diff --git a/mybot.go b/mybot.go
index d59be84..172a029 100644
--- a/mybot.go
+++ b/mybot.go
@@ -51,6 +51,12 @@ func main() {
 			log.Fatal(err)
 		}
 
+		// if there is an error returned, report it and skip this loop.
+		if m.Type == "error" {
+			log.Println(fmt.Errorf("error from Slack on getMessage: code %v\t%s\n", m.Error.Code, m.Error.Message))
+			continue
+		}
+
 		// see if we're mentioned
 		if m.Type == "message" && strings.HasPrefix(m.Text, "<@"+id+">") {
 			// if so try to parse if
diff --git a/slack.go b/slack.go
index 3ef645c..9873173 100644
--- a/slack.go
+++ b/slack.go
@@ -36,18 +36,15 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/net/websocket"
 )
 
-// These two structures represent the response of the Slack API rtm.start.
+// responseRtmStart represent the response of the Slack API rtm.start.
 // Only some fields are included. The rest are ignored by json.Unmarshal.
-
 type responseRtmStart struct {
-	Ok    bool         `json:"ok"`
-	Error string       `json:"error"`
-	Url   string       `json:"url"`
-	Self  responseSelf `json:"self"`
-}
-
-type responseSelf struct {
-	Id string `json:"id"`
+	Ok    bool   `json:"ok"`
+	Error string `json:"error"`
+	URL   string `json:"url"`
+	Self  struct {
+		ID string `json:"id"`
+	} `json:"self"`
 }
 
 // slackStart does a rtm.start, and returns a websocket URL and user ID. The
@@ -58,15 +55,17 @@ func slackStart(token string) (wsurl, id string, err error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
-	if resp.StatusCode != 200 {
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
+	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
 		err = fmt.Errorf("API request failed with code %d", resp.StatusCode)
 		return
 	}
 	body, err := ioutil.ReadAll(resp.Body)
-	resp.Body.Close()
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
+
 	var respObj responseRtmStart
 	err = json.Unmarshal(body, &respObj)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -78,20 +77,25 @@ func slackStart(token string) (wsurl, id string, err error) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	wsurl = respObj.Url
-	id = respObj.Self.Id
+	wsurl = respObj.URL
+	id = respObj.Self.ID
 	return
 }
 
-// These are the messages read off and written into the websocket. Since this
+// Message represents the messages read off and written into the websocket. Since this
 // struct serves as both read and write, we include the "Id" field which is
 // required only for writing.
-
 type Message struct {
-	Id      uint64 `json:"id"`
+	ID      uint64 `json:"id"`
 	Type    string `json:"type"`
 	Channel string `json:"channel"`
+	User    string `json:"user"`
 	Text    string `json:"text"`
+	Error   struct {
+		// Error is only populated if an error is present. Check for type == "error"
+		Code    int    `json:"code"`
+		Message string `json:"message"`
+	} `json:"error"`
 }
 
 func getMessage(ws *websocket.Conn) (m Message, err error) {
@@ -102,7 +106,7 @@ func getMessage(ws *websocket.Conn) (m Message, err error) {
 var counter uint64
 
 func postMessage(ws *websocket.Conn, m Message) error {
-	m.Id = atomic.AddUint64(&counter, 1)
+	m.ID = atomic.AddUint64(&counter, 1)
 	return websocket.JSON.Send(ws, m)
 }