diff --git a/common.py b/common.py
index f3876f0..16d6bf8 100644
--- a/common.py
+++ b/common.py
@@ -205,6 +205,14 @@ def pluginfunction(name, desc, plugin_type, ratelimit_class=RATE_GLOBAL, enabled
     return decorate
 
 
+def get_nick_from_object(message_obj):
+    """
+    not quite correct yet, also the private property access isn't nice.
+    """
+    nick = message_obj['mucnick'] or message_obj['from']._jid[2]
+    return nick
+
+
 ptypes_PARSE = 'parser'
 ptypes_COMMAND = 'command'
 ptypes = [ptypes_PARSE, ptypes_COMMAND]
diff --git a/plugins/commands.py b/plugins/commands.py
index 85bbd25..4fc7a52 100644
--- a/plugins/commands.py
+++ b/plugins/commands.py
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ from common import (
     VERSION, RATE_FUN, RATE_GLOBAL, RATE_INTERACTIVE, RATE_NO_LIMIT,
     giphy, pluginfunction,
     ptypes_COMMAND,
-    RATE_NO_SILENCE)
+    RATE_NO_SILENCE,
+    get_nick_from_object
+)
 from string_constants import cakes, excuses, moin_strings_hi, moin_strings_bye, languages
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -485,11 +487,11 @@ def command_record(argv, **args):
             'msg': '%s: usage: record {user} {some message}' % args['reply_user']
         }
 
-    target_user = argv[0].lower()
+    target_user = argv[0].lower().strip(':')
     message = '{} ({}): '.format(args['reply_user'], time.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M'))
     if argv[1] == "previous":
         prev_message_obj = args['stack'][-1]
-        message += '[{}]: '.format(prev_message_obj['mucnick'] or prev_message_obj['from']._jid[2])
+        message += '[{}]: '.format(get_nick_from_object(prev_message_obj))
         message += prev_message_obj['body']
     else:
         message += ' '.join(argv[1:])
diff --git a/urlbot.py b/urlbot.py
index 8845d53..26a31f7 100755
--- a/urlbot.py
+++ b/urlbot.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from common import (
     RATE_CHAT,
     RATE_EVENT,
     rate_limit,
-)
+    get_nick_from_object)
 from config import runtimeconf_set
 from idlebot import IdleBot, start
 from plugins import (
@@ -174,9 +174,10 @@ class UrlBot(IdleBot):
                         msg_obj['type'] = 'chat'
                         self.send_reply("You're flagged as bot, please write {}: remove-from-botlist "
                                         "{} if you're not a bot.".format(
-                            config.conf_get('bot_nickname'), msg_obj['from']._jid[2]
-                        ), msg_obj)
-                        self.logger.debug("not talking to the other bot named {}".format(msg_obj['from']._jid[2]))
+                                            config.conf_get('bot_nickname'),
+                                            get_nick_from_object(msg_obj)
+                                        ), msg_obj)
+                        self.logger.debug("not talking to the other bot named {}".format(get_nick_from_object(msg_obj)))
                         return False
                     self.send_message(
                         mto=msg_obj['from'].bare,
@@ -233,7 +234,7 @@ class UrlBot(IdleBot):
 
             if (msg_obj['body'].startswith(config.conf_get('bot_nickname')) and not any(
                     [reacted_on_command, reacted_on_parse]) and rate_limit(RATE_GLOBAL)):
-                ret = else_command({'reply_user': msg_obj['from']._jid[2]})
+                ret = else_command({'reply_user': get_nick_from_object(msg_obj)})
                 if ret:
                     if 'msg' in ret:
                         self.send_reply(ret['msg'], msg_obj)
@@ -273,7 +274,7 @@ class UrlBot(IdleBot):
             self.hangup()
             sys.exit(1)
 
-        reply_user = msg_obj['mucnick'] or msg_obj['from']._jid[2]
+        reply_user = get_nick_from_object(msg_obj)
 
         # TODO: check how several commands/plugins
         # in a single message behave (also with rate limiting)
@@ -306,7 +307,7 @@ class UrlBot(IdleBot):
         :return:
         """
         data = msg_obj['body']
-        reply_user = msg_obj['mucnick'] or msg_obj['from']._jid[2]
+        reply_user = get_nick_from_object(msg_obj)
         reacted = False
 
         for plugin in plugin_storage[ptypes_PARSE]: