diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index 08566fb..44f00d4 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -20,22 +20,23 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         else if(str.contains('='))
         {
             QStringList argList = str.split('=');
-            QString key = argList.at(0);
-            if(key.compare("server"))
-                server = argList.at(1);
-            else if(key.compare("port"))
-                port = argList.at(1).toInt();
-            else if(key.compare("nick"))
-                nick = argList.at(1);
-            else if(key.compare("chan"))
-                chan = argList.at(1);
+            if(argList.size() == 2)
+            {
+                QString key = argList.at(0);
+                if(key.compare("server") == 0)
+                    server = argList.at(1);
+                else if(key.compare("port") == 0)
+                    port = argList.at(1).toInt();
+                else if(key.compare("nick") == 0)
+                    nick = argList.at(1);
+                else if(key.compare("chan") == 0)
+                    chan = argList.at(1);
+            }
         }
     }
 
     // create the socket
-    SocketIRC sock;
-    sock.setServer(server);
-    sock.setPort(port);
+    SocketIRC sock(server, port);
 
     // create the bot
     SparrowBot* bot = new SparrowBot(nick, chan);
diff --git a/socketirc.cpp b/socketirc.cpp
index 1e2dca6..719cb0f 100644
--- a/socketirc.cpp
+++ b/socketirc.cpp
@@ -7,14 +7,10 @@ SocketIRC::SocketIRC() : server("irc.freenode.net"), port(6667), isConnected(fal
     connect(&sock, SIGNAL(disconnected()), this, SLOT(onDisconnect()));
 }
 
-void SocketIRC::setServer(QString server_)
+SocketIRC::SocketIRC(QString server_, int port_) : server(server_), port(port_), isConnected(false)
 {
-    server = server_;
-}
-
-void SocketIRC::setPort(int port_)
-{
-    port = port_;
+    connect(&sock, SIGNAL(readyRead()), this, SLOT(readMsg()));
+    connect(&sock, SIGNAL(disconnected()), this, SLOT(onDisconnect()));
 }
 
 void SocketIRC::sendMsg(QString msg)
@@ -31,7 +27,10 @@ void SocketIRC::connectToServer(QCoreApplication* app_)
     sock.connectToHost(server, quint16(port));
     if(!sock.waitForConnected(3000))
     {
-        std::cerr << "failed to connect : " << sock.errorString().toStdString() << std::endl;
+        std::cerr << "failed to connect to " << server.toStdString()
+                  << " on port " << port
+                  << ": " << sock.errorString().toStdString() << std::endl;
+
         if(app != NULL)
             app->exit();
         else
diff --git a/socketirc.h b/socketirc.h
index b09ef5c..7035c41 100644
--- a/socketirc.h
+++ b/socketirc.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ class SocketIRC : public QObject
 public:
 
     SocketIRC();
+    SocketIRC(QString server_, int port_);
     void setServer(QString server_);
     void setPort(int port_);
     void connectToServer(QCoreApplication* app_);
diff --git a/sparrowbot.cpp b/sparrowbot.cpp
index 2186596..ec9cc2c 100644
--- a/sparrowbot.cpp
+++ b/sparrowbot.cpp
@@ -132,7 +132,6 @@ void SparrowBot::disconnect()
 void SparrowBot::disconnect(QString str)
 {
     emit sendMsg(QString("QUIT :%1").arg(str));
-
 }
 
 void SparrowBot::joinGame()