diff --git a/extra/irc/client/client-tests.factor b/extra/irc/client/client-tests.factor
index 2883e47b81..2a1db8c22f 100644
--- a/extra/irc/client/client-tests.factor
+++ b/extra/irc/client/client-tests.factor
@@ -20,28 +20,6 @@ IN: irc.client.tests
 : with-dummy-client ( quot -- )
      rot with-variable ; inline
 
-! Parsing tests
-irc-message new
-    ":someuser!n=user@some.where PRIVMSG #factortest :hi" >>line
-    "someuser!n=user@some.where" >>prefix
-                       "PRIVMSG" >>command
-               { "#factortest" } >>parameters
-                            "hi" >>trailing
-1array
-[ ":someuser!n=user@some.where PRIVMSG #factortest :hi"
-  string>irc-message f >>timestamp ] unit-test
-
-privmsg new
-    ":someuser!n=user@some.where PRIVMSG #factortest :hi" >>line
-    "someuser!n=user@some.where" >>prefix
-                       "PRIVMSG" >>command
-               { "#factortest" } >>parameters
-                            "hi" >>trailing
-                   "#factortest" >>name
-1array
-[ ":someuser!n=user@some.where PRIVMSG #factortest :hi"
-  parse-irc-line f >>timestamp ] unit-test
-
 { "" } make-client dup "factorbot" set-nick current-irc-client [
     { t } [ irc> profile>> nickname>> me? ] unit-test
 
@@ -67,7 +45,7 @@ privmsg new
                     profile>> nickname>> ] unit-test
 
 { join_ "#factortest" } [
-             { ":factorbot!n=factorbo@some.where JOIN :#factortest"
+           { ":factorbot!n=factorbo@some.where JOIN :#factortest"
              ":ircserver.net MODE #factortest +ns"
              ":ircserver.net 353 factorbot @ #factortest :@factorbot "
              ":ircserver.net 366 factorbot #factortest :End of /NAMES list."
diff --git a/extra/irc/messages/messages-tests.factor b/extra/irc/messages/messages-tests.factor
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1bd6088f82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extra/irc/messages/messages-tests.factor
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+USING: kernel tools.test accessors arrays qualified
+       irc.messages irc.messages.private ;
+EXCLUDE: sequences => join ;
+IN: irc.messages.tests
+
+! Parsing tests
+irc-message new
+    ":someuser!n=user@some.where PRIVMSG #factortest :hi" >>line
+    "someuser!n=user@some.where" >>prefix
+                       "PRIVMSG" >>command
+               { "#factortest" } >>parameters
+                            "hi" >>trailing
+1array
+[ ":someuser!n=user@some.where PRIVMSG #factortest :hi"
+  string>irc-message f >>timestamp ] unit-test
+
+privmsg new
+    ":someuser!n=user@some.where PRIVMSG #factortest :hi" >>line
+    "someuser!n=user@some.where" >>prefix
+                       "PRIVMSG" >>command
+               { "#factortest" } >>parameters
+                            "hi" >>trailing
+                   "#factortest" >>name
+1array
+[ ":someuser!n=user@some.where PRIVMSG #factortest :hi"
+  parse-irc-line f >>timestamp ] unit-test
+
+join new
+    ":someuser!n=user@some.where JOIN :#factortest" >>line
+    "someuser!n=user@some.where" >>prefix
+                          "JOIN" >>command
+                             { } >>parameters
+                   "#factortest" >>trailing
+1array
+[ ":someuser!n=user@some.where JOIN :#factortest"
+  parse-irc-line f >>timestamp ] unit-test
+
diff --git a/extra/irc/messages/messages.factor b/extra/irc/messages/messages.factor
index 205630d790..24e09467b7 100644
--- a/extra/irc/messages/messages.factor
+++ b/extra/irc/messages/messages.factor
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ TUPLE: mode < irc-message name channel mode ;
 TUPLE: names-reply < irc-message who = channel ;
 TUPLE: unhandled < irc-message ;
 
+: make-client-message ( command parameters trailing -- irc-message )
+    irc-message new now >>timestamp
+    [ [ (>>trailing) ] [ (>>parameters) ] [ (>>command) ] tri ] keep ;
+
 GENERIC: irc-message>client-line ( irc-message -- string )
 
 M: irc-message irc-message>client-line ( irc-message -- string )
@@ -58,6 +62,8 @@ M: irc-message irc-message>server-line ( irc-message -- string )
 : split-trailing ( string -- string string/f )
     ":" split1 ;
 
+PRIVATE>
+
 : string>irc-message ( string -- object )
     dup split-prefix split-trailing
     [ [ blank? ] trim " " split unclip swap ] dip
@@ -82,4 +88,3 @@ M: irc-message irc-message>server-line ( irc-message -- string )
     [ [ tuple-slots ] [ parameters>> ] bi append ] dip
     [ all-slots over [ length ] bi@ min head ] keep slots>tuple ;
 
-PRIVATE>