diff --git a/lib/jam_websockets/router.rb b/lib/jam_websockets/router.rb
index 33ddf6361..c07c1ebd0 100644
--- a/lib/jam_websockets/router.rb
+++ b/lib/jam_websockets/router.rb
@@ -372,8 +372,11 @@ module JamWebsockets
             remove_user(context)
 
             # remove this connection from the database
-            #JamRuby::Connection.delete_all "user_id = '#{context.user.id}' AND client_id = '#{context.client.client_id}'"
-            #send_friend_update(context.user, false)
+            if !context.user.nil? && !context.client.nil?
+              JamRuby::Connection.delete_all "user_id = '#{context.user.id}' AND client_id = '#{context.client.client_id}'"
+            end
+
+            send_friend_update(context.user, false, context.client)
 
             if !context.session.nil?
               remove_session(context)
@@ -406,13 +409,13 @@ module JamWebsockets
 
       elsif @message_factory.session_directed? client_msg
 
-        session = client_msg.target[MessageFactory::SESSION_TARGET_PREFIX.length..-1]
-        handle_session_directed(session, client_msg, client)
+        session_id = client_msg.target[MessageFactory::SESSION_TARGET_PREFIX.length..-1]
+        handle_session_directed(session_id, client_msg, client)
 
       elsif @message_factory.user_directed? client_msg
 
-        user = client_msg.target[MessageFactory::USER_PREFIX_TARGET.length..-1]
-        handle_user_directed(user, client_msg, client)
+        user_id = client_msg.target[MessageFactory::USER_PREFIX_TARGET.length..-1]
+        handle_user_directed(user_id, client_msg, client)
 
       else
         raise SessionError, "client_msg.target is unknown type: #{client_msg.target}"
@@ -475,7 +478,7 @@ module JamWebsockets
           @log.debug "Created connection => #{connection.user}, #{connection.client_id}"
 
           if connection.save
-            send_friend_update(user, true)
+            send_friend_update(user, true, context.client)
           end
         end
       else
@@ -483,10 +486,10 @@ module JamWebsockets
       end
     end
 
-    def send_friend_update(user, online)
+    def send_friend_update(user, online, client)
       @log.debug "sending friend update for user #{user} online = #{online}"
       
-      if user.friends.exists?
+      if !user.nil? && user.friends.exists?
         @log.debug "user has friends - sending friend updates"
               
         # create the friend_update message
@@ -496,8 +499,7 @@ module JamWebsockets
         user.friends.each do |friend|
           @log.debug "sending friend update message to #{friend}"
 
-          # put it on the topic exchange for users
-          @users_exchange.publish(friend_update_msg.to_s, :routing_key => "user.#{friend.id}")
+          handle_user_directed(friend.id, friend_update_msg, client)
         end
       end
     end
@@ -617,9 +619,12 @@ module JamWebsockets
       @sessions_exchange.publish(client_msg.to_s, :routing_key => "session.#{session_id}", :properties => { :headers => { "client_id" => client.client_id } } )
     end
 
-    def handle_user_directed(user, client_msg, client)
+    def handle_user_directed(user_id, client_msg, client)
 
-      raise SessionError, 'not implemented'
+      @log.debug "publishing to user #{user_id} from client_id #{client.client_id}"
+
+      # put it on the topic exchange for users
+      @users_exchange.publish(client_msg.to_s, :routing_key => "user.#{user_id}")
     end
   end
 end