diff --git a/server/announce.go b/server/announce.go
index 6df632c..84c57a2 100644
--- a/server/announce.go
+++ b/server/announce.go
@@ -11,12 +11,15 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"path"
 	"strconv"
-	"time"
-
-	"github.com/pushrax/chihaya/storage"
 )
 
 func (s *Server) serveAnnounce(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	compact, numWant, infohash, peerID, event, ip, port, uploaded, downloaded, left, err := s.validateAnnounceQuery(r)
+	if err != nil {
+		fail(err, w, r)
+		return
+	}
+
 	passkey, _ := path.Split(r.URL.Path)
 	user, err := s.FindUser(passkey)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -24,23 +27,16 @@ func (s *Server) serveAnnounce(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	aq, err := newAnnounceQuery(r)
-	if err != nil {
-		fail(errors.New("Malformed request"), w, r)
-		return
-	}
-
-	peerID := aq.PeerID()
-	ok, err := s.dataStore.ClientWhitelisted(peerID)
+	whitelisted, err := s.dataStore.ClientWhitelisted(peerID)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Panicf("server: %s", err)
 	}
-	if !ok {
+	if !whitelisted {
 		fail(errors.New("Your client is not approved"), w, r)
 		return
 	}
 
-	torrent, exists, err := s.dataStore.FindTorrent(aq.Infohash())
+	torrent, exists, err := s.dataStore.FindTorrent(infohash)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Panicf("server: %s", err)
 	}
@@ -54,7 +50,6 @@ func (s *Server) serveAnnounce(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		log.Panicf("server: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	left := aq.Left()
 	if torrent.Pruned && left == 0 {
 		err := tx.Unprune(torrent.ID)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -66,9 +61,7 @@ func (s *Server) serveAnnounce(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	_ = aq.NumWant(s.conf.DefaultNumWant)
-
-	if s.conf.Slots && user.Slots != -1 && aq.Left() != 0 {
+	if s.conf.Slots && user.Slots != -1 && left != 0 {
 		if user.UsedSlots >= user.Slots {
 			fail(errors.New("You've run out of download slots."), w, r)
 			return
@@ -78,7 +71,6 @@ func (s *Server) serveAnnounce(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	_, isLeecher := torrent.Leechers[peerID]
 	_, isSeeder := torrent.Seeders[peerID]
 
-	event := aq.Event()
 	completed := "completed" == event
 
 	if event == "stopped" || event == "paused" {
@@ -103,119 +95,55 @@ func (s *Server) serveAnnounce(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 			log.Panicf("server: %s", err)
 		}
 	}
-
 }
 
-// An AnnounceQuery is a parsedQuery that guarantees the existance
-// of parameters required for torrent client announces.
-type announceQuery struct {
-	pq      *parsedQuery
-	ip      string
-	created int64
-}
-
-func newAnnounceQuery(r *http.Request) (*announceQuery, error) {
+func (s *Server) validateAnnounceQuery(r *http.Request) (compact bool, numWant int, infohash, peerID, event, ip string, port, uploaded, downloaded, left uint64, err error) {
 	pq, err := parseQuery(r.URL.RawQuery)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return false, 0, "", "", "", "", 0, 0, 0, 0, err
 	}
 
-	infohash, _ := pq.Params["info_hash"]
-	if infohash == "" {
-		return nil, errors.New("infohash does not exist")
-	}
-	peerId, _ := pq.Params["peer_id"]
-	if peerId == "" {
-		return nil, errors.New("peerId does not exist")
-	}
-	_, err = pq.getUint64("port")
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.New("port does not exist")
-	}
-	_, err = pq.getUint64("uploaded")
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.New("uploaded does not exist")
-	}
-	_, err = pq.getUint64("downloaded")
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.New("downloaded does not exist")
-	}
-	_, err = pq.getUint64("left")
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.New("left does not exist")
-	}
+	compact = pq.Params["compact"] == "1"
+	numWant = determineNumWant(s.conf.DefaultNumWant, pq)
+	infohash, _ = pq.Params["info_hash"]
+	peerID, _ = pq.Params["peer_id"]
+	event, _ = pq.Params["event"]
+	ip, _ = determineIP(r, pq)
+	port, portErr := pq.getUint64("port")
+	uploaded, uploadedErr := pq.getUint64("uploaded")
+	downloaded, downloadedErr := pq.getUint64("downloaded")
+	left, leftErr := pq.getUint64("left")
 
