diff --git a/js/core/chat.js b/js/core/chat.js
index 26d8bc5..2180874 100644
--- a/js/core/chat.js
+++ b/js/core/chat.js
@@ -481,28 +481,27 @@ var chat = {
      */
     ping: function(arg) {
       arg = arg.trim();
-      if (!arg) return ui.messageAddInfo(strings.error.noArgument, 'error');
-      var room = xmpp.room.available[xmpp.room.current];
-      var roster = xmpp.roster[xmpp.room.current];
-      var absent = false;
-
-      if (!arg) arg = config.xmpp.domain;
-      else if (arg.indexOf('@') < 0 && roster) {
-        var user = roster[arg];
-        if (!user) return ui.messageAddInfo(strings.error.unknownUser, {nick: arg}, 'error');
-        if (!user.jid) return ui.messageAddInfo(strings.error.unknownJid, {user: user}, 'error');
-        arg = user.jid;
-      }
-
+      var jid = arg.indexOf('@') >= 0;
+      var target = arg && (jid ? {jid: arg} : {nick: arg});
+      var user = !jid && xmpp.roster[xmpp.room.current][arg] || target;
       var time = (new Date()).getTime();
 
-      xmpp.ping(arg, function(stanza) {
+      xmpp.ping(target, function(stanza) {
           var elapsed = ((new Date()).getTime() - time).toString();
-          ui.messageAddInfo(strings.info.pong, {jid: arg, delay: elapsed});
+          ui.messageAddInfo(strings.info.pong[+!!user], {user: user, delay: elapsed});
         }, function(error) {
           var elapsed = ((new Date()).getTime() - time).toString();
-          if (error) ui.messageAddInfo(strings.info.pongError, {jid: arg, delay: elapsed});
-          else ui.messageAddInfo(strings.error.pingTimeout, {jid: arg, delay: elapsed}, 'error');
+          if (error) {
+            if ($('item-not-found', error)) {
+              ui.messageAddInfo(strings.error.unknownUser, {nick: arg}, 'error');
+            }
+            else {
+              ui.messageAddInfo(strings.error.pingError, 'error');
+            }
+          }
+          else {
+            ui.messageAddInfo(strings.error.pingTimeout[+!!user], {user: user, delay: elapsed}, 'error');
+          }
         }
       );
     },
diff --git a/js/core/strings.js b/js/core/strings.js
index 96da30b..fc08a59 100644
--- a/js/core/strings.js
+++ b/js/core/strings.js
@@ -144,8 +144,10 @@ var strings = {
     nickPrejoin: 'Your preferred nickname is now {nick}',
     nickRegistered: 'Switching to registered nick {nick}.',
     noUsers: 'No users are online in {room}.',
-    pong: 'Ping to {jid}: Pong ({delay} ms).',
-    pongError: 'Ping to {jid}: Target does not support ping ({delay} ms).',
+    pong: [
+      'Ping: Pong ({delay} ms).',
+      'Ping to {user}: Pong ({delay} ms).'
+    ],
     rejoinNick: 'Rejoining as {nick} ...',
     roomConf: 'Room configuration of {room} has been altered.',
     roomsAvailable: 'Available rooms: {raw:rooms}',
@@ -212,7 +214,11 @@ var strings = {
     noArgument: 'This command requires more arguments.',
     noCreate: 'You are not allowed to create rooms.',
     noRoom: 'You are not in a room and did not specify one.',
-    pingTimeout: 'Ping to {jid} timed out ({delay} ms).',
+    pingError: 'Ping: Target does not support ping.',
+    pingTimeout: [
+      'Ping timed out ({delay} ms).',
+      'Ping to {user} timed out ({delay} ms).'
+    ],
     roomConf: 'Failed to configure {room}.',
     roomConfDenied: 'You lack the authority to configure {room}.',
     roomConfOptions: 'The allowed values for {field} are: {options}',
diff --git a/js/core/ui.js b/js/core/ui.js
index 269bdf2..af4b887 100644
--- a/js/core/ui.js
+++ b/js/core/ui.js
@@ -456,8 +456,8 @@ var ui = {
       ping: {
         name: labels.ping,
         icon: 'ping',
-        disabled: !c('ping') || !jid,
-        callback: function() { chat.commands.ping(jid); }
+        disabled: !c('ping'),
+        callback: function() { chat.commands.ping(nick || jid); }
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/js/core/xmpp.js b/js/core/xmpp.js
index 3ee2b3b..7dca717 100644
--- a/js/core/xmpp.js
+++ b/js/core/xmpp.js
@@ -344,15 +344,15 @@ var xmpp = {
   /**
    * Send a ping.
    *
-   * @param {string} to The ping target.
+   * @param {object} target The ping target.
    * @param {function} success The success callback.
    * @param {function} error The error callback. This will receive an error stanza
    *                         if the server responded, or null if the ping timed out.
    */
-  ping: function(to, success, error) {
-    this.connection.sendIQ(this.iq('get', {jid: to})
-        .c('ping', {xmlns: 'urn:xmpp:ping'}
-      ), success, error, 15000);
+  ping: function(target, success, error) {
+    this.connection.sendIQ(this.iq('get', target || {})
+        .c('ping', {xmlns: 'urn:xmpp:ping'}),
+      success, error, 15000);
   },
 
   /**