diff --git a/src/irc.c b/src/irc.c
--- a/src/irc.c
+++ b/src/irc.c
@@ -252,8 +252,10 @@
                     return NULL;
 #endif
                 case ENOMEM:
+                    return "ENOMEM";
                 case ERROR:
-                    return command;
+                    free (command);
+                    return "ERROR";
                 case VERSION:
                     if ((ptr = strchr (message->user, ' ')))
                         *ptr = '\0';