diff --git a/earwigbot/commands/link.py b/earwigbot/commands/link.py
index 438e732..a54ea51 100644
--- a/earwigbot/commands/link.py
+++ b/earwigbot/commands/link.py
@@ -44,10 +44,6 @@ class Link(Command):
             self.reply(data, links.encode("utf8"))
 
         elif data.command == "link":
-            if data.args and data.args[0].startswith(">"):
-                nick = data.args.pop(0)[1:]
-                data._nick = nick  # XXX: hack - should be generally supported
-
             if not data.args:
                 if data.chan in self.last:
                     links = u" , ".join(self.parse_line(self.last[data.chan]))
diff --git a/earwigbot/irc/connection.py b/earwigbot/irc/connection.py
index 14164ea..5fe15b0 100644
--- a/earwigbot/irc/connection.py
+++ b/earwigbot/irc/connection.py
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ class IRCConnection(object):
         if data.is_private:
             self.say(data.chan, msg, hidelog)
         else:
-            msg = "\x02{0}\x0F: {1}".format(data.nick, msg)
+            msg = "\x02{0}\x0F: {1}".format(data.reply_nick, msg)
             self.say(data.chan, msg, hidelog)
 
     def action(self, target, msg, hidelog=False):
diff --git a/earwigbot/irc/data.py b/earwigbot/irc/data.py
index 71f5f36..1947dba 100644
--- a/earwigbot/irc/data.py
+++ b/earwigbot/irc/data.py
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ class Data(object):
         """Parse a line from IRC into its components as instance attributes."""
         sender = re.findall(r":(.*?)!(.*?)@(.*?)\Z", self.line[0])[0]
         self._nick, self._ident, self._host = sender
+        self._reply_nick = self._nick
         self._chan = self.line[2]
 
         if msgtype == "PRIVMSG":
@@ -103,6 +104,14 @@ class Data(object):
                 except IndexError:
                     pass
 
+        # e.g. "!command>user arg1 arg2"
+        if ">" in self.command:
+            self._command, self._reply_nick = self.command.split(">", 1)
+
+        # e.g. "!command >user arg1 arg2"
+        if self.args and self.args[0].startswith(">"):
+            self._reply_nick = self.args.pop(0)[1:]
+
     def _parse_kwargs(self):
         """Parse keyword arguments embedded in self.args.
 
@@ -152,6 +161,11 @@ class Data(object):
         return self._host
 
     @property
+    def reply_nick(self):
+        """Nickname of the person to reply to. Sender by default."""
+        return self._reply_nick
+
+    @property
     def msg(self):
         """Text of the sent message, if it is a message, else ``None``."""
         return self._msg