diff --git a/src/server/packet/add-favorite.js b/src/server/packet/add-favorite.js
index 78db3d4..879b30c 100644
--- a/src/server/packet/add-favorite.js
+++ b/src/server/packet/add-favorite.js
@@ -4,11 +4,10 @@ import {allModels} from '~/server/models/registrar';
 
 export default {
   Packet: AddFavorite,
-  validator: () => true,
-  responder: async (packet, socket, fn) => {
+  validator: async () => true,
+  responder: async (packet, socket) => {
     const {req} = socket;
     await req.user.createFavorite({channel: packet.data});
     socket.to(`/user/${req.userId}`, packet);
-    fn();
   },
 };
diff --git a/src/server/packet/add-friend.js b/src/server/packet/add-friend.js
index 1943d2c..5da784a 100644
--- a/src/server/packet/add-friend.js
+++ b/src/server/packet/add-friend.js
@@ -1,21 +1,29 @@
+import {validateUsername} from '~/common/channel';
 import AddFriend from '~/common/packets/add-friend.packet';
 
 import {allModels} from '~/server/models/registrar';
 
+import ValidationError from './validation-error';
+
 export default {
   Packet: AddFriend,
-  validator: () => true,
-  responder: async (packet, socket, fn) => {
+  limiter: {points: 20, duration: 60},
+  validator: async ({data: {nameOrStatus}}) => {
+    if (!validateUsername(nameOrStatus)) {
+      throw new ValidationError('Invalid username');
+    }
+  },
+  responder: async (packet, socket) => {
     const {req} = socket;
     const {
       Friendship,
       User,
     } = allModels();
     const adderId = req.user.id;
-    const user = await User.findOne({where: {redditUsername: packet.data.nameOrStatus}});
-    if (!user) {
-      return;
-    }
+    const user = (
+      await User.findOne({where: {redditUsername: packet.data.nameOrStatus}})
+      || await User.create({redditUsername: packet.data.nameOrStatus})
+    );
     const addeeId = user.id;
     let friendship = await Friendship.findOne({where: {adderId: addeeId, addeeId: adderId}});
     const friendshipIsActive = !!friendship;
@@ -33,6 +41,6 @@ export default {
         nameOrStatus: friendship.status,
       }));
     });
-    fn(addeeId);
+    return addeeId;
   },
 };
diff --git a/src/server/packet/block.js b/src/server/packet/block.js
index 048b359..9927d79 100644
--- a/src/server/packet/block.js
+++ b/src/server/packet/block.js
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ import {removeFavoritedUser} from './remove-favorite';
 
 export default {
   Packet: Block,
-  validator: () => true,
-  responder: async (packet, socket, fn) => {
+  validator: async () => true,
+  responder: async (packet, socket) => {
     const {req} = socket;
     const id = packet.data;
     const {Friendship, User} = allModels();
@@ -29,6 +29,5 @@ export default {
     socket.to(`/user/${req.userId}`, packet);
     socket.to(`/user/${id}`, new RemoveFriend(req.userId));
     socket.to(`/user/${req.userId}`, new RemoveFriend(id));
-    fn();
   },
 };
diff --git a/src/server/packet/join.js b/src/server/packet/join.js
index 57c2d94..2459278 100644
--- a/src/server/packet/join.js
+++ b/src/server/packet/join.js
@@ -21,11 +21,11 @@ export const userJoin = async (channel, socket) => {
 
 export default {
   Packet: Join,
-  validator: () => true,
-  responder: async (packet, socket, fn) => {
+  validator: async () => true,
+  responder: async (packet, socket) => {
     const {req} = socket;
     const {channel} = packet.data;
     await userJoin(channel, socket.socket);
-    fn(await channelState(req, channel));
+    return channelState(req, channel);
   },
 };
diff --git a/src/server/packet/leave.js b/src/server/packet/leave.js
index 1de0c93..707298c 100644
--- a/src/server/packet/leave.js
+++ b/src/server/packet/leave.js
@@ -16,10 +16,9 @@ export const userLeave = async (channel, socket) => {
 
 export default {
   Packet: Leave,
-  validator: () => true,
-  responder: async (packet, socket, fn) => {
+  validator: async () => true,
+  responder: async (packet, socket) => {
     const {channel} = packet.data;
-    await userLeave(channel, socket);
-    fn();
+    return userLeave(channel, socket);
   },
 };
diff --git a/src/server/packet/message.js b/src/server/packet/message.js
index af357f6..34befe1 100644
--- a/src/server/packet/message.js
+++ b/src/server/packet/message.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import {allModels} from '~/server/models/registrar';
 export default {
   Packet: Message,
   limiter: {points: 10, duration: 15},
-  validator: () => true,
+  validator: async () => true,
   responder: async (packet, socket, fn) => {
     const {req} = socket;
     const {pubClient} = req.adapter;
@@ -35,15 +35,17 @@ export default {
         uuid,
       }))
     ));
-    pubClient
-      .multi()
-      .set(key, JSON.stringify({
-        message,
-        owner,
-        socket: socket.id,
-        timestamp,
-      }))
-      .expire(key, '/r/anonymous' === channel ? 60 : 600)
-      .exec(() => fn([timestamp, uuid]));
+    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+      pubClient
+        .multi()
+        .set(key, JSON.stringify({
+          message,
+          owner,
+          socket: socket.id,
+          timestamp,
+        }))
+        .expire(key, '/r/anonymous' === channel ? 60 : 600)
+        .exec((error) => (error ? reject(error) : resolve([timestamp, uuid])));
+    });
   },
 };
diff --git a/src/server/packet/remove-favorite.js b/src/server/packet/remove-favorite.js
index 2b1f5be..c31672e 100644
--- a/src/server/packet/remove-favorite.js
+++ b/src/server/packet/remove-favorite.js
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ export const removeFavoritedUser = async (socket, user, other) => {
 
