diff --git a/downstream.go b/downstream.go
index 1f91f55..705dec7 100644
--- a/downstream.go
+++ b/downstream.go
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) handleMessageRegistered(msg *irc.Message) error {
 		}}
 	case "NICK":
 		dc.user.forEachUpstream(func(uc *upstreamConn) {
-			uc.messages <- msg
+			uc.SendMessage(msg)
 		})
 	case "JOIN":
 		var name string
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) handleMessageRegistered(msg *irc.Message) error {
 			return err
 		}
 
-		ch.conn.messages <- msg
+		ch.conn.SendMessage(msg)
 		// TODO: remove channel from upstream config
 	case "MODE":
 		var name string
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) handleMessageRegistered(msg *irc.Message) error {
 			}
 
 			if modeStr != "" {
-				ch.conn.messages <- msg
+				ch.conn.SendMessage(msg)
 			} else {
 				dc.SendMessage(&irc.Message{
 					Prefix:  dc.srv.prefix(),
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) handleMessageRegistered(msg *irc.Message) error {
 
 			if modeStr != "" {
 				dc.user.forEachUpstream(func(uc *upstreamConn) {
-					uc.messages <- msg
+					uc.SendMessage(msg)
 				})
 			} else {
 				dc.SendMessage(&irc.Message{
@@ -414,11 +414,11 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) handleMessageRegistered(msg *irc.Message) error {
 				return err
 			}
 
-			ch.conn.messages <- &irc.Message{
+			ch.conn.SendMessage(&irc.Message{
 				Prefix:  msg.Prefix,
 				Command: "PRIVMSG",
 				Params:  []string{name, text},
-			}
+			})
 		}
 	default:
 		dc.logger.Printf("unhandled message: %v", msg)
diff --git a/upstream.go b/upstream.go
index 342b06f..04ea2d1 100644
--- a/upstream.go
+++ b/upstream.go
@@ -107,10 +107,10 @@ func (uc *upstreamConn) handleMessage(msg *irc.Message) error {
 	switch msg.Command {
 	case "PING":
 		// TODO: handle params
-		uc.messages <- &irc.Message{
+		uc.SendMessage(&irc.Message{
 			Command: "PONG",
 			Params:  []string{uc.srv.Hostname},
-		}
+		})
 		return nil
 	case "MODE":
 		var name, modeStr string
@@ -143,10 +143,10 @@ func (uc *upstreamConn) handleMessage(msg *irc.Message) error {
 		uc.logger.Printf("connection registered")
 
 		for _, ch := range uc.upstream.Channels {
-			uc.messages <- &irc.Message{
+			uc.SendMessage(&irc.Message{
 				Command: "JOIN",
 				Params:  []string{ch},
-			}
+			})
 		}
 	case irc.RPL_MYINFO:
 		if err := parseMessageParams(msg, nil, &uc.serverName, nil, &uc.availableUserModes, &uc.availableChannelModes); err != nil {
@@ -325,14 +325,14 @@ func (uc *upstreamConn) handleMessage(msg *irc.Message) error {
 
 func (uc *upstreamConn) register() {
 	uc.nick = uc.upstream.Nick
-	uc.messages <- &irc.Message{
+	uc.SendMessage(&irc.Message{
 		Command: "NICK",
 		Params:  []string{uc.upstream.Nick},
-	}
-	uc.messages <- &irc.Message{
+	})
+	uc.SendMessage(&irc.Message{
 		Command: "USER",
 		Params:  []string{uc.upstream.Username, "0", "*", uc.upstream.Realname},
-	}
+	})
 }
 
 func (uc *upstreamConn) readMessages() error {
@@ -351,3 +351,7 @@ func (uc *upstreamConn) readMessages() error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+func (uc *upstreamConn) SendMessage(msg *irc.Message) {
+	uc.messages <- msg
+}