diff --git a/pyircbot/irccore.py b/pyircbot/irccore.py
index 2f4eb04..c366af5 100644
--- a/pyircbot/irccore.py
+++ b/pyircbot/irccore.py
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ class IRCCore(object):
         # Set up hooks for modules
         self.initHooks()
 
-        self.outputq = asyncio.Queue()
+        self.outseq = 5
+        self.outputq = asyncio.PriorityQueue()
         self._loop.call_soon_threadsafe(asyncio.ensure_future, self.outputqueue())
 
     async def loop(self, loop):
@@ -105,19 +106,20 @@ class IRCCore(object):
                 await asyncio.sleep(self.reconnect_delay)
 
     async def outputqueue(self):
-        bucket = burstbucket(self.rate_max, self.rate_int)
+        self.bucket = burstbucket(self.rate_max, self.rate_int)
         while True:
             prio, line = await self.outputq.get()
             # sleep until the bucket allows us to send
             if self.rate_limit:
                 while True:
-                    s = bucket.get()
+                    s = self.bucket.get()
                     if s == 0:
                         break
                     else:
                         await asyncio.sleep(s, loop=self._loop)
             self.fire_hook('_SEND', args=None, prefix=None, trailing=None)
             self.log.debug(">>> {}".format(repr(line)))
+            self.outputq.task_done()
             try:
                 self.writer.write((line + "\r\n").encode("UTF-8"))
             except Exception as e:  # Probably fine if we drop messages while offline
@@ -137,8 +139,18 @@ class IRCCore(object):
         self.writer.close()
         self.log.info("Kill complete")
 
-    def sendRaw(self, data):
-        asyncio.run_coroutine_threadsafe(self.outputq.put((5, data, )), self._loop)
+    def sendRaw(self, data, priority=None):
+        """
+        Send data on the wire. Lower priorities are sent first.
+        :param data: unicode data to send. will be converted to utf-8
+        :param priority: numerical priority value. If not None, the message will likely be sent first. Otherwise, an
+                         ever-increasing sequence number is used to maintain order. For a minimum priority message,
+                         use a priority value of sys.maxsize.
+        """
+        if priority is None:
+            self.outseq += 1
+            priority = self.outseq
+        asyncio.run_coroutine_threadsafe(self.outputq.put((priority, data, )), self._loop)
 
     " Module related code "
     def initHooks(self):
@@ -306,7 +318,7 @@ class IRCCore(object):
         :type data: str"""
         self.sendRaw("PONG :%s" % data)
 
-    def act_USER(self, username, hostname, realname):
+    def act_USER(self, username, hostname, realname, priority=2):
         """Use the USER protocol command. Used during connection
 
         :param username: the bot's username
@@ -315,22 +327,22 @@ class IRCCore(object):
         :type hostname: str
         :param realname: the bot's realname
         :type realname: str"""
-        self.sendRaw("USER %s %s %s :%s" % (username, hostname, self.servers[self.server], realname))
+        self.sendRaw("USER %s %s %s :%s" % (username, hostname, self.servers[self.server], realname), priority)
 
-    def act_NICK(self, newNick):
+    def act_NICK(self, newNick, priority=2):
         """Use the `/nick` command
 
         :param newNick: new nick for the bot
         :type newNick: str"""
         self.nick = newNick
-        self.sendRaw("NICK %s" % newNick)
+        self.sendRaw("NICK %s" % newNick, priority)
 
-    def act_JOIN(self, channel):
+    def act_JOIN(self, channel, priority=3):
         """Use the `/join` command
 
         :param channel: the channel to attempt to join
         :type channel: str"""
-        self.sendRaw("JOIN %s" % channel)
+        self.sendRaw("JOIN %s" % channel, priority=3)
 
     def act_PRIVMSG(self, towho, message):
         """Use the `/msg` command
@@ -375,12 +387,12 @@ class IRCCore(object):
         :type comment: str"""
         self.sendRaw("KICK %s %s :%s" % (channel, who, comment))
 
-    def act_QUIT(self, message):
+    def act_QUIT(self, message, priority=2):
         """Use the `/quit` command
 
         :param message: quit message
         :type message: str"""
-        self.sendRaw("QUIT :%s" % message)
+        self.sendRaw("QUIT :%s" % message, priority)
 
     def act_PASS(self, password):
         """