diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index f8fb421..532dcaa 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ class DHT extends EventEmitter {
 
     // standard keep alive call
     if (req.command === 'ping') {
-      req.sendReply(0, null, false, false, req.from)
+      req.sendReply(0, null, false, false)
       return
     }
 
@@ -317,14 +317,14 @@ class DHT extends EventEmitter {
       const port = c.uint16.decode({ start: 0, end: 2, buffer: req.value })
       if (port === 0) return
       req.from.port = port
-      req.sendReply(0, null, false, false, req.from)
+      req.sendReply(0, null, false, false)
       return
     }
 
     // empty dht reply back
     if (req.command === 'find_node') {
       if (!req.target) return
-      req.sendReply(0, null, false, true, req.from)
+      req.sendReply(0, null, false, true)
       return
     }
 
@@ -338,13 +338,13 @@ class DHT extends EventEmitter {
           this._check(node)
         }
       }
-      req.sendReply(0, null, false, false, req.from)
+      req.sendReply(0, null, false, false)
       return
     }
 
     // ask the user to handle it or reply back with a bad command
     if (this.onrequest(req) === false) {
-      req.sendReply(UNKNOWN_COMMAND, null, false, true, req.from)
+      req.sendReply(UNKNOWN_COMMAND, null, false, req.target !== null)
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/io.js b/lib/io.js
index d263c43..faba7d8 100644
--- a/lib/io.js
+++ b/lib/io.js
@@ -235,11 +235,15 @@ class Request {
   }
 
   reply (value, opts = {}) {
-    this.sendReply(0, value || null, opts.token !== false, this.target !== null && opts.closerNodes !== false, opts.to || this.from)
+    const socket = opts.socket || this.socket
+    const to = opts.to || this.from
+    this._sendReply(0, value || null, opts.token !== false, this.target !== null && opts.closerNodes !== false, to, socket)
   }
 
   error (code, opts = {}) {
-    this.sendReply(code, null, opts.token === true, this.target !== null && opts.closerNodes !== false, opts.to || this.from)
+    const socket = opts.socket || this.socket
+    const to = opts.to || this.from
+    this._sendReply(code, null, opts.token === true, this.target !== null && opts.closerNodes !== false, to, socket)
   }
 
   relay (value, to) {
@@ -261,6 +265,10 @@ class Request {
     this._sendNow()
   }
 
+  sendReply (error, value, token, hasCloserNodes) {
+    this._sendReply(error, value, token, hasCloserNodes, this.from, this.socket)
+  }
+
   _sendNow () {
     if (this.destroyed) return
     this.sent++
@@ -283,10 +291,10 @@ class Request {
     this.onerror(err || DESTROY, this)
   }
 
-  sendReply (error, value, token, hasCloserNodes, from) {
-    if (this.socket === null || this.destroyed) return
+  _sendReply (error, value, token, hasCloserNodes, from, socket) {
+    if (socket === null || this.destroyed) return
 
-    const id = this._io.ephemeral === false && this.socket === this._io.serverSocket
+    const id = this._io.ephemeral === false && socket === this._io.serverSocket
     const closerNodes = hasCloserNodes ? this._io.table.closest(this.target) : EMPTY_ARRAY
     const state = { start: 0, end: 1 + 1 + 6 + 2, buffer: null } // (type | version) + flags + to + tid
 
@@ -309,7 +317,7 @@ class Request {
     if (error > 0) c.uint.encode(state, error)
     if (value) c.buffer.encode(state, value)
 
-    this.socket.send(state.buffer, 0, state.buffer.byteLength, from.port, from.host)
+    socket.send(state.buffer, 0, state.buffer.byteLength, from.port, from.host)
   }
 
   _encodeRequest (token, value) {