diff --git a/commands.go b/commands.go
index 1a14678..5ab5fc3 100644
--- a/commands.go
+++ b/commands.go
@@ -278,6 +278,11 @@ func runCommand(conn *Connection, name string, args ...string) {
 		fmt.Fprintf(conn, "command %s can not be used while in transit\n", name)
 		return
 	}
+
+	if conn.IsMining() {
+		conn.StopMining()
+	}
+
 	cmd.handler(conn, args...)
 }
 
diff --git a/connection.go b/connection.go
index ec96758..370f4b9 100644
--- a/connection.go
+++ b/connection.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"bufio"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"net"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -137,6 +138,28 @@ func (c *Connection) SendBomb(target *System) {
 	fmt.Fprintf(c, "sending bomb to system %v\n", target.Label())
 }
 
+func (c *Connection) ReadLines(out chan []string) {
+	defer close(out)
+
+	for {
+		line, err := c.ReadString('\n')
+		switch err {
+		case io.EOF:
+			return
+		case nil:
+			break
+		default:
+			log_error("unable to read line on connection: %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+		line = strings.TrimSpace(line)
+		if line == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		out <- strings.Split(line, " ")
+	}
+}
+
 func (c *Connection) land() {
 	fmt.Fprintf(c, "you have arrived at %v\n", c.dest.Label())
 	c.location = c.dest
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 625a638..42cb7ad 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -3,12 +3,10 @@ package main
 import (
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"log"
 	"math/rand"
 	"net"
 	"os"
-	"strings"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -52,28 +50,11 @@ func handleConnection(conn *Connection) {
 	conn.Login()
 
 	conn.Respawn()
-	for {
-		line, err := conn.ReadString('\n')
-		switch err {
-		case io.EOF:
-			return
-		case nil:
-			break
-		default:
-			log_error("failed to read line from player %s: %v", conn.PlayerName(), err)
-			return
-		}
-		line = strings.TrimSpace(line)
 
-		if conn.IsMining() {
-			conn.StopMining()
-		}
-
-		if line == "" {
-			continue
-		}
-		parts := strings.Split(line, " ")
+	c := make(chan []string)
+	go conn.ReadLines(c)
 
+	for parts := range c {
 		if isCommand(parts[0]) {
 			runCommand(conn, parts[0], parts[1:]...)
 			continue
@@ -85,6 +66,7 @@ func handleConnection(conn *Connection) {
 		default:
 			fmt.Fprintf(conn, "hmm I'm not sure I know that one.\n")
 		}
+
 	}
 }