diff --git a/src/zyklonb.c b/src/zyklonb.c
index 9874961..c99b141 100644
--- a/src/zyklonb.c
+++ b/src/zyklonb.c
@@ -1256,6 +1256,27 @@ process_privmsg (struct bot_context *ctx, const struct irc_message *msg)
 	str_vector_free (&list);
 }
 
+static void
+irc_forward_message_to_plugins (struct bot_context *ctx, const char *raw)
+{
+	// For consistency with plugin_process_message()
+	if (!ctx->irc_ready)
+		return;
+
+	for (struct plugin_data *plugin = ctx->plugins;
+		 plugin; plugin = plugin->next)
+	{
+		if (plugin->is_zombie)
+			continue;
+
+		if (plugin->initialized)
+			plugin_send (plugin, "%s", raw);
+		else
+			// TODO: make sure that this buffer doesn't get too large either
+			str_append_printf (&plugin->queued_output, "%s\r\n", raw);
+	}
+}
+
 static void
 irc_process_message (const struct irc_message *msg,
 	const char *raw, void *user_data)
@@ -1270,19 +1291,7 @@ irc_process_message (const struct irc_message *msg,
 	//
 	// I should probably even rip out the autojoin...
 
-	// First forward the message to all the plugins
-	for (struct plugin_data *plugin = ctx->plugins;
-		 plugin; plugin = plugin->next)
-	{
-		if (plugin->is_zombie)
-			continue;
-
-		if (plugin->initialized)
-			plugin_send (plugin, "%s", raw);
-		else
-			// TODO: make sure that this buffer doesn't get too large either
-			str_append_printf (&plugin->queued_output, "%s\r\n", raw);
-	}
+	irc_forward_message_to_plugins (ctx, raw);
 
 	if (!strcasecmp (msg->command, "PING"))
 	{