diff --git a/connection/connection.go b/connection/connection.go
index 392821e..ac3d3f4 100644
--- a/connection/connection.go
+++ b/connection/connection.go
@@ -204,37 +204,44 @@ func (rc *Connection) DoContext(ctx context.Context, do func(context.Context) er
 // channel was opened successfully, because channels open asynchronously).
 func (rc *Connection) RequestOpenChannel(ctype string, handler channels.Handler) (*channels.Channel, error) {
 	rc.traceLog(fmt.Sprintf("requesting open channel of type %s", ctype))
+	channel, err := rc.buildChannel(handler, rc.channelManager.OpenChannelRequest)
+	if err == nil {
+		response, err := handler.OpenOutbound(channel)
+		return rc.handleChannelOpening(channel, response, err)
+	}
+	return nil, err
+}
+
+func (rc *Connection) handleChannelOpening(channel *channels.Channel, response []byte, err error) (*channels.Channel, error) {
+	if err == nil {
+		rc.SendRicochetPacket(rc.Conn, 0, response)
+		return channel, nil
+	}
+	rc.traceLog(fmt.Sprintf("failed to request open channel: %v", err))
+	rc.channelManager.RemoveChannel(channel.ID)
+	return nil, err
+}
+
+func (rc *Connection) buildChannel(handler channels.Handler, openChannelFunc func(handler channels.Handler) (*channels.Channel, error)) (*channels.Channel, error) {
 
 	err := rc.am.Authorized(handler.RequiresAuthentication())
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	channel, err := rc.channelManager.OpenChannelRequest(handler)
-
-	if err != nil {
-		rc.traceLog(fmt.Sprintf("failed to request open channel of type %v", err))
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	channel.SendMessage = func(message []byte) {
-		rc.SendRicochetPacket(rc.Conn, channel.ID, message)
-	}
-	channel.DelegateAuthorization = func() {
-		rc.am.AddAuthorization(handler.Type())
-	}
-	channel.CloseChannel = func() {
-		rc.SendRicochetPacket(rc.Conn, channel.ID, []byte{})
-		rc.channelManager.RemoveChannel(channel.ID)
-	}
-	response, err := handler.OpenOutbound(channel)
 	if err == nil {
-		rc.traceLog(fmt.Sprintf("requested open channel of type %s", ctype))
-		rc.SendRicochetPacket(rc.Conn, 0, response)
-	} else {
-		rc.traceLog(fmt.Sprintf("failed to request open channel of type %v", err))
-		rc.channelManager.RemoveChannel(channel.ID)
+		channel, err := openChannelFunc(handler)
+		if err == nil {
+			channel.SendMessage = func(message []byte) {
+				rc.SendRicochetPacket(rc.Conn, channel.ID, message)
+			}
+			channel.DelegateAuthorization = func() {
+				rc.am.AddAuthorization(handler.Type())
+			}
+			channel.CloseChannel = func() {
+				rc.SendRicochetPacket(rc.Conn, channel.ID, []byte{})
+				rc.channelManager.RemoveChannel(channel.ID)
+			}
+			return channel, nil
+		}
 	}
-	return channel, nil
+	return nil, err
 }
 
 // processUserCallback should be used to wrap any calls into handlers or
@@ -374,38 +381,17 @@ func (rc *Connection) controlPacket(handler Handler, res *Protocol_Data_Control.
 
 		opm := res.GetOpenChannel()
 		chandler, err := handler.OnOpenChannelRequest(opm.GetChannelType())
-
-		// Check that we have the authentication already
 		if err == nil {
-			err = rc.am.Authorized(chandler.RequiresAuthentication())
-			if err == nil {
-				rc.traceLog("succeeded authorization check")
-				channel, err := rc.channelManager.OpenChannelRequestFromPeer(opm.GetChannelIdentifier(), chandler)
-				if err == nil {
-
-					channel.SendMessage = func(message []byte) {
-						rc.SendRicochetPacket(rc.Conn, channel.ID, message)
-					}
-					channel.DelegateAuthorization = func() {
-						rc.am.AddAuthorization(chandler.Type())
-					}
-					channel.CloseChannel = func() {
-						rc.SendRicochetPacket(rc.Conn, channel.ID, []byte{})
-						rc.channelManager.RemoveChannel(channel.ID)
-					}
-
-					response, err := chandler.OpenInbound(channel, opm)
-					if err == nil && channel.Pending == false {
-						rc.traceLog(fmt.Sprintf("opening channel %v on %v", channel.Type, channel.ID))
-						rc.SendRicochetPacket(rc.Conn, 0, response)
-					} else {
-						rc.traceLog(fmt.Sprintf("removing channel %v", channel.ID))
-						rc.channelManager.RemoveChannel(channel.ID)
-						rc.SendRicochetPacket(rc.Conn, 0, []byte{})
-					}
-					return
-				}
+			openChannel := func(chandler channels.Handler) (*channels.Channel, error) {
+				return rc.channelManager.OpenChannelRequestFromPeer(opm.GetChannelIdentifier(), chandler)
 			}
+			channel, err := rc.buildChannel(chandler, openChannel)
+			response, err := chandler.OpenInbound(channel, opm)
+			_, err = rc.handleChannelOpening(channel, response, err)
+			if err != nil {
+				rc.SendRicochetPacket(rc.Conn, 0, []byte{})
+			}
+			return
 		}
 
 		errorText := "GenericError"