc server or a nick!user@host
-			line.Host = line.Src
-			nidx, uidx := strings.Index(line.Src, "!"), strings.Index(line.Src, "@")
-			if uidx != -1 && nidx != -1 {
-				line.Nick = line.Src[0:nidx]
-				line.Ident = line.Src[nidx+1 : uidx]
-				line.Host = line.Src[uidx+1 : len(line.Src)]
-			}
-		}
-
-		// now we're here, we've parsed a :nick!user@host or :server off
-		// s should contain "cmd args[] :text"
-		args := strings.Split(s, " :", 2)
-		if len(args) > 1 {
-			args = append(strings.Fields(args[0]), args[1])
-		} else {
-			args = strings.Fields(args[0])
-		}
-		line.Cmd = strings.ToUpper(args[0])
-		if len(args) > 1 {
-			line.Args = args[1:len(args)]
-		}
+		line := parseLine(s)
+		line.Time = t
 		conn.in <- line
 	}
 }
 
+// goroutine to dispatch events for lines received on input channel
 func (conn *Conn) runLoop() {
-	for line := range conn.in {
-		conn.dispatchEvent(line)
+	for {
+		select {
+		case line := <-conn.in:
+			conn.dispatchEvent(line)
+		case <-conn.cLoop:
+			// strobe on control channel, bail out
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// Write a \r\n terminated line of output to the connected server,
+// using Hybrid's algorithm to rate limit if conn.Flood is false.
+func (conn *Conn) write(line string) {
+	if !conn.Flood {
+		conn.rateLimit(int64(len(line)))
+	}
+
+	if _, err := conn.io.WriteString(line + "\r\n"); err != nil {
+		conn.error("irc.send(): %s", err.String())
+		conn.shutdown()
+		return
+	}
+	conn.io.Flush()
+	if conn.Debug {
+		fmt.Println(conn.Timestamp().Format(conn.TSFormat) + " -> " + line)
+	}
+}
+
+// Implement Hybrid's flood control algorithm to rate-limit outgoing lines.
+func (conn *Conn) rateLimit(chars int64) {
+	// Hybrid's algorithm allows for 2 seconds per line and an additional
+	// 1/120 of a second per character on that line.
+	linetime := 2*second + chars*second/120
+	elapsed := time.Nanoseconds() - conn.lastsent
+	if conn.badness += linetime - elapsed; conn.badness < 0 {
+		// negative badness times are badness...
+		conn.badness = int64(0)
+	}
+	conn.lastsent = time.Nanoseconds()
+	// If we've sent more than 10 second's worth of lines according to the
+	// calculation above, then we're at risk of "Excess Flood".
+	if conn.badness > 10*second && !conn.Flood {
+		// so sleep for the current line's time value before sending it
+		time.Sleep(linetime)
 	}
 }
 
 func (conn *Conn) shutdown() {
-	close(conn.in)
-	close(conn.out)
-	close(conn.Err)
-	conn.connected = false
-	conn.sock.Close()
-	// reinit datastructures ready for next connection
-	// do this here rather than after runLoop()'s for due to race
-	conn.initialise()
+	// Guard against double-call of shutdown() if we get an error in send()
+	// as calling sock.Close() will cause recv() to recieve EOF in readstring()
+	if conn.connected {
+		conn.connected = false
+		conn.sock.Close()
+		conn.cSend <- true
+		conn.cLoop <- true
+		conn.dispatchEvent(&Line{Cmd: "DISCONNECTED"})
+		// reinit datastructures ready for next connection
+		// do this here rather than after runLoop()'s for due to race
+		conn.initialise()
+	}
 }
 
 // Dumps a load of information about the current state of the connection to a
diff --git a/client/handlers.go b/client/handlers.go
index 3745ffd..f6f0f8b 100644
--- a/client/handlers.go
+++ b/client/handlers.go
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ func (conn *Conn) h_PING(line *Line) {
 // Handler to trigger a "CONNECTED" event on receipt of numeric 001
 func (conn *Conn) h_001(line *Line) {
 	// we're connected!
-	conn.connected = true
 	conn.dispatchEvent(&Line{Cmd: "CONNECTED"})
 	// and we're being given our hostname (from the server's perspective)
 	t := line.Args[len(line.Args)-1]
@@ -103,7 +102,7 @@ func (conn *Conn) h_433(line *Line) {
 	// if this is happening before we're properly connected (i.e. the nick
 	// we sent in the initial NICK command is in use) we will not receive
 	// a NICK message to confirm our change of nick, so ReNick here...
-	if !conn.connected && line.Args[1] == conn.Me.Nick {
+	if line.Args[1] == conn.Me.Nick {
 		conn.Me.ReNick(line.Args[1] + "_")
 	}
 }
diff --git a/client/line.go b/client/line.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d644add
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/line.go
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+package client
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// We parse an incoming line into this struct. Line.Cmd is used as the trigger
+// name for incoming event handlers, see *Conn.recv() for details.
+//   Raw =~ ":nick!user@host cmd args[] :text"
+//   Src == "nick!user@host"
+//   Cmd == e.g. PRIVMSG, 332
+type Line struct {
+	Nick, Ident, Host, Src string
+	Cmd, Raw               string
+	Args                   []string
+	Time                   *time.Time
+}
+
+func parseLine(s string) *Line {
+	line := &Line{Raw: s}
+	if s[0] == ':' {
+		// remove a source and parse it
+		if idx := strings.Index(s, " "); idx != -1 {
+			line.Src, s = s[1:idx], s[idx+1:len(s)]
+		} else {
+			// pretty sure we shouldn't get here ...
+			line.Src = s[1:len(s)]
+			return line
+		}
+
+		// src can be the hostname of the irc server or a nick!user@host
+		line.Host = line.Src
+		nidx, uidx := strings.Index(line.Src, "!"), strings.Index(line.Src, "@")
+		if uidx != -1 && nidx != -1 {
+			line.Nick = line.Src[0:nidx]
+			line.Ident = line.Src[nidx+1 : uidx]
+			line.Host = line.Src[uidx+1 : len(line.Src)]
+		}
+	}
+
+	// now we're here, we've parsed a :nick!user@host or :server off
+	// s should contain "cmd args[] :text"
+	args := strings.Split(s, " :", 2)
+	if len(args) > 1 {
+		args = append(strings.Fields(args[0]), args[1])
+	} else {
+		args = strings.Fields(args[0])
+	}
+	line.Cmd = strings.ToUpper(args[0])
+	if len(args) > 1 {
+		line.Args = args[1:len(args)]
+	}
+	return line
+}
+