diff --git a/BUGS b/BUGS
index 1ba8265..6c68e82 100644
--- a/BUGS
+++ b/BUGS
@@ -9,3 +9,7 @@ dr.botzo --- BUGS
    * get_db() in Module is not thread-aware, threads other than the main bot thread
      cannot call it (see Twitter.py)
      ProgrammingError: SQLite objects created in a thread can only be used in that same thread.The object was created in thread id 1 and this is thread id 2
+   * various stuff (or at least !alias list) doesn't get privmsg handling right, and
+     ends up sending the reply to the bot itself (as that is the target of the incoming
+     privmsg, same as in a channel, but the bot is supposed to overwrite the nick case
+     with the sender's)
diff --git a/modules/Markov.py b/modules/Markov.py
index f7c0667..22ac1cc 100644
--- a/modules/Markov.py
+++ b/modules/Markov.py
@@ -187,6 +187,9 @@ class Markov(Module):
         k2 = self.start2
 
         words = line.split()
+        if len(words) <= 0:
+            return line
+
         self.starts.append(words[0])
 
         try:
@@ -281,6 +284,8 @@ class Markov(Module):
             else:
                 if len(gen_words) < min_size and len(filter(lambda a: a != self.stop, key_hits)) > 0:
                     gen_words.append(random.choice(filter(lambda a: a != self.stop, key_hits)))
+                elif len(key_hits) <= 0:
+                    gen_words.append(self.stop)
                 else:
                     gen_words.append(random.choice(key_hits))
 
diff --git a/modules/Twitter.py b/modules/Twitter.py
index cc4919c..32576e4 100644
--- a/modules/Twitter.py
+++ b/modules/Twitter.py
@@ -236,6 +236,9 @@ class Twitter(Module):
     def _check_self_timeline(self):
         """Check my timeline, and if there are entries, print them to the channel."""
 
+        # re-register this check
+        Timer(300, self._check_self_timeline, ()).start()
+
         if self.authed:
             # get the id of the last check we made
             since_id = self._get_last_since_id()
@@ -263,9 +266,6 @@ class Twitter(Module):
                 # set since_id
                 self._set_last_since_id(new_since_id)
 
-                # re-register this check
-                Timer(300, self._check_self_timeline, ()).start()
-
     def _return_tweet_or_retweet_text(self, tweet, print_source=False):
         """
         Return a string of the author and text body of a status,