diff --git a/plugins/tell.py b/plugins/tell.py
index ed1180851..97ad9e535 100644
--- a/plugins/tell.py
+++ b/plugins/tell.py
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
-import re
 from datetime import datetime
-from sqlalchemy import Table, Column, String, Boolean, DateTime
 
+from sqlalchemy import Table, Column, String, Boolean, DateTime
 from sqlalchemy.sql import select
 
 from cloudbot import hook
-from cloudbot.util import timeformat, database
 from cloudbot.event import EventType
+from cloudbot.util import timeformat, database
 
 table = Table(
     'tells',
@@ -20,6 +19,7 @@
     Column('time_read', DateTime)
 )
 
+
 @hook.on_start
 def load_cache(db):
     """
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ def read_all_tells(db, server, target):
     db.commit()
     load_cache(db)
 
+
 def read_tell(db, server, target, message):
     query = table.update() \
         .where(table.c.connection == server.lower()) \
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ def add_tell(db, server, sender, target, message):
     db.commit()
     load_cache(db)
 
+
 def tell_check(conn, nick):
     for _conn, _target in tell_cache:
         if (conn, nick.lower()) == (_conn, _target):
@@ -93,6 +95,7 @@ def tell_check(conn, nick):
         else:
             continue
 
+
 @hook.event(EventType.message, singlethread=True)
 def tellinput(event, conn, db, nick, notice):
     """
@@ -127,7 +130,7 @@ def tellinput(event, conn, db, nick, notice):
 
 @hook.command(autohelp=False)
 def showtells(nick, notice, db, conn):
-    """showtells -- View all pending tell messages (sent in a notice)."""
+    """- View all pending tell messages (sent in a notice)."""
 
     tells = get_unread(db, conn.name, nick)
 
@@ -144,14 +147,13 @@ def showtells(nick, notice, db, conn):
 
 
 @hook.command("tell")
-def tell_cmd(text, nick, db, notice, conn):
-    """tell <nick> <message> -- Relay <message> to <nick> when <nick> is around."""
+def tell_cmd(text, nick, db, notice, conn, notice_doc, is_nick_valid):
+    """<nick> <message> - Relay <message> to <nick> when <nick> is around."""
     query = text.split(' ', 1)
     if query[0].lower() == "paradox":
         return "Paradox doesn't want to hear from me. Just send him a fucking message."
     if len(query) != 2:
-        prefix = conn.config("command_prefix")
-        notice(prefix[0] + tell_cmd.__doc__)
+        notice_doc()
         return
 
     target = query[0]
@@ -162,12 +164,7 @@ def tell_cmd(text, nick, db, notice, conn):
         notice("Have you looked in a mirror lately?")
         return
 
-    if target.lower() == conn.nick.lower():
-        # we can't send messages to ourselves
-        notice("Invalid nick '{}'.".format(target))
-        return
-
-    if not re.match("^[a-z0-9_|.\-\`\]\[]*$", target.lower()):
+    if not is_nick_valid(target.lower()) or target.lower() == conn.nick.lower():
         notice("Invalid nick '{}'.".format(target))
         return