 export default {
   Packet: RemoveFavorite,
-  validator: () => true,
-  responder: async (packet, socket, fn) => {
+  validator: async () => true,
+  responder: async (packet, socket) => {
     const {req} = socket;
     const {Favorite} = allModels();
     const favorites = await req.user.getFavorites();
@@ -30,6 +30,5 @@ export default {
       },
     });
     socket.to(`/user/${req.userId}`, packet);
-    fn();
-},
+  },
 };
diff --git a/src/server/packet/remove-friend.js b/src/server/packet/remove-friend.js
index a93f41e..0818595 100644
--- a/src/server/packet/remove-friend.js
+++ b/src/server/packet/remove-friend.js
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ import {removeFavoritedUser} from './remove-favorite';
 
 export default {
   Packet: RemoveFriend,
-  validator: () => true,
-  responder: async (packet, socket, fn) => {
+  validator: async () => true,
+  responder: async (packet, socket) => {
     const {req} = socket;
     const id = packet.data;
     const {Friendship, User} = allModels();
@@ -26,6 +26,5 @@ export default {
     const user = await User.findByPk(id);
     removeFavoritedUser(socket, user, req.user);
     removeFavoritedUser(socket, req.user, user);
-    fn();
   },
 };
diff --git a/src/server/packet/unblock.js b/src/server/packet/unblock.js
index ec11a76..8cb85db 100644
--- a/src/server/packet/unblock.js
+++ b/src/server/packet/unblock.js
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ import {allModels} from '~/server/models/registrar';
 
 export default {
   Packet: Unblock,
-  validator: () => true,
-  responder: async (packet, socket, fn) => {
+  validator: async () => true,
+  responder: async (packet, socket) => {
     const {req} = socket;
     const {Block: BlockModel} = allModels();
     await BlockModel.destroy({
@@ -15,6 +15,5 @@ export default {
       },
     });
     socket.to(`/user/${req.userId}`, packet);
-    fn();
   },
 };
diff --git a/src/server/packet/usernames.js b/src/server/packet/usernames.js
index 2cca314..1467a19 100644
--- a/src/server/packet/usernames.js
+++ b/src/server/packet/usernames.js
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ import {allModels} from '~/server/models/registrar';
 
 export default {
   Packet: Usernames,
-  validator: () => true,
-  responder: async (packet, socket, fn) => {
+  validator: async () => true,
+  responder: async (packet) => {
     const {User} = allModels();
-    fn(await Promise.all(packet.data.map(
+    return Promise.all(packet.data.map(
       async (id) => (await User.findByPk(id)).redditUsername,
-    )));
+    ));
   },
 };
diff --git a/src/server/packet/validation-error.js b/src/server/packet/validation-error.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e5d16e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/server/packet/validation-error.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+export default class ValidationError extends Error {}
diff --git a/src/server/sockets.js b/src/server/sockets.js
index 9991ff0..e91c45f 100644
--- a/src/server/sockets.js
+++ b/src/server/sockets.js
@@ -63,22 +63,24 @@ export function createSocketServer(httpServer) {
   });
   socketServer.on('connect', (socket) => {
     socket.on('packet', async (packet, fn) => {
-      const {limiter, responder} = packetHandlers.get(packet.constructor);
-      if (limiter) {
-        try {
+      const {limiter, responder, validator} = packetHandlers.get(packet.constructor);
+      try {
+        if (limiter) {
           await limiter.consume(socket.id);
-          responder(packet, socket, (...args) => fn(undefined, ...args));
-        }
-        catch (error) {
-          if (error instanceof Error) {
-            fn({code: 500});
-            throw error;
-          }
-          fn({code: 429, ttr: Math.round(error.msBeforeNext / 1000) || 1});
         }
+        await validator(packet, socket);
+        fn(undefined, await responder(packet, socket));
       }
-      else {
-        responder(packet, socket, (...args) => fn(undefined, ...args));
+      catch (error) {
+        if (error instanceof Error) {
+          fn({code: 500});
+          throw error;
+        }
+        if (error.msBeforeNext) {
+          fn({code: 429, ttr: Math.round(error.msBeforeNext / 1000) || 1});
+          return;
+        }
+        fn(error);
       }
     });
     socket.on('disconnecting', async () => {