diff --git a/_examples/rated.go b/_examples/rated.go
index 7d1cc3f..3eb03bd 100644
--- a/_examples/rated.go
+++ b/_examples/rated.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/binary"
 	"fmt"
 	"net"
+	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
@@ -58,12 +59,35 @@ type Client struct {
 
 // UniqueKey is an implementation of our Identity interface, in short: Rate5 doesn't care where you derive the string used for ratelimiting
 func (c Client) UniqueKey() string {
+	var err error
+	var host string
 	if c.loggedin {
 		return c.ID
 	}
+	if host, _, err = net.SplitHostPort(c.Conn.RemoteAddr().String()); err == nil {
+		return host
+	}
+	panic(err)
+}
+
+func argParse() {
+	if len(os.Args) < 1 {
+		return
+	}
+	for i, arg := range os.Args {
+		switch arg {
+		case "-e":
+			fallthrough
+		case "--exempt":
+			if len(os.Args) <= i+1 {
+				return
+			}
+			srv.Exempt[os.Args[i+1]] = true
+		default:
+			continue
+		}
 
-	host, _, _ := net.SplitHostPort(c.Conn.RemoteAddr().String())
-	return host
+	}
 }
 
 func init() {
@@ -82,97 +106,70 @@ func init() {
 		mu: &sync.RWMutex{},
 	}
 
-	//srv.Exempt["127.0.0.1"] = true
+	argParse()
+
 
 	rd := Rater.DebugChannel()
 	rrd := RegRater.DebugChannel()
 	crd := CmdRater.DebugChannel()
+	go watchDebug(rd, rrd, crd)
+}
 
+func watchDebug(rd, rrd, crd chan string) {
 	pre := "[Rate5] "
-	go func() {
-		var lastcount = 0
-		var count = 0
-		for {
-			select {
-			case msg := <-rd:
-				fmt.Printf("%s Limit: %s \n", pre, msg)
-				count++
-			case msg := <-rrd:
-				fmt.Printf("%s RegLimit: %s \n", pre, msg)
-				count++
-			case msg := <-crd:
-				fmt.Printf("%s CmdLimit: %s \n", pre, msg)
-				count++
-			default:
-				if count - lastcount >= 25 {
-					lastcount = count
-					fmt.Println("Rater: ", Rater.GetGrandTotalRated())
-					fmt.Println("RegRater: ",  RegRater.GetGrandTotalRated())
-					fmt.Println("CmdRater: ",  CmdRater.GetGrandTotalRated())
-				}
-				time.Sleep(time.Duration(10) * time.Millisecond)
+	var lastcount = 0
+	var count = 0
+	for {
+		select {
+		case msg := <-rd:
+			fmt.Printf("%s Limit: %s \n", pre, msg)
+			count++
+		case msg := <-rrd:
+			fmt.Printf("%s RegLimit: %s \n", pre, msg)
+			count++
+		case msg := <-crd:
+			fmt.Printf("%s CmdLimit: %s \n", pre, msg)
+			count++
+		default:
+			if count-lastcount >= 25 {
+				lastcount = count
+				fmt.Println("Rater: ", Rater.GetGrandTotalRated())
+				fmt.Println("RegRater: ", RegRater.GetGrandTotalRated())
+				fmt.Println("CmdRater: ", CmdRater.GetGrandTotalRated())
 			}
+			time.Sleep(time.Duration(10) * time.Millisecond)
 		}
-	}()
-}
-
-func (s *Server) handleTCP(c *Client) {
-	if err := c.Conn.(*net.TCPConn).SetLinger(0); err != nil {
-		fmt.Println("error while setting setlinger:", err.Error())
 	}
+}
 
