diff --git a/DrBotIRC.py b/DrBotIRC.py
index cb1f9c7..4626e7e 100644
--- a/DrBotIRC.py
+++ b/DrBotIRC.py
@@ -139,7 +139,6 @@ class DrBotIRC(irclib.IRC):
         h = self.handlers
         replies = []
 
-        event._target = None
         for handler in h.get("all_events", []) + h.get(event.eventtype(), []):
             ret = handler[1](connection, event)
             if ret:
@@ -237,20 +236,6 @@ class DrBotIRC(irclib.IRC):
         # if we got here, there are no matching aliases, so return what we got
         return event
 
-    def reply(self, connection, event, replystr, stop_responding=False):
-        """Reply over IRC to replypath or return a string with the reply."""
-
-        replypath = event.target()
-        if replystr is not None:
-            if replypath is None:
-                return replystr
-            else:
-                replies = replystr.split('\n')
-                for reply in replies:
-                    connection.privmsg(replypath, reply)
-                if stop_responding:
-                    return "NO MORE"
-
     def try_recursion(self, connection, event):
         """Scan message for subcommands to execute and use as part of this command.
 
@@ -277,6 +262,8 @@ class DrBotIRC(irclib.IRC):
                 # copy the event and see if IT has recursion to do
                 newevent = copy.deepcopy(event)
                 newevent.arguments()[0] = subcmd
+                newevent._recursing = True
+
                 self.try_recursion(connection, newevent)
 
                 # recursion over, check for aliases
diff --git a/Module.py b/Module.py
index c414bef..7835cd3 100644
--- a/Module.py
+++ b/Module.py
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ class Module(object):
             replypath = irclib.nm_to_n(event.source())
 
         if replystr is not None:
-            if replypath is None:
+            if event._recursing:
                 return replystr
             else:
                 replies = replystr.split('\n')
diff --git a/extlib/irclib.py b/extlib/irclib.py
index 5f7141c..defde24 100644
--- a/extlib/irclib.py
+++ b/extlib/irclib.py
@@ -1132,6 +1132,7 @@ class Event:
         self._eventtype = eventtype
         self._source = source
         self._target = target
+        self._recursing = False
         if arguments:
             self._arguments = arguments
         else:
diff --git a/modules/Markov.py b/modules/Markov.py
index d4a826d..3047e34 100644
--- a/modules/Markov.py
+++ b/modules/Markov.py
@@ -130,8 +130,6 @@ class Markov(Module):
                 db.commit()
                 db.close()
                 self.db_register_module_version(self.__class__.__name__, version)
-
-                self._learn_line('','')
             except sqlite3.Error as e:
                 db.rollback()
                 db.close()
@@ -171,7 +169,7 @@ class Markov(Module):
         if self.learnre.search(what) or self.replyre.search(what):
             return
 
-        self._learn_line(what, target)
+        self._learn_line(what, target, event)
 
     def do(self, connection, event, nick, userhost, what, admin_unlocked):
         """Handle commands and inputs."""
@@ -207,7 +205,7 @@ class Markov(Module):
         match = self.learnre.search(what)
         if match:
             line = match.group(1)
-            self._learn_line(line, target)
+            self._learn_line(line, target, event)
 
             # return what was learned, for weird chaining purposes
             return line
@@ -288,7 +286,7 @@ class Markov(Module):
                         self.sendmsg(self.connection, t['target'],
                           'shutting up for 30 seconds due to last 30 seconds of activity')
 
-    def _learn_line(self, line, target):
+    def _learn_line(self, line, target, event):
         """Create Markov chains from the provided line."""
 
         # set up the head of the chain
@@ -297,9 +295,8 @@ class Markov(Module):
 
         context_id = self._get_context_id_for_target(target)
 
-        # if there's no target, this is probably a sub-command. don't learn it
-        if target:
-
+        # don't learn recursion
+        if not event._recursing:
             words = line.split()
             if len(words) <= 0:
                 return line