diff --git a/plugin.py b/plugin.py
index 48e4285..c5577a0 100644
--- a/plugin.py
+++ b/plugin.py
@@ -328,10 +328,11 @@ class Tweety(callbacks.Plugin):
         """
 
         # enforce +voice or above to use command?
-        if self.registryValue('requireVoiceOrAbove', msg.args[0]):
-            if irc.state.channels[msg.args[0]].isVoicePlus(msg.nick):  # are they voice or op?
-                irc.error("ERROR: You have to be at least voiced to use the trends command in {0}.".format(msg.args[0]))
-                return
+        if self.registryValue('requireVoiceOrAbove', msg.args[0]):  # should we check?
+            if ircutils.isChannel(msg.args[0]):  # are we in a channel?
+                if irc.state.channels[msg.args[0]].isVoicePlus(msg.nick):  # are they + or @?
+                    irc.error("ERROR: You have to be at least voiced to use the trends command in {0}.".format(msg.args[0]))
+                    return
 
         # before we do anything, make sure we have a twitterApi object.
         if not self.twitterApi:
@@ -390,10 +391,11 @@ class Tweety(callbacks.Plugin):
         """
 
         # enforce +voice or above to use command?
-        if self.registryValue('requireVoiceOrAbove', msg.args[0]):
-            if irc.state.channels[msg.args[0]].isVoicePlus(msg.nick):  # are they voice or op?
-                irc.error("ERROR: You have to be at least voiced to use the tsearch command in {0}.".format(msg.args[0]))
-                return
+        if self.registryValue('requireVoiceOrAbove', msg.args[0]):  # should we check?
+            if ircutils.isChannel(msg.args[0]):  # are we in a channel?
+                if irc.state.channels[msg.args[0]].isVoicePlus(msg.nick):  # are they + or @?
+                    irc.error("ERROR: You have to be at least voiced to use the tsearchcommand in {0}.".format(msg.args[0]))
+                    return
 
         # before we do anything, make sure we have a twitterApi object.
         if not self.twitterApi:
@@ -458,10 +460,11 @@ class Tweety(callbacks.Plugin):
         """
 
         # enforce +voice or above to use command?
-        if self.registryValue('requireVoiceOrAbove', msg.args[0]):
-            if irc.state.channels[msg.args[0]].isVoicePlus(msg.nick):  # are they voice or op?
-                irc.error("ERROR: You have to be at least voiced to use the twitter command in {0}.".format(msg.args[0]))
-                return
+        if self.registryValue('requireVoiceOrAbove', msg.args[0]):  # should we check?
+            if ircutils.isChannel(msg.args[0]):  # are we in a channel?
+                if irc.state.channels[msg.args[0]].isVoicePlus(msg.nick):  # are they + or @?
+                    irc.error("ERROR: You have to be at least voiced to use the twitter command in {0}.".format(msg.args[0]))
+                    return
 
         # before we do anything, make sure we have a twitterApi object.
         if not self.twitterApi: