diff --git a/ircbot/bot.py b/ircbot/bot.py
index 9f9d1cf..4a8f553 100644
--- a/ircbot/bot.py
+++ b/ircbot/bot.py
@@ -165,14 +165,19 @@ class DrReactor(irc.client.Reactor):
                 event.original_msg = what
 
                 # check if we were addressed or not
-                all_nicks = '|'.join(connection.server_config.additional_addressed_nicks.split('\n') +
-                                     [connection.get_nickname()])
+                if connection.server_config.additional_addressed_nicks:
+                    all_nicks = '|'.join(connection.server_config.additional_addressed_nicks.split('\n') +
+                                         [connection.get_nickname()])
+                else:
+                    all_nicks = connection.get_nickname()
                 addressed_pattern = r'^(({nicks})[:,]|@({nicks}))\s+(?P<addressed_msg>.*)'.format(nicks=all_nicks)
                 match = re.match(addressed_pattern, what, re.IGNORECASE)
                 if match:
                     event.addressed = True
                     event.addressed_msg = match.group('addressed_msg')
 
+                log.debug("all_nicks: %s, addressed: %s", all_nicks, event.addressed)
+
                 # only do aliasing for pubmsg/privmsg
                 log.debug("checking for alias for %s", what)
 
@@ -531,10 +536,11 @@ class IRCBot(irc.client.SimpleIRCClient):
         log.debug("welcome: %s", what)
 
         # run automsg commands
-        for cmd in self.server_config.post_connect.split('\n'):
-            # TODO NOTE: if the bot is sending something that changes the vhost
-            # (like 'hostserv on') we don't pick it up
-            self.connection.privmsg(cmd.split(' ')[0], ' '.join(cmd.split(' ')[1:]))
+        if self.server_config.post_connect:
+            for cmd in self.server_config.post_connect.split('\n'):
+                # TODO NOTE: if the bot is sending something that changes the vhost
+                # (like 'hostserv on') we don't pick it up
+                self.connection.privmsg(cmd.split(' ')[0], ' '.join(cmd.split(' ')[1:]))
 
         # sleep before doing autojoins
         time.sleep(self.server_config.delay_before_joins)
diff --git a/markov/ircplugin.py b/markov/ircplugin.py
index 6df4614..4dca8b2 100644
--- a/markov/ircplugin.py
+++ b/markov/ircplugin.py
@@ -61,8 +61,11 @@ class Markov(Plugin):
     def handle_chatter(self, connection, event):
         """Learn from IRC chatter."""
         what = event.arguments[0]
-        all_nicks = '|'.join(connection.server_config.additional_addressed_nicks.split('\n') +
-                             [connection.get_nickname()])
+        if connection.server_config.additional_addressed_nicks:
+            all_nicks = '|'.join(connection.server_config.additional_addressed_nicks.split('\n') +
+                                 [connection.get_nickname()])
+        else:
+            all_nicks = connection.get_nickname()
         trimmed_what = re.sub(r'^(({nicks})[:,]|@({nicks}))\s+'.format(nicks=all_nicks), '', what)
         nick = irc.client.NickMask(event.source).nick
         target = reply_destination_for_event(event)