-	// skip ratelimit checking for exempt clients
-	srv.mu.RLock()
-	_, exempt := srv.Exempt[c.UniqueKey()]
-	srv.mu.RUnlock()
-
-	defer func() {
-		c.Conn.Close()
-		println("closed: " + c.Conn.RemoteAddr().String())
-	}()
-
-	// Returns true if ratelimited
-	if Rater.Check(c) {
-		c.Conn.Write([]byte("too many connections"))
-		println(c.UniqueKey() + " ratelimited")
+func (s *Server) preLogin(c *Client) {
+	c.send("Auth: ")
+	in := c.recv()
+	switch {
+	case s.authCheck(c, in):
+		c.loggedin = true
+		c.deadline = time.Duration(480) * time.Second
+		c.send("successful login")
 		return
-	}
-
-	c.read = bufio.NewReader(c.Conn)
-
-	c.Conn.Write(loginBanner())
-
-	for {
-		if !c.connected {
+	case in == "register":
+		// no exemption for strict ratelimiter (rate5 testing)
+		if RegRater.Check(c) {
+			c.send("you already registered recently\n")
 			return
 		}
+		println("new registration from " + c.UniqueKey())
+		s.setID(c, s.getUnusedID())
+		c.send("\nregistration success\n[New ID]: " + c.ID)
+		return
+	default:
+		c.send("invalid. type 'REGISTER' to register a new ID\n")
+		return
+	}
 
-		time.Sleep(time.Duration(25) * time.Millisecond)
-		if !c.loggedin {
-			c.send("Auth: ")
-			in := c.recv()
-			switch {
-			case s.authCheck(c, in):
-				c.loggedin = true
-				c.deadline = time.Duration(480) * time.Second
-				c.send("successful login")
-				continue
-			case in == "register":
-				if !RegRater.Check(c) || exempt {
-					println("new registration from " + c.UniqueKey())
-					s.setID(c, s.getUnusedID())
-					c.send("\nregistration success\n[New ID]: " + c.ID)
-					return
-				} else {
-					c.send("you already registered recently\n")
-				}
-				continue
-			default:
-				c.send("invalid. type 'REGISTER' to register a new ID\n")
-				continue
-			}
-		}
+}
 
+func (s *Server) mainPrompt(c *Client) {
+	for c.connected {
 		c.send("\nRate5 > ")
 		switch c.recv() {
 		case "history":
@@ -190,10 +187,60 @@ func (s *Server) handleTCP(c *Client) {
 		case "logout":
 			c.loggedin = false
 			return
+		default:
+			c.send("unknown command, are you lost?")
+			continue
 		}
 	}
 }
 
+func isExempt(c *Client) bool {
+	srv.mu.RLock()
+	_, exempt := srv.Exempt[c.UniqueKey()]
+	srv.mu.RUnlock()
+	return exempt
+}
+
+func connRateCheck(c *Client) bool {
+	if isExempt(c) {
+		return false
+	}
+	if Rater.Check(c) {
+		c.send("too many connections")
+		println(c.UniqueKey() + " ratelimited")
+		return true
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+func closeConn(c *Client) {
+	if err := c.Conn.Close(); err != nil {
+		println(err.Error())
+	}
+	println("closed: " + c.Conn.RemoteAddr().String())
+}
+
+func (s *Server) handleTCP(c *Client) {
+	if err := c.Conn.(*net.TCPConn).SetLinger(0); err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("error while setting setlinger:", err.Error())
+	}
+	defer closeConn(c)
+	if rated := connRateCheck(c); rated {
+		return
+	}
+	c.read = bufio.NewReader(c.Conn)
+	if _, err := c.Conn.Write(loginBanner()); err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	for !c.loggedin {
+		if !c.connected {
+			return
+		}
+		s.preLogin(c)
+	}
+	s.mainPrompt(c)
+}
+
 func (c *Client) send(data string) {
 	if err := c.Conn.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(c.deadline)); err != nil {
 		fmt.Println("error while setting deadline:", err.Error())
@@ -208,18 +255,16 @@ func (c *Client) recv() string {
 		fmt.Println("error while setting deadline:", err.Error())
 	}
 
