diff --git a/downstream.go b/downstream.go
index 7844b49..0552e4e 100644
--- a/downstream.go
+++ b/downstream.go
@@ -304,14 +304,7 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) Close() error {
 	}
 
 	if u := dc.user; u != nil {
-		u.lock.Lock()
-		for i := range u.downstreamConns {
-			if u.downstreamConns[i] == dc {
-				u.downstreamConns = append(u.downstreamConns[:i], u.downstreamConns[i+1:]...)
-				break
-			}
-		}
-		u.lock.Unlock()
+		u.removeDownstream(dc)
 	}
 
 	close(dc.closed)
@@ -660,10 +653,7 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) register() error {
 	dc.username = dc.user.Username
 	dc.logger.Printf("registration complete for user %q", dc.username)
 
-	dc.user.lock.Lock()
-	firstDownstream := len(dc.user.downstreamConns) == 0
-	dc.user.downstreamConns = append(dc.user.downstreamConns, dc)
-	dc.user.lock.Unlock()
+	firstDownstream := dc.user.addDownstream(dc)
 
 	dc.SendMessage(&irc.Message{
 		Prefix:  dc.srv.prefix(),
@@ -707,6 +697,7 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) register() error {
 
 		historyName := dc.rawUsername
 
+		// TODO: need to take dc.network into account here
 		var seqPtr *uint64
 		if firstDownstream {
 			uc.network.lock.Lock()
@@ -717,6 +708,7 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) register() error {
 			}
 		}
 
+		// TODO: we need to create a consumer when adding networks on-the-fly
 		consumer, ch := uc.ring.NewConsumer(seqPtr)
 		go func() {
 			for {
@@ -734,6 +726,7 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) register() error {
 
 			seq := consumer.Close()
 
+			// TODO: need to take dc.network into account here
 			dc.user.lock.Lock()
 			lastDownstream := len(dc.user.downstreamConns) == 0
 			dc.user.lock.Unlock()
diff --git a/user.go b/user.go
index 629e0a1..245664c 100644
--- a/user.go
+++ b/user.go
@@ -176,6 +176,25 @@ func (u *user) run() {
 	}
 }
 
+func (u *user) addDownstream(dc *downstreamConn) (first bool) {
+	u.lock.Lock()
+	first = len(dc.user.downstreamConns) == 0
+	u.downstreamConns = append(u.downstreamConns, dc)
+	u.lock.Unlock()
+	return first
+}
+
+func (u *user) removeDownstream(dc *downstreamConn) {
+	u.lock.Lock()
+	for i := range u.downstreamConns {
+		if u.downstreamConns[i] == dc {
+			u.downstreamConns = append(u.downstreamConns[:i], u.downstreamConns[i+1:]...)
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	u.lock.Unlock()
+}
+
 func (u *user) createNetwork(net *Network) (*network, error) {
 	network := newNetwork(u, net)
 	err := u.srv.db.StoreNetwork(u.Username, &network.Network)