diff --git a/irc/channel.go b/irc/channel.go
index 9f660256..37511159 100644
--- a/irc/channel.go
+++ b/irc/channel.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ func NewChannel(s *Server, name string) *Channel {
 		name:    name,
 		server:  s,
 	}
+	s.channels[name] = channel
 	return channel
 }
 
@@ -37,8 +38,7 @@ func (channel *Channel) IsEmpty() bool {
 }
 
 func (channel *Channel) Names(client *Client) {
-	client.MultilineReply(channel.Nicks(), RPL_NAMREPLY,
-		"= %s :%s", channel.name)
+	client.RplNamReply(channel)
 	client.RplEndOfNames(channel)
 }
 
diff --git a/irc/reply.go b/irc/reply.go
index 6e7a0655..18af3434 100644
--- a/irc/reply.go
+++ b/irc/reply.go
@@ -308,6 +308,16 @@ func (target *Client) RplListEnd(server *Server) {
 		":End of LIST")
 }
 
+func (target *Client) RplNamReply(channel *Channel) {
+	target.MultilineReply(channel.Nicks(), RPL_NAMREPLY,
+		"= %s :%s", channel)
+}
+
+func (target *Client) RplWhoisChannels(client *Client) {
+	target.MultilineReply(client.WhoisChannelsNames(), RPL_WHOISCHANNELS,
+		"%s :%s", client.Nick())
+}
+
 //
 // errors (also numeric)
 //
diff --git a/irc/server.go b/irc/server.go
index 40cfcc2b..7d19ae3d 100644
--- a/irc/server.go
+++ b/irc/server.go
@@ -390,7 +390,6 @@ func (m *JoinCommand) HandleServer(s *Server) {
 		channel := s.channels[name]
 		if channel == nil {
 			channel = NewChannel(s, name)
-			s.channels[name] = channel
 		}
 		channel.Join(client, key)
 	}
@@ -528,8 +527,7 @@ func (m *WhoisCommand) HandleServer(server *Server) {
 			client.RplWhoisOperator(mclient)
 		}
 		client.RplWhoisIdle(mclient)
-		client.MultilineReply(mclient.WhoisChannelsNames(), RPL_WHOISCHANNELS,
-			"%s :%s", mclient.Nick())
+		client.RplWhoisChannels(mclient)
 		client.RplEndOfWhois()
 	}
 }