diff --git a/pkgs/mx-sanebot/src/msg_handler.rs b/pkgs/mx-sanebot/src/msg_handler.rs
index f4f523dc..4c69d7f4 100644
--- a/pkgs/mx-sanebot/src/msg_handler.rs
+++ b/pkgs/mx-sanebot/src/msg_handler.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ use std::fmt;
 use std::process;
 use std::str;
 
-use super::parsing;
+use super::parsing::{self, Parser};
 
 
 mod tt {
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ mod tt {
         Lit,
         Then,
     };
+    use crate::ilit;
 
     // grammar:
     // REQUEST = <!> (HELP | BT | BT-ADD)
@@ -26,15 +27,15 @@ mod tt {
     pub(super) type Bang = Lit<{ '!' as u8 }>;
 
     pub(super) type Help = Then<
-        Lit<{ 'H' as u8 }>, Then<
-        Lit<{ 'E' as u8 }>, Then<
-        Lit<{ 'L' as u8 }>,
-        Lit<{ 'P' as u8 }>,
+        ilit!('H'), Then<
+        ilit!('E'), Then<
+        ilit!('L'),
+        ilit!('P'),
     >>>;
 
     pub(super) type Bt = Then<
-        Lit<{ 'B' as u8 }>,
-        Lit<{ 'T' as u8 }>,
+        ilit!('B'),
+        ilit!('T'),
     >;
 }
 
@@ -51,11 +52,9 @@ impl MessageHandler {
     }
 
     fn parse_msg(&self, msg: &str) -> Result<Request, ()> {
-        let msg = msg.trim();
-        match msg {
-            "!help" => Ok(Request::Help),
-            "!bt" => Ok(Request::Bt),
-            _ => Err(())
+        match msg.as_bytes().parse_all::<tt::Request>() {
+            Ok(req) => Ok(req.into()),
+            Err(_) => Err(()),
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/mx-sanebot/src/parsing.rs b/pkgs/mx-sanebot/src/parsing.rs
index 4e75f039..307ecb36 100644
--- a/pkgs/mx-sanebot/src/parsing.rs
+++ b/pkgs/mx-sanebot/src/parsing.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,12 @@ pub enum Either<A, B> {
 }
 
 // case-insensitive u8 character.
-// type ILit<const BYTE: u8> = Either<Lit<{ BYTE.to_ascii_lowercase() }>, Lit<{ BYTE.to_ascii_uppercase() }>>;
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! ilit {
+    ($BYTE:literal) => {
+        Either<Lit<{ ($BYTE as u8).to_ascii_lowercase() }>, Lit<{ ($BYTE as u8).to_ascii_uppercase() }>>
+    }
+}
 
 
 pub type PResult<P, C> = std::result::Result<(C, P), P>;
@@ -37,6 +42,25 @@ pub trait Parser: Sized {
     }
 }
 
+impl<'a> Parser for &'a [u8] {
+    fn expect_byte(self, b: Option<u8>) -> PResult<Self, ()> {
+        match (b, self.split_first()) {
+            // expected the correct character
+            (Some(exp), Some((first, rest))) if *first == exp => Ok( ((), rest) ),
+            // expected EOF, got EOF
+            (None, None) => Ok( ((), self)),
+            _ => Err(self),
+        }
+    }
+    fn expect<C: Parse>(self) -> PResult<Self, C> {
+        match C::consume(self.clone()) {
+            Ok(res) => Ok(res),
+            // rewind the parser should we fail
+            Err(_p) => Err(self),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 pub trait Parse: Sized {
     fn consume<P: Parser>(p: P) -> PResult<P, Self>;
 }