diff --git a/irc/constants.go b/irc/constants.go
index a86cf0ee..2a766927 100644
--- a/irc/constants.go
+++ b/irc/constants.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ var (
 )
 
 const (
-	SEM_VER       = "ergonomadic-1.2.14"
+	SEM_VER       = "ergonomadic-1.2.15"
 	CRLF          = "\r\n"
 	MAX_REPLY_LEN = 512 - len(CRLF)
 
diff --git a/irc/reply.go b/irc/reply.go
index 2f85588e..4510f76e 100644
--- a/irc/reply.go
+++ b/irc/reply.go
@@ -142,6 +142,10 @@ func RplKill(client *Client, target *Client, comment string) string {
 		"%s :%s", target.Nick(), comment)
 }
 
+func RplCap(client *Client, subCommand CapSubCommand, arg interface{}) string {
+	return NewStringReply(nil, CAP, "%s %s :%s", client.Nick(), subCommand, arg)
+}
+
 // numeric replies
 
 func (target *Client) RplWelcome() {
diff --git a/irc/server.go b/irc/server.go
index 8fdefe1b..ff083897 100644
--- a/irc/server.go
+++ b/irc/server.go
@@ -270,36 +270,28 @@ func (msg *CapCommand) HandleRegServer(server *Server) {
 	switch msg.subCommand {
 	case CAP_LS:
 		client.capState = CapNegotiating
-		client.Reply("CAP LS * :%s", SupportedCapabilities)
+		client.Reply(RplCap(client, CAP_LS, SupportedCapabilities))
 
 	case CAP_LIST:
-		client.Reply("CAP LIST * :%s", client.capabilities)
+		client.Reply(RplCap(client, CAP_LIST, client.capabilities))
 
 	case CAP_REQ:
 		client.capState = CapNegotiating
 		for capability := range msg.capabilities {
 			if !SupportedCapabilities[capability] {
-				client.Reply("CAP NAK * :%s", msg.capabilities)
+				client.Reply(RplCap(client, CAP_NAK, msg.capabilities))
 				return
 			}
 		}
 		for capability := range msg.capabilities {
 			client.capabilities[capability] = true
 		}
-		client.Reply("CAP ACK * :%s", msg.capabilities)
+		client.Reply(RplCap(client, CAP_ACK, msg.capabilities))
 
 	case CAP_CLEAR:
-		format := strings.TrimRight(
-			strings.Repeat("%s%s ", len(client.capabilities)), " ")
-		args := make([]interface{}, len(client.capabilities))
-		index := 0
-		for capability := range client.capabilities {
-			args[index] = Disable
-			args[index+1] = capability
-			index += 2
-			delete(client.capabilities, capability)
-		}
-		client.Reply("CAP ACK * :"+format, args...)
+		reply := RplCap(client, CAP_ACK, client.capabilities.DisableString())
+		client.capabilities = make(CapabilitySet)
+		client.Reply(reply)
 
 	case CAP_END:
 		client.capState = CapNegotiated
diff --git a/irc/types.go b/irc/types.go
index fc628bdd..198f7b65 100644
--- a/irc/types.go
+++ b/irc/types.go
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ type CapSubCommand string
 
 type Capability string
 
+func (capability Capability) String() string {
+	return string(capability)
+}
+
 type CapModifier rune
 
 func (mod CapModifier) String() string {
@@ -34,6 +38,16 @@ func (set CapabilitySet) String() string {
 	return strings.Join(strs, " ")
 }
 
+func (set CapabilitySet) DisableString() string {
+	parts := make([]string, len(set))
+	index := 0
+	for capability := range set {
+		parts[index] = Disable.String() + capability.String()
+		index += 1
+	}
+	return strings.Join(parts, " ")
+}
+
 // a string with wildcards
 type Mask string