diff --git a/bridge.go b/bridge.go
index 4b2fe92..e69f519 100644
--- a/bridge.go
+++ b/bridge.go
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"gopkg.in/irc.v3"
+
+	"git.sr.ht/~emersion/soju/xirc"
 )
 
 func forwardChannel(ctx context.Context, dc *downstreamConn, ch *upstreamChannel) {
@@ -27,7 +29,7 @@ func forwardChannel(ctx context.Context, dc *downstreamConn, ch *upstreamChannel
 		} else {
 			timestampStr := "*"
 			if r != nil {
-				timestampStr = fmt.Sprintf("timestamp=%s", formatServerTime(r.Timestamp))
+				timestampStr = fmt.Sprintf("timestamp=%s", xirc.FormatServerTime(r.Timestamp))
 			}
 			dc.SendMessage(&irc.Message{
 				Prefix:  dc.prefix(),
diff --git a/downstream.go b/downstream.go
index 1509095..ec2f0e2 100644
--- a/downstream.go
+++ b/downstream.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"gopkg.in/irc.v3"
 
 	"git.sr.ht/~emersion/soju/database"
+	"git.sr.ht/~emersion/soju/xirc"
 )
 
 type ircError struct {
@@ -2472,7 +2473,7 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) handleMessageRegistered(ctx context.Context, msg *irc.
 				dc.logger.Printf("broadcasting bouncer-wide %v: %v", msg.Command, text)
 
 				broadcastTags := tags.Copy()
-				broadcastTags["time"] = irc.TagValue(formatServerTime(time.Now()))
+				broadcastTags["time"] = irc.TagValue(xirc.FormatServerTime(time.Now()))
 				broadcastMsg := &irc.Message{
 					Tags:    broadcastTags,
 					Prefix:  servicePrefix,
@@ -2498,7 +2499,7 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) handleMessageRegistered(ctx context.Context, msg *irc.
 			if casemapASCII(name) == serviceNickCM {
 				if dc.caps.IsEnabled("echo-message") {
 					echoTags := tags.Copy()
-					echoTags["time"] = irc.TagValue(formatServerTime(time.Now()))
+					echoTags["time"] = irc.TagValue(xirc.FormatServerTime(time.Now()))
 					dc.SendMessage(&irc.Message{
 						Tags:    echoTags,
 						Prefix:  dc.prefix(),
@@ -2547,7 +2548,7 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) handleMessageRegistered(ctx context.Context, msg *irc.
 				}
 
 				echoTags := tags.Copy()
-				echoTags["time"] = irc.TagValue(formatServerTime(time.Now()))
+				echoTags["time"] = irc.TagValue(xirc.FormatServerTime(time.Now()))
 				if uc.account != "" {
 					echoTags["account"] = irc.TagValue(uc.account)
 				}
@@ -2871,7 +2872,7 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) handleMessageRegistered(ctx context.Context, msg *irc.
 						Tags:    irc.Tags{"batch": batchRef},
 						Prefix:  dc.srv.prefix(),
 						Command: "CHATHISTORY",
-						Params:  []string{"TARGETS", target.Name, formatServerTime(target.LatestMessage)},
+						Params:  []string{"TARGETS", target.Name, xirc.FormatServerTime(target.LatestMessage)},
 					})
 				}
 			})
@@ -2941,7 +2942,7 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) handleMessageRegistered(ctx context.Context, msg *irc.
 				}}
 			}
 
-			timestamp, err := time.Parse(serverTimeLayout, criteriaParts[1])
+			timestamp, err := time.Parse(xirc.ServerTimeLayout, criteriaParts[1])
 			if err != nil {
 				return ircError{&irc.Message{
 					Command: "FAIL",
@@ -2967,7 +2968,7 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) handleMessageRegistered(ctx context.Context, msg *irc.
 
 		timestampStr := "*"
 		if !r.Timestamp.IsZero() {
-			timestampStr = fmt.Sprintf("timestamp=%s", formatServerTime(r.Timestamp))
+			timestampStr = fmt.Sprintf("timestamp=%s", xirc.FormatServerTime(r.Timestamp))
 		}
 		network.forEachDownstream(func(d *downstreamConn) {
 			if broadcast || dc.id == d.id {
@@ -3001,7 +3002,7 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) handleMessageRegistered(ctx context.Context, msg *irc.
 			value := string(v)
 			switch name {
 			case "before", "after":
-				timestamp, err := time.Parse(serverTimeLayout, value)
+				timestamp, err := time.Parse(xirc.ServerTimeLayout, value)
 				if err != nil {
 					return ircError{&irc.Message{
 						Command: "FAIL",
diff --git a/irc.go b/irc.go
index ba48de5..8e352a3 100644
--- a/irc.go
+++ b/irc.go
@@ -11,8 +11,11 @@ import (
 	"gopkg.in/irc.v3"
 
 	"git.sr.ht/~emersion/soju/database"
+	"git.sr.ht/~emersion/soju/xirc"
 )
 
+// TODO: generalize and move helpers to the xirc package
+
 const (
 	rpl_statsping     = "246"
 	rpl_localusers    = "265"
@@ -42,13 +45,6 @@ const (
 	maxSASLLength    = 400
 )
 