-	// skip ratelimit checking for exempt clients
-	srv.mu.RLock()
-	_, ok := srv.Exempt[c.UniqueKey()]
-	srv.mu.RUnlock()
-
-	if CmdRater.Check(c) && !ok {
-		if !c.loggedin {
-			// if they hit the ratelimiter during log-in, disconnect them
-			c.connected = false
+	if !isExempt(c) {
+		if CmdRater.Check(c) {
+			if !c.loggedin {
+				// if they hit the ratelimiter during log-in, disconnect them
+				c.connected = false
+			}
+			time.Sleep(time.Duration(1250) * time.Millisecond)
 		}
-		time.Sleep(time.Duration(1250) * time.Millisecond)
 	}
+
 	in, err := c.read.ReadString('\n')
 	if err != nil {
 		println(c.UniqueKey() + ": " + err.Error())
@@ -289,20 +334,23 @@ func (s *Server) authCheck(c *Client, id string) bool {
 	if old, ok := s.Map[id]; ok {
 		s.mu.RUnlock()
 		old.connected = false
-		old.Conn.Close()
+		closeConn(old)
 		s.replaceSession(c, id)
 		return true
 	}
 
 	s.mu.RUnlock()
 	return false
-
 }
 
 func loginBanner() []byte {
+	var data []byte
+	var err error
 	login := "CnwgG1s5MDs0MG1SG1swbRtbMG0gG1s5Nzs0MG3DhhtbMG0bWzBtIBtbOTc7NDBtzpMbWzBtG1swbSAbWzk3OzQwbc6jG1swbRtbMG0gG1swbRtbOTc7MzJtNRtbMG0bWzBtIHwKCg=="
-	data, _ := base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(login)
-	return data
+	if data, err = base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(login); err == nil {
+		return data
+	}
+	panic(err)
 }
 
 func main() {
diff --git a/models.go b/models.go
index 42f5e72..229c06d 100644
--- a/models.go
+++ b/models.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package rate5
 
 import (
 	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
 
 	"github.com/patrickmn/go-cache"
 )
@@ -20,6 +21,10 @@ type Identity interface {
 	UniqueKey() string
 }
 
+type rated struct {
+	seen atomic.Value
+}
+
 // Limiter implements an Enforcer to create an arbitrary ratelimiter.
 type Limiter struct {
 	Source Identity
@@ -32,7 +37,7 @@ type Limiter struct {
 	Debug bool
 
 	count int
-	known map[interface{}]int
+	known map[interface{}]*rated
 	mu    *sync.RWMutex
 }
 
diff --git a/ratelimiter.go b/ratelimiter.go
index 8e7f3da..e2827f0 100644
--- a/ratelimiter.go
+++ b/ratelimiter.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package rate5
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/patrickmn/go-cache"
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ func newLimiter(policy Policy) *Limiter {
 	q := new(Limiter)
 	q.Ruleset = policy
 	q.Patrons = cache.New(time.Duration(q.Ruleset.Window)*time.Second, 5*time.Second)
-	q.known = make(map[interface{}]int)
+	q.known = make(map[interface{}]*rated)
 	q.mu = &sync.RWMutex{}
 	return q
 }
@@ -68,14 +69,24 @@ func (q *Limiter) DebugChannel() chan string {
 	return debugChannel
 }
 
+func (s *rated) inc() {
+	if s.seen.Load() == nil {
+		s.seen.Store(1)
+		return
+	}
+	s.seen.Store(s.seen.Load().(int) + 1)
+}
+
 func (q *Limiter) strictLogic(src string, count int) {
 	q.mu.Lock()
 	if _, ok := q.known[src]; !ok {
-		q.known[src] = 1
+		q.known[src]=&rated{
+			seen: atomic.Value{},
+		}
 	}
 
-	q.known[src]++
-	extwindow := q.Ruleset.Window + q.known[src]
+	q.known[src].inc()
+	extwindow := q.Ruleset.Window + q.known[src].seen.Load().(int)
 
 	if err := q.Patrons.Replace(src, count, time.Duration(extwindow)*time.Second); err != nil {
 		q.debugPrint("Rate5: " + err.Error())