diff --git a/dms.py b/dms.py
index 14ca3d3e..5e21ec81 100644
--- a/dms.py
+++ b/dms.py
@@ -22,18 +22,6 @@
 REQUESTS_LIMIT_EXPIRE = timedelta(days=1)
 REQUESTS_LIMIT_USER = 10
 
-COMMANDS = (
-    'block',
-    'did',
-    'help',
-    'no',
-    'ok',
-    'start',
-    'stop',
-    'unblock',
-    'username',
-    'yes',
-)
 # populated by the command() decorator
 _commands = {}
 
@@ -339,17 +327,15 @@ def receive(*, from_user, obj):
     if not tokens or len(tokens) > 2:
         return r'¯\_(ツ)_/¯', 204
 
-    if tokens[0].lstrip('/') in COMMANDS:
-        cmd = tokens[0].lstrip('/')
-        arg = tokens[1] if len(tokens) > 1 else None
-    else:
-        cmd = None
-        arg = tokens[0]
+    if fn := _commands.get(tokens[0]):
+        return fn(from_user, to_proto, dm_as1=inner_as1,
+                  cmd=tokens[0], cmd_arg=tokens[1] if len(tokens) == 2 else None)
+    elif len(tokens) == 1:
+        fn = _commands.get(None)
+        assert fn, tokens[0]
+        return fn(from_user, to_proto, dm_as1=inner_as1, cmd=None, cmd_arg=tokens[0])
 
-    if fn := _commands.get(cmd):
-        return fn(from_user, to_proto, cmd, arg, inner_as1)
-
-    error(f"Couldn't understand DM: {text}", status=304)
+    return r'¯\_(ツ)_/¯', 204
 
 
 def load_user(proto, handle):
diff --git a/tests/test_dms.py b/tests/test_dms.py
index 122de1d0..281c3221 100644
--- a/tests/test_dms.py
+++ b/tests/test_dms.py
@@ -429,16 +429,18 @@ def test_receive_username_fails(self, _):
         self.assertEqual({}, OtherFake.usernames)
 
     def test_receive_help(self):
-        self.make_user(id='other.brid.gy', cls=Web)
-        alice = self.make_user(id='efake:alice', cls=ExplicitFake,
-                               enabled_protocols=['other'], obj_as1={'x': 'y'})
-        obj = Object(our_as1={
-            **DM_BASE,
-            'content': '/help',
-        })
-        self.assertEqual(('OK', 200), receive(from_user=alice, obj=obj))
-        self.assert_replied(OtherFake, alice, '?', "<p>Hi! I'm a friendly bot")
-        self.assertEqual({}, OtherFake.usernames)
+        for command in 'help', 'hello', '?':
+            ExplicitFake.sent = []
+            self.make_user(id='other.brid.gy', cls=Web)
+            alice = self.make_user(id='efake:alice', cls=ExplicitFake,
+                                   enabled_protocols=['other'], obj_as1={'x': 'y'})
+            obj = Object(our_as1={
+                **DM_BASE,
+                'content': command,
+            })
+            self.assertEqual(('OK', 200), receive(from_user=alice, obj=obj))
+            self.assert_replied(OtherFake, alice, '?', "<p>Hi! I'm a friendly bot")
+            self.assertEqual({}, OtherFake.usernames)
 
     def test_receive_help_strip_mention_of_bot(self):
         self.make_user(id='other.brid.gy', cls=Web)
@@ -446,10 +448,10 @@ def test_receive_help_strip_mention_of_bot(self):
                                enabled_protocols=['other'], obj_as1={'x': 'y'})
 
         for content in (
-                '@other.brid.gy /help',
-                'other.brid.gy@other.brid.gy /help',
-                '@other.brid.gy@other.brid.gy /help',
-                'https://other.brid.gy/other.brid.gy /help',
+                '@other.brid.gy help',
+                'other.brid.gy@other.brid.gy help',
+                '@other.brid.gy@other.brid.gy help',
+                'https://other.brid.gy/other.brid.gy help',
         ):
             ExplicitFake.sent = []
             with self.subTest(content=content):