diff --git a/downstream.go b/downstream.go
index 9636456..f5bc48c 100644
--- a/downstream.go
+++ b/downstream.go
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ type ringMessage struct {
 }
 
 type downstreamConn struct {
+	id           uint64
 	net          net.Conn
 	irc          *irc.Conn
 	srv          *Server
@@ -85,8 +86,9 @@ type downstreamConn struct {
 	ourMessages map[*irc.Message]struct{}
 }
 
-func newDownstreamConn(srv *Server, netConn net.Conn) *downstreamConn {
+func newDownstreamConn(srv *Server, netConn net.Conn, id uint64) *downstreamConn {
 	dc := &downstreamConn{
+		id:           id,
 		net:          netConn,
 		irc:          irc.NewConn(netConn),
 		srv:          srv,
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 62d30da..60dfafc 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ func (s *Server) getUser(name string) *user {
 }
 
 func (s *Server) Serve(ln net.Listener) error {
+	var nextDownstreamID uint64 = 1
 	for {
 		netConn, err := ln.Accept()
 		if err != nil {
@@ -108,7 +109,8 @@ func (s *Server) Serve(ln net.Listener) error {
 
 		setKeepAlive(netConn)
 
-		dc := newDownstreamConn(s, netConn)
+		dc := newDownstreamConn(s, netConn, nextDownstreamID)
+		nextDownstreamID++
 		go func() {
 			s.lock.Lock()
 			s.downstreamConns = append(s.downstreamConns, dc)