diff --git a/irc/constants.go b/irc/constants.go
index 5538d115..3fd5ddd5 100644
--- a/irc/constants.go
+++ b/irc/constants.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ var (
 )
 
 const (
-	SEM_VER       = "ergonomadic-1.2.4"
+	SEM_VER       = "ergonomadic-1.2.5"
 	CRLF          = "\r\n"
 	MAX_REPLY_LEN = 512 - len(CRLF)
 
diff --git a/irc/server.go b/irc/server.go
index 7b249f3e..e9a4d45c 100644
--- a/irc/server.go
+++ b/irc/server.go
@@ -411,7 +411,8 @@ func (msg *NickCommand) HandleServer(server *Server) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	if server.clients.Get(msg.nickname) != client {
+	target := server.clients.Get(msg.nickname)
+	if (target != nil) && (target != client) {
 		client.ErrNickNameInUse(msg.nickname)
 		return
 	}