diff --git a/DrBotIRC.py b/DrBotIRC.py
index d634ca4..8b6b05b 100644
--- a/DrBotIRC.py
+++ b/DrBotIRC.py
@@ -99,14 +99,12 @@ class DrBotIRC(irclib.IRC):
         self.server = DrBotServerConnection(self)
         self.connections.append(self.server)
 
-        self.server.add_global_handler('pubmsg', self.on_pubmsg, 1)
-        self.server.add_global_handler('privmsg', self.on_pubmsg, 1)
-
         return self.server
 
     def _handle_event(self, connection, event):
         """Override event handler to do recursion."""
 
+        self.try_alias_cmds(connection, event)
         self.try_recursion(connection, event)
         self.try_alias(connection, event)
 
@@ -133,15 +131,24 @@ class DrBotIRC(irclib.IRC):
         if len(replies):
             event.arguments()[0] = '\n'.join(replies)
 
-    def on_pubmsg(self, connection, event):
-        """See if there is an alias ("!command") in the text, and if so, translate it into
-        an internal bot command and run it.
+    def try_alias_cmds(self, connection, event):
+        """See if there is an alias ("!command") in the text, and if so
+        do alias manipulation before any other recursion or aliasing.
         """
 
-        nick = irclib.nm_to_n(event.source())
-        userhost = irclib.nm_to_uh(event.source())
+        try:
+            nick = irclib.nm_to_n(event.source())
+        except (IndexError, AttributeError):
+            nick = ''
+        try:
+            userhost = irclib.nm_to_uh(event.source())
+        except (IndexError, AttributeError):
+            userhost = ''
         replypath = event.target()
-        what = event.arguments()[0]
+        try:
+            what = event.arguments()[0]
+        except (IndexError, AttributeError):
+            what = ''
         admin_unlocked = False
 
         # privmsg