diff --git a/dr_botzo/twitter/ircplugin.py b/dr_botzo/twitter/ircplugin.py
index b58e701..2dd208a 100644
--- a/dr_botzo/twitter/ircplugin.py
+++ b/dr_botzo/twitter/ircplugin.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 import logging
 import time
 
-import requests
 import twython
 
 from django.conf import settings
@@ -94,7 +93,8 @@ class Twitter(Plugin):
         status = match.group(3)
         try:
             tweet = self.twit.show_status(id=status)
-            return self._return_tweet_or_retweet_text(event, tweet=tweet, print_source=print_source, print_id=print_id)
+            return self._reply_with_tweet_or_retweet_text(event, tweet=tweet, print_source=print_source,
+                                                          print_id=print_id)
         except Exception as e:
             log.error("couldn't obtain status")
             log.exception(e)
@@ -130,8 +130,8 @@ class Twitter(Plugin):
             tweets = self.twit.get_user_timeline(screen_name=user, count=count, include_rts=True)
             if tweets:
                 tweet = tweets[-1*index]
-                return self._return_tweet_or_retweet_text(event, tweet=tweet, print_source=print_source,
-                                                          print_id=print_id)
+                return self._reply_with_tweet_or_retweet_text(event, tweet=tweet, print_source=print_source,
+                                                              print_id=print_id)
         except Exception as e:
             log.error("couldn't obtain status")
             log.exception(e)
@@ -232,9 +232,37 @@ class Twitter(Plugin):
             log.error("twitter settings object does not exist")
             return self.bot.reply(event, "twitter module not configured")
 
-    def _return_tweet_or_retweet_text(self, event, tweet, print_source=False, print_id=True):
+    def _reply_with_tweet_or_retweet_text(self, event, tweet, print_source=False, print_id=True):
+        """Do a bot.reply() with the appropriate text representation of the given tweet.
+
+        See _return_tweet_or_retweet_text for details.
+
+        :param event: the irc event to use for the reply
+        :type event: Event
+        :param tweet: the tweet (from twython) to inspect and return a string for
+        :type tweet: dict
+        :param print_source: whether or not to print the tweet's author (default False)
+        :type print_source: bool
+        :param print_id: whether or not to print the tweet's ID (default True)
+        :type print_id: bool
+        :returns: tweet text suitable for printing
+        :rtype: str
+        """
+
+        return self.bot.reply(event, self._return_tweet_or_retweet_text(tweet, print_source, print_id))
+
+    def _return_tweet_or_retweet_text(self, tweet, print_source=False, print_id=True):
         """Return a string of the author and text body of a status, accounting for whether
         or not the fetched status is a retweet.
+
+        :param tweet: the tweet (from twython) to inspect and return a string for
+        :type tweet: dict
+        :param print_source: whether or not to print the tweet's author (default False)
+        :type print_source: bool
+        :param print_id: whether or not to print the tweet's ID (default True)
+        :type print_id: bool
+        :returns: tweet text suitable for printing
+        :rtype: str
         """
 
         retweet = getattr(tweet, 'retweeted_status', None)
@@ -256,7 +284,7 @@ class Twitter(Plugin):
         if print_id:
             reply = reply + " [{0:d}]".format(tweet['id'])
 
-        return self.bot.reply(event, reply)
+        return reply
 
 
 plugin = Twitter