diff --git a/api.go b/api.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d5cda2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api.go
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/bluele/slack"
+)
+
+var (
+	api     *slack.Slack
+	msgOpts = &slack.ChatPostMessageOpt{AsUser: true}
+)
+
+func InitAPI(token string) {
+	api = slack.New(token)
+	res, err := api.AuthTest()
+	failOnError(err, "Slack API Error")
+	output(fmt.Sprintf("connected to %s as %s", res.Team, res.User))
+}
+
+// Return list of all channels by name
+func listChannels() (names []string) {
+	list, err := api.ChannelsList()
+	failOnError(err)
+	for _, c := range list {
+		names = append(names, c.Name)
+	}
+	return names
+}
+
+// Return list of all groups by name
+func listGroups() (names []string) {
+	list, err := api.GroupsList()
+	failOnError(err)
+	for _, c := range list {
+		names = append(names, c.Name)
+	}
+	return names
+}
+
+// Return list of all ims by name
+func listIms() (names []string) {
+	users, err := api.UsersList()
+	failOnError(err)
+
+	list, err := api.ImList()
+	failOnError(err)
+	for _, c := range list {
+		for _, u := range users {
+			if u.Id == c.User {
+				names = append(names, u.Name)
+				continue
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return names
+}
+
+// Lookup Slack id for channel, group, or im by name
+func lookupSlackID(name string) string {
+	if channel, err := api.FindChannelByName(name); err == nil {
+		return channel.Id
+	}
+	if group, err := api.FindGroupByName(name); err == nil {
+		return group.Id
+	}
+	if im, err := api.FindImByName(name); err == nil {
+		return im.Id
+	}
+	exitErr(fmt.Errorf("No such channel, group, or im"))
+	return ""
+}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 7d2df49..822150c 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -128,15 +128,15 @@ func main() {
 
 		if c.Bool("list") {
 			fmt.Println("channels:")
-			for _, n := range slackcat.listChannels() {
+			for _, n := range listChannels() {
 				fmt.Printf("  %s\n", n)
 			}
 			fmt.Println("groups:")
-			for _, n := range slackcat.listGroups() {
+			for _, n := range listGroups() {
 				fmt.Printf("  %s\n", n)
 			}
 			fmt.Println("ims:")
-			for _, n := range slackcat.listIms() {
+			for _, n := range listIms() {
 				fmt.Printf("  %s\n", n)
 			}
 			os.Exit(0)
diff --git a/slackcat.go b/slackcat.go
index d64bd1c..a824dfe 100644
--- a/slackcat.go
+++ b/slackcat.go
@@ -11,18 +11,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/bluele/slack"
 )
 
-var (
-	api     *slack.Slack
-	msgOpts = &slack.ChatPostMessageOpt{AsUser: true}
-)
-
-func InitAPI(token string) {
-	api = slack.New(token)
-	res, err := api.AuthTest()
-	failOnError(err, "Slack API Error")
-	output(fmt.Sprintf("connected to %s as %s", res.Team, res.User))
-}
-
 //Slackcat client
 type Slackcat struct {
 	queue       *StreamQ
@@ -38,65 +26,12 @@ func newSlackcat(token, channelName string) *Slackcat {
 		channelName: channelName,
 	}
 
-	sc.channelID = sc.lookupSlackID()
+	sc.channelID = lookupSlackID(sc.channelName)
 
 	signal.Notify(sc.shutdown, os.Interrupt)
 	return sc
 }
 
-// Return list of all channels by name
-func (sc *Slackcat) listChannels() (names []string) {
-	list, err := api.ChannelsList()
-	failOnError(err)
-	for _, c := range list {
-		names = append(names, c.Name)
-	}
-	return names
-}
-
-// Return list of all groups by name
-func (sc *Slackcat) listGroups() (names []string) {
-	list, err := api.GroupsList()
-	failOnError(err)
-	for _, c := range list {
-		names = append(names, c.Name)
-	}
-	return names
-}
-
-// Return list of all ims by name
-func (sc *Slackcat) listIms() (names []string) {
-	users, err := api.UsersList()
-	failOnError(err)
-
-	list, err := api.ImList()
-	failOnError(err)
-	for _, c := range list {
-		for _, u := range users {
-			if u.Id == c.User {
-				names = append(names, u.Name)
-				continue
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	return names
-}
-
-// Lookup Slack id for channel, group, or im by name
-func (sc *Slackcat) lookupSlackID() string {
-	if channel, err := api.FindChannelByName(sc.channelName); err == nil {
-		return channel.Id
-	}
-	if group, err := api.FindGroupByName(sc.channelName); err == nil {
-		return group.Id
-	}
-	if im, err := api.FindImByName(sc.channelName); err == nil {
-		return im.Id
-	}
-	exitErr(fmt.Errorf("No such channel, group, or im"))
-	return ""
-}
-
 func (sc *Slackcat) trap() {
 	sigcount := 0
 	for sig := range sc.shutdown {