diff --git a/internal/handlers/api.go b/internal/handlers/api.go
index 7182105..a55cbc1 100644
--- a/internal/handlers/api.go
+++ b/internal/handlers/api.go
@@ -303,46 +303,61 @@ func (s *Handlers) handlePrivmsg(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, uid, ni
 	content := strings.Join(lines, "\n")
 
 	if strings.HasPrefix(to, "#") {
-		// Channel message.
-		var chID string
+		s.sendChannelMessage(w, r, uid, nick, to, content)
 
-		//nolint:gosec // G701: parameterized query, not injection
-		err := s.params.Database.GetDB().QueryRowContext(r.Context(),
-			"SELECT id FROM channels WHERE name = ?", to).Scan(&chID)
-		if err != nil {
-			s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]string{"error": "channel not found"}, http.StatusNotFound)
-
-			return
-		}
-
-		msgID, err := s.params.Database.SendMessage(r.Context(), chID, uid, nick, content)
-		if err != nil {
-			s.log.Error("send message failed", "error", err)
-			s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]string{"error": "internal error"}, http.StatusInternalServerError)
-
-			return
-		}
-
-		s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]any{"id": msgID, "status": "sent"}, http.StatusCreated)
-	} else {
-		// DM.
-		targetUser, err := s.params.Database.GetUserByNick(r.Context(), to)
-		if err != nil {
-			s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]string{"error": "user not found"}, http.StatusNotFound)
-
-			return
-		}
-
-		msgID, err := s.params.Database.SendDM(r.Context(), uid, nick, targetUser.ID, content)
-		if err != nil {
-			s.log.Error("send dm failed", "error", err)
-			s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]string{"error": "internal error"}, http.StatusInternalServerError)
-
-			return
-		}
-
-		s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]any{"id": msgID, "status": "sent"}, http.StatusCreated)
+		return
 	}
+
+	// DM.
+	s.sendDirectMessage(w, r, uid, nick, to, content)
+}
+
+func (s *Handlers) sendChannelMessage(
+	w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request,
+	uid, nick, channel, content string,
+) {
+	var chID string
+
+	//nolint:gosec // G701: parameterized query, not injection
+	err := s.params.Database.GetDB().QueryRowContext(r.Context(),
+		"SELECT id FROM channels WHERE name = ?", channel).Scan(&chID)
+	if err != nil {
+		s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]string{"error": "channel not found"}, http.StatusNotFound)
+
+		return
+	}
+
+	msgID, err := s.params.Database.SendMessage(r.Context(), chID, uid, nick, content)
+	if err != nil {
+		s.log.Error("send message failed", "error", err)
+		s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]string{"error": "internal error"}, http.StatusInternalServerError)
+
+		return
+	}
+
+	s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]any{"id": msgID, "status": "sent"}, http.StatusCreated)
+}
+
+func (s *Handlers) sendDirectMessage(
+	w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request,
+	uid, nick, to, content string,
+) {
+	targetUser, err := s.params.Database.GetUserByNick(r.Context(), to)
+	if err != nil {
+		s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]string{"error": "user not found"}, http.StatusNotFound)
+
+		return
+	}
+
+	msgID, err := s.params.Database.SendDM(r.Context(), uid, nick, targetUser.ID, content)
+	if err != nil {
+		s.log.Error("send dm failed", "error", err)
+		s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]string{"error": "internal error"}, http.StatusInternalServerError)
+
+		return
+	}
+
+	s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]any{"id": msgID, "status": "sent"}, http.StatusCreated)
 }
 
 func (s *Handlers) handleJoin(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, uid, to string) {
@@ -495,49 +510,63 @@ func (s *Handlers) HandleGetHistory() http.HandlerFunc {
 		}
 
 		if strings.HasPrefix(target, "#") {
-			// Channel history — look up channel by name to get its ID for target matching.
-			var chID string
+			s.getChannelHistory(w, r, target, beforeTS, limit)
 
-			//nolint:gosec // G701: parameterized query, not injection
-			err := s.params.Database.GetDB().QueryRowContext(r.Context(),
-				"SELECT id FROM channels WHERE name = ?", target).Scan(&chID)
-			if err != nil {
-				s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]string{"error": "channel not found"}, http.StatusNotFound)
-
-				return
-			}
-
-			msgs, err := s.params.Database.GetMessagesBefore(r.Context(), chID, beforeTS, limit)
-			if err != nil {
-				s.log.Error("get history failed", "error", err)
-				s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]string{"error": "internal error"}, http.StatusInternalServerError)
-
-				return
-			}
-
-			s.respondJSON(w, r, msgs, http.StatusOK)
-		} else {
-			// DM history.
-			targetUser, err := s.params.Database.GetUserByNick(r.Context(), target)
-			if err != nil {
-				s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]string{"error": "user not found"}, http.StatusNotFound)
-
-				return
-			}
-
-			msgs, err := s.params.Database.GetDMsBefore(r.Context(), uid, targetUser.ID, beforeTS, limit)
-			if err != nil {
-				s.log.Error("get dm history failed", "error", err)
-				s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]string{"error": "internal error"}, http.StatusInternalServerError)
-
-				return
-			}
-
-			s.respondJSON(w, r, msgs, http.StatusOK)
+			return
 		}
+
+		s.getDMHistory(w, r, uid, target, beforeTS, limit)
 	}
 }
 
+func (s *Handlers) getChannelHistory(
+	w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request,
+	channel, beforeTS string, limit int,
+) {
+	var chID string
+
+	//nolint:gosec // G701: parameterized query, not injection
+	err := s.params.Database.GetDB().QueryRowContext(r.Context(),
+		"SELECT id FROM channels WHERE name = ?", channel).Scan(&chID)
+	if err != nil {
+		s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]string{"error": "channel not found"}, http.StatusNotFound)
+
+		return
+	}
+
+	msgs, err := s.params.Database.GetMessagesBefore(r.Context(), chID, beforeTS, limit)
+	if err != nil {
+		s.log.Error("get history failed", "error", err)
+		s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]string{"error": "internal error"}, http.StatusInternalServerError)
+
+		return
+	}
+
+	s.respondJSON(w, r, msgs, http.StatusOK)
+}
+
+func (s *Handlers) getDMHistory(
+	w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request,
+	uid, target, beforeTS string, limit int,
+) {
+	targetUser, err := s.params.Database.GetUserByNick(r.Context(), target)
+	if err != nil {
+		s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]string{"error": "user not found"}, http.StatusNotFound)
+
+		return
+	}
+
+	msgs, err := s.params.Database.GetDMsBefore(r.Context(), uid, targetUser.ID, beforeTS, limit)
+	if err != nil {
+		s.log.Error("get dm history failed", "error", err)
+		s.respondJSON(w, r, map[string]string{"error": "internal error"}, http.StatusInternalServerError)
+
+		return
+	}
+
+	s.respondJSON(w, r, msgs, http.StatusOK)
+}
+
 // HandleServerInfo returns server metadata (MOTD, name).
 func (s *Handlers) HandleServerInfo() http.HandlerFunc {
 	type response struct {