-// The server-time layout, as defined in the IRCv3 spec.
-const serverTimeLayout = "2006-01-02T15:04:05.000Z"
-
-func formatServerTime(t time.Time) string {
-	return t.UTC().Format(serverTimeLayout)
-}
-
 type userModes string
 
 func (ms userModes) Has(c byte) bool {
@@ -479,28 +475,6 @@ func (js *joinSorter) Swap(i, j int) {
 	js.keys[i], js.keys[j] = js.keys[j], js.keys[i]
 }
 
-// parseCTCPMessage parses a CTCP message. CTCP is defined in
-// https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-oakley-irc-ctcp-02
-func parseCTCPMessage(msg *irc.Message) (cmd string, params string, ok bool) {
-	if (msg.Command != "PRIVMSG" && msg.Command != "NOTICE") || len(msg.Params) < 2 {
-		return "", "", false
-	}
-	text := msg.Params[1]
-
-	if !strings.HasPrefix(text, "\x01") {
-		return "", "", false
-	}
-	text = strings.Trim(text, "\x01")
-
-	words := strings.SplitN(text, " ", 2)
-	cmd = strings.ToUpper(words[0])
-	if len(words) > 1 {
-		params = words[1]
-	}
-
-	return cmd, params, true
-}
-
 type casemapping func(string) string
 
 func casemapNone(name string) string {
@@ -728,7 +702,7 @@ func parseChatHistoryBound(param string) time.Time {
 	}
 	switch parts[0] {
 	case "timestamp":
-		timestamp, err := time.Parse(serverTimeLayout, parts[1])
+		timestamp, err := time.Parse(xirc.ServerTimeLayout, parts[1])
 		if err != nil {
 			return time.Time{}
 		}
diff --git a/msgstore_fs.go b/msgstore_fs.go
index 73698c5..6c77ba5 100644
--- a/msgstore_fs.go
+++ b/msgstore_fs.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"gopkg.in/irc.v3"
 
 	"git.sr.ht/~emersion/soju/database"
+	"git.sr.ht/~emersion/soju/xirc"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -135,7 +136,7 @@ func (ms *fsMessageStore) Append(network *database.Network, entity string, msg *
 	var t time.Time
 	if tag, ok := msg.Tags["time"]; ok {
 		var err error
-		t, err = time.Parse(serverTimeLayout, string(tag))
+		t, err = time.Parse(xirc.ServerTimeLayout, string(tag))
 		if err != nil {
 			return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to parse message time tag: %v", err)
 		}
@@ -245,7 +246,7 @@ func formatMessage(msg *irc.Message) string {
 	case "NOTICE":
 		return fmt.Sprintf("-%s- %s", msg.Prefix.Name, msg.Params[1])
 	case "PRIVMSG":
-		if cmd, params, ok := parseCTCPMessage(msg); ok && cmd == "ACTION" {
+		if cmd, params, ok := xirc.ParseCTCPMessage(msg); ok && cmd == "ACTION" {
 			return fmt.Sprintf("* %s %s", msg.Prefix.Name, params)
 		} else {
 			return fmt.Sprintf("<%s> %s", msg.Prefix.Name, msg.Params[1])
@@ -392,7 +393,7 @@ func (ms *fsMessageStore) parseMessage(line string, network *database.Network, e
 
 	msg := &irc.Message{
 		Tags: map[string]irc.TagValue{
-			"time": irc.TagValue(formatServerTime(t)),
+			"time": irc.TagValue(xirc.FormatServerTime(t)),
 		},
 		Prefix:  prefix,
 		Command: cmd,
diff --git a/upstream.go b/upstream.go
index cc8a7e3..ea93f5e 100644
--- a/upstream.go
+++ b/upstream.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"gopkg.in/irc.v3"
 
 	"git.sr.ht/~emersion/soju/database"
+	"git.sr.ht/~emersion/soju/xirc"
 )
 
 // permanentUpstreamCaps is the static list of upstream capabilities always
@@ -464,7 +465,7 @@ func (uc *upstreamConn) handleMessage(ctx context.Context, msg *irc.Message) err
 	}
 
 	if _, ok := msg.Tags["time"]; !ok && !isNumeric(msg.Command) {
-		msg.Tags["time"] = irc.TagValue(formatServerTime(time.Now()))
+		msg.Tags["time"] = irc.TagValue(xirc.FormatServerTime(time.Now()))
 	}
 
 	switch msg.Command {
diff --git a/xirc/xirc.go b/xirc/xirc.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d65272
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xirc/xirc.go
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+// Package xirc contains an extended IRC library.
+package xirc
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+
+	"gopkg.in/irc.v3"
+)
+
+// The server-time layout, as defined in the IRCv3 spec.
+const ServerTimeLayout = "2006-01-02T15:04:05.000Z"
+
+// FormatServerTime formats a time with the server-time layout.
+func FormatServerTime(t time.Time) string {
+	return t.UTC().Format(ServerTimeLayout)
+}
+
+// ParseCTCPMessage parses a CTCP message. CTCP is defined in
+// https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-oakley-irc-ctcp-02
+func ParseCTCPMessage(msg *irc.Message) (cmd string, params string, ok bool) {
+	if (msg.Command != "PRIVMSG" && msg.Command != "NOTICE") || len(msg.Params) < 2 {
+		return "", "", false
+	}
+	text := msg.Params[1]
+
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(text, "\x01") {
+		return "", "", false
+	}
+	text = strings.Trim(text, "\x01")
+
+	words := strings.SplitN(text, " ", 2)
+	cmd = strings.ToUpper(words[0])
+	if len(words) > 1 {
+		params = words[1]
+	}
+
+	return cmd, params, true
+}