diff --git a/ircddb/IRCDDBApp.cpp b/ircddb/IRCDDBApp.cpp
index 02fba07..691c920 100644
--- a/ircddb/IRCDDBApp.cpp
+++ b/ircddb/IRCDDBApp.cpp
@@ -447,6 +447,8 @@ void IRCDDBApp::sendPing(const std::string &to, const std::string &from)
 		std::string ircUser = t + std::string("-") + std::to_string(j);
 
 		if (1 == d->user.count(ircUser)) {
+			std::string f(from);
+			ReplaceChar(f, ' ', '_');
 			IRCMessage *rm = new IRCMessage(ircUser, "IDRT_PING");
 			rm->addParam(from);
 			std::string out;
diff --git a/ircddb/IRCProtocol.cpp b/ircddb/IRCProtocol.cpp
index 0b0a457..efbacd5 100644
--- a/ircddb/IRCProtocol.cpp
+++ b/ircddb/IRCProtocol.cpp
@@ -192,6 +192,11 @@ bool IRCProtocol::processQueues(IRCMessageQueue *recvQ, IRCMessageQueue *sendQ)
 					// pass this on to the replyQ so the gateway can PONG the sender
 					if (0==m->params[0].compare(currentNick) && 0==m->params[1].compare("IDRT_PING")) {
 						IRCMessage *rm = new IRCMessage(m->params[1], m->params[2]);
+						std::string out;
+						rm->composeMessage(out);
+						out.pop_back();
+						out.pop_back();
+						printf("IRCProtocol::processQueues reply msg sent: %s\n", out.c_str());
 						app->putReplyMessage(rm);
 					}
 				}