diff --git a/irc/client.go b/irc/client.go
index e2bbc4a6..bc4543f2 100644
--- a/irc/client.go
+++ b/irc/client.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ type Client struct {
 	channels       ChannelSet
 	ctime          time.Time
 	flags          map[UserMode]bool
+	isQuitting     bool
 	hasQuit        bool
 	hops           uint
 	hostname       Name
@@ -99,7 +100,7 @@ func (client *Client) run() {
 		}
 
 		isExiting = cmd.Run(client.server, client, msg)
-		if isExiting {
+		if isExiting || client.isQuitting {
 			break
 		}
 	}
@@ -114,6 +115,7 @@ func (client *Client) run() {
 
 func (client *Client) connectionTimeout() {
 	client.Quit("connection timeout")
+	client.isQuitting = true
 }
 
 //
diff --git a/irc/server.go b/irc/server.go
index 44cf94bd..831cc6fb 100644
--- a/irc/server.go
+++ b/irc/server.go
@@ -419,15 +419,14 @@ func quitHandler(server *Server, client *Client, msg ircmsg.IrcMessage) bool {
 
 // PING <server1> [<server2>]
 func pingHandler(server *Server, client *Client, msg ircmsg.IrcMessage) bool {
-	// client.Socket.Send(response here)
-	return true
+	client.Send(nil, server.nameString, "PONG", msg.Params...)
+	return false
 }
 
 // PONG <server> [ <server2> ]
 func pongHandler(server *Server, client *Client, msg ircmsg.IrcMessage) bool {
-	//TODO(dan): update client idle timer from this
-	//TODO(dan): use this to affect how often we send pings
-	return true
+	// client gets touched when they send this command, so we don't need to do anything
+	return false
 }
 
 // JOIN <channel>{,<channel>} [<key>{,<key>}]