diff --git a/src/bot.rs b/src/bot.rs
index 0687ce3..d092787 100644
--- a/src/bot.rs
+++ b/src/bot.rs
@@ -179,6 +179,7 @@ impl Bot {
         Ok(id)
     }
 
+    /// Collects the configured announcement rooms and joins them if necessary.
     #[instrument(skip(self))]
     async fn join_announce_rooms(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
         for room in &self.config.space.announce_rooms {
@@ -205,28 +206,13 @@ impl Bot {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    #[instrument(skip(self))]
-    async fn handle_message(
+    #[instrument(skip(self, ev, room))]
+    async fn handle_command(
         self: &Arc<Self>,
         ev: &OriginalRoomMessageEvent,
         room: &Joined,
+        command: &str,
     ) -> Result<()> {
-        event!(Level::TRACE, ?ev, "handling message");
-        if Some(&*ev.sender) == self.client.user_id() {
-            event!(Level::TRACE, "message from ourselves, ignoring");
-            return Ok(());
-        }
-
-        let MessageType::Text(TextMessageEventContent { body, .. }) = &ev.content.msgtype else {
-            event!(Level::TRACE, "non-plaintext message, ignoring");
-            return Ok(());
-        };
-
-        let Some(command) = body.strip_prefix(&self.config.app.command_prefix) else {
-            event!(Level::TRACE, "non-command message, ignoring");
-            return Ok(());
-        };
-
         let reply = |msg: &str| {
             // workaround for broken IRC bridge
             // https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-appservice-irc/issues/683#issuecomment-1312688727
@@ -254,8 +240,43 @@ impl Bot {
             _ => {
                 reply("Unknown command").await?;
             }
+        };
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    #[instrument(skip(self))]
+    async fn handle_message(
+        self: &Arc<Self>,
+        ev: &OriginalRoomMessageEvent,
+        room: &Joined,
+    ) -> Result<()> {
+        event!(Level::TRACE, ?ev, "handling message");
+        if Some(&*ev.sender) == self.client.user_id() {
+            event!(Level::TRACE, "message from ourselves, ignoring");
+            return Ok(());
         }
 
+        let MessageType::Text(TextMessageEventContent { body, .. }) = &ev.content.msgtype else {
+            event!(Level::TRACE, "non-plaintext message, ignoring");
+            return Ok(());
+        };
+
+        let Some(command) = body.strip_prefix(&self.config.app.command_prefix) else {
+            event!(Level::TRACE, "non-command message, ignoring");
+            return Ok(());
+        };
+
+        if let Err(error) = self.handle_command(ev, room, command).await {
+            event!(Level::WARN, ?error, "handling command failed");
+            let _ignore = room
+                .send(
+                    RoomMessageEventContent::text_plain("error handling command: {error}"),
+                    None,
+                )
+                .await;
+        };
+
         Ok(())
     }