diff --git a/dr_botzo/ircbot/bot.py b/dr_botzo/ircbot/bot.py
index bd4eb89..41e4c47 100644
--- a/dr_botzo/ircbot/bot.py
+++ b/dr_botzo/ircbot/bot.py
@@ -492,6 +492,41 @@ class IRCBot(irc.client.SimpleIRCClient):
         else:
             self.connection.send_raw("PRIVMSG {0:s} :{1:s}".format(target, text))
 
+    def reply(self, event, replystr, stop=False):
+        """Reply over IRC to replypath or return a string with the reply.
+
+        The primary utility for this is to properly handle recursion. The
+        recursion code will set up a couple hints that this method
+        picks up on and will appropriately send an IRC event or return a
+        string.
+
+        Unless you know what you are doing, the modules you write should use
+        this method rather than send a privmsg reply, as failing to call this
+        method will certainly have recursion do odd things with your module.
+
+        Args:
+            event       incoming event
+            replystr    the message to reply with
+            stop        whether or not to let other handlers see this
+
+        Returns:
+            The replystr if the event is inside recursion, or, potentially,
+            "NO MORE" to stop other event handlers from acting.
+        """
+
+        replypath = ircbotlib.reply_destination_for_event(event)
+
+        if replystr is not None:
+            recursing = getattr(event, '_recursing', False)
+            if recursing:
+                return replystr
+            else:
+                replies = replystr.split('\n')
+                for reply in replies:
+                    self.privmsg(replypath, reply)
+                if stop:
+                    return "NO MORE"
+
     def start(self):
         """Start the bot."""
 
diff --git a/dr_botzo/ircbot/ircplugins/ircmgmt.py b/dr_botzo/ircbot/ircplugins/ircmgmt.py
index 0192170..40e8a40 100644
--- a/dr_botzo/ircbot/ircplugins/ircmgmt.py
+++ b/dr_botzo/ircbot/ircplugins/ircmgmt.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class ChannelManagement(Plugin):
             chan_mod, c = IrcChannel.objects.get_or_create(name=channel)
             log.debug(u"joining channel %s", channel)
             self.connection.join(channel)
-            self.bot.privmsg(dest, "Joined channel {0:s}.".format(channel))
+            self.bot.reply(event, "Joined channel {0:s}.".format(channel))
 
     def handle_part(self, connection, event, match):
         """Handle the join command."""
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class ChannelManagement(Plugin):
             chan_mod, c = IrcChannel.objects.get_or_create(name=channel)
             log.debug(u"parting channel %s", channel)
             self.connection.part(channel)
-            self.bot.privmsg(dest, "Parted channel {0:s}.".format(channel))
+            self.bot.reply(event, "Parted channel {0:s}.".format(channel))
 
     def handle_quit(self, connection, event, match):
         """Handle the join command."""
diff --git a/dr_botzo/markov/ircplugin.py b/dr_botzo/markov/ircplugin.py
index dc0c697..e439a2e 100644
--- a/dr_botzo/markov/ircplugin.py
+++ b/dr_botzo/markov/ircplugin.py
@@ -55,18 +55,18 @@ class Markov(Plugin):
                 # the speaker
                 topics = [x for x in addressed_re.match(what).group(1).split(' ') if len(x) >= 3]
 
-                self.bot.privmsg(target, u"{0:s}: {1:s}"
-                                 u"".format(nick, u" ".join(markovlib.generate_line(context,
-                                                                                    topics=topics,
-                                                                                    max_sentences=1))))
+                self.bot.reply(event, u"{0:s}: {1:s}"
+                               u"".format(nick, u" ".join(markovlib.generate_line(context,
+                                                                                  topics=topics,
+                                                                                  max_sentences=1))))
             else:
                 # i wasn't addressed directly, so just respond
                 topics = [x for x in what.split(' ') if len(x) >= 3]
 
-                self.bot.privmsg(target, u"{0:s}"
-                                 u"".format(u" ".join(markovlib.generate_line(context,
-                                                                              topics=topics,
-                                                                              max_sentences=1))))
+                self.bot.reply(event, u"{0:s}"
+                               u"".format(u" ".join(markovlib.generate_line(context,
+                                                                            topics=topics,
+                                                                            max_sentences=1))))
 
 
 plugin = Markov