diff --git a/src/client/mod.rs b/src/client/mod.rs
index 8ac16df..4a4db17 100644
--- a/src/client/mod.rs
+++ b/src/client/mod.rs
@@ -62,12 +62,12 @@ impl Client {
         let mut stream = self.connector.connect(self.domain, self.stream).await?;
         let mut buf = [0; BUF_SIZE];
         stream.write_all(b"ping").await?;
-        info!("> {:?} ping", self.cfg.hostname);
+        info!("> {} ping", self.cfg.hostname);
         while stream.read(&mut buf).await? > 0 {
             let response = decode(&buf)?;
-            info!("< {:?}\n{}", self.cfg.hostname, response);
+            info!("< {} \"{}\"", self.cfg.hostname, response);
             stream.write_all(b"ping").await?;
-            info!("> {:?} ping", self.cfg.hostname);
+            info!("> {} ping", self.cfg.hostname);
             // we should wait, so that we don't spam the client
             std::thread::sleep(self.cfg.delay);
         }
diff --git a/src/common/mod.rs b/src/common/mod.rs
index 9ed27e4..f243fa8 100644
--- a/src/common/mod.rs
+++ b/src/common/mod.rs
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ pub mod conf;
 
 #[inline]
 pub fn decode(buf: &[u8]) -> Result<String, Utf8Error> {
-    match std::str::from_utf8(buf) {
-        Ok(s) => Ok(s.to_string()),
-        Err(err) => Err(err.into()),
-    }
+    Ok(match std::str::from_utf8(buf) {
+        Ok(s) => s.to_string(),
+        Err(err) => return Err(err.into()),
+    }.trim_matches(char::from(0)).to_string())
 }
diff --git a/src/server/mod.rs b/src/server/mod.rs
index f7e07b3..c747388 100644
--- a/src/server/mod.rs
+++ b/src/server/mod.rs
@@ -162,8 +162,8 @@ impl Server {
         debug!("new peer: {:?}", addr);
         while stream.read(&mut buf).await? > 0 {
             let request = decode(&buf)?;
-            debug!("< {:?}\n{}", addr, request);
-            if request == "ping" {
+            debug!(pings, "< {:?}\n\"{:X?}\"", addr, request);
+            if request == format!("ping") {
                 pings += 1;
                 if pings > self.cfg.win_after {
                     stream.write_all(b"You win!").await?;