-	aq := &announceQuery{
-		pq:      pq,
-		created: time.Now().Unix(),
+	if infohash == "" ||
+		peerID == "" ||
+		ip == "" ||
+		portErr == nil ||
+		uploadedErr == nil ||
+		downloadedErr == nil ||
+		leftErr == nil {
+		return false, 0, "", "", "", "", 0, 0, 0, 0, errors.New("Malformed request")
 	}
-	aq.ip, err = aq.determineIP(r)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return aq, nil
+	return
 }
 
-func (aq *announceQuery) Infohash() string {
-	infohash, _ := aq.pq.Params["info_hash"]
-	if infohash == "" {
-		panic("announceQuery missing infohash")
+func determineNumWant(fallback int, pq *parsedQuery) int {
+	if numWantStr, exists := pq.Params["numWant"]; exists {
+		numWant, err := strconv.Atoi(numWantStr)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fallback
+		}
+		return numWant
+	} else {
+		return fallback
 	}
-	return infohash
 }
 
-func (aq *announceQuery) PeerID() string {
-	peerID, _ := aq.pq.Params["peer_id"]
-	if peerID == "" {
-		panic("announceQuery missing peer_id")
-	}
-	return peerID
-}
-
-func (aq *announceQuery) Port() uint64 {
-	port, err := aq.pq.getUint64("port")
-	if err != nil {
-		panic("announceQuery missing port")
-	}
-	return port
-}
-
-func (aq *announceQuery) IP() string {
-	return aq.ip
-}
-
-func (aq *announceQuery) Uploaded() uint64 {
-	ul, err := aq.pq.getUint64("uploaded")
-	if err != nil {
-		panic("announceQuery missing uploaded")
-	}
-	return ul
-}
-func (aq *announceQuery) Downloaded() uint64 {
-	dl, err := aq.pq.getUint64("downloaded")
-	if err != nil {
-		panic("announceQuery missing downloaded")
-	}
-	return dl
-}
-func (aq *announceQuery) Left() uint64 {
-	left, err := aq.pq.getUint64("left")
-	if err != nil {
-		panic("announceQuery missing left")
-	}
-	return left
-}
-
-func (aq *announceQuery) Event() string {
-	return aq.pq.Params["event"]
-}
-
-func (aq *announceQuery) determineIP(r *http.Request) (string, error) {
-	if ip, ok := aq.pq.Params["ip"]; ok {
+func determineIP(r *http.Request, pq *parsedQuery) (string, error) {
+	if ip, ok := pq.Params["ip"]; ok {
 		return ip, nil
-	} else if ip, ok := aq.pq.Params["ipv4"]; ok {
+	} else if ip, ok := pq.Params["ipv4"]; ok {
 		return ip, nil
-	} else if ips, ok := aq.pq.Params["X-Real-Ip"]; ok && len(ips) > 0 {
+	} else if ips, ok := pq.Params["X-Real-Ip"]; ok && len(ips) > 0 {
 		return string(ips[0]), nil
 	} else {
 		portIndex := len(r.RemoteAddr) - 1
@@ -231,30 +159,3 @@ func (aq *announceQuery) determineIP(r *http.Request) (string, error) {
 		}
 	}
 }
-
-func (aq *announceQuery) NumWant(fallback int) int {
-	if numWantStr, exists := aq.pq.Params["numWant"]; exists {
-		numWant, err := strconv.Atoi(numWantStr)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fallback
-		}
-		return numWant
-	} else {
-		return fallback
-	}
-}
-
-func (aq *announceQuery) Peer(uid, tid uint64) *storage.Peer {
-	return &storage.Peer{
-		ID:        aq.PeerID(),
-		UserID:    uid,
-		TorrentID: tid,
-
-		IP:   aq.IP(),
-		Port: aq.Port(),
-
-		LastAnnounce: aq.created,
-		Uploaded:     aq.Uploaded(),
-		Downloaded:   aq.Downloaded(),
-	}
-}