diff --git a/plugins/history.py b/plugins/history.py
index 9deda9cc..5e2c3667 100644
--- a/plugins/history.py
+++ b/plugins/history.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 from util import hook, timesince
 import time
 import re
+import string
 
 db_ready = []
 
@@ -61,29 +62,36 @@ def resethistory(inp, input=None, conn=None):
 @hook.command
 def seen(inp, nick='', chan='', db=None, input=None, conn=None):
     """seen <nick> [channel] -- Tell when a nickname was last in active in one of this bot's channels."""
-
-    if input.conn.nick.lower() == inp.lower():
+    
+    args = inp.split()
+    lookup_nick = args[0]
+    if len(args) > 1:
+        lookup_chan = args[1]
+    else:
+        lookup_chan = chan
+    
+    if input.conn.nick.lower() == lookup_nick.lower():
         return "You need to get your eyes checked."
 
-    if inp.lower() == nick.lower():
+    if lookup_nick.lower() == nick.lower():
         return "Have you looked in a mirror lately?"
 
-    if not re.match("^[A-Za-z0-9_|.\-\]\[]*$", inp.lower()):
+    if any(c not in (string.ascii_letters + string.digits + "_-\[]{}^`|") for c in lookup_nick):
         return "I can't look up that name, its impossible to use!"
 
     db_init(db, conn.name)
 
-    last_seen = db.execute("select name, time, quote from seen_user where name"
-                           " like ? and chan = ?", (inp, chan)).fetchone()
+    last_seen = db.execute("SELECT name, time, quote FROM seen_user WHERE name"
+                           " like ? and chan = ?", (lookup_nick, lookup_chan)).fetchone()
 
     if last_seen:
         reltime = timesince.timesince(last_seen[1])
-        if last_seen[0] != inp.lower():  # for glob matching
-            inp = last_seen[0]
+        if last_seen[0] != lookup_nick.lower():  # for glob matching
+            lookup_nick = last_seen[0]
         if last_seen[2][0:1] == "\x01":
-            return '{} was last seen {} ago: * {} {}'.format(inp, reltime, inp,
+            return '{} was last seen {} ago: * {} {}'.format(lookup_nick, reltime, lookup_nick,
                                                              last_seen[2][8:-1])
         else:
-            return '{} was last seen {} ago saying: {}'.format(inp, reltime, last_seen[2])
+            return '{} was last seen {} ago saying: {}'.format(lookup_nick, reltime, last_seen[2])
     else:
-        return "I've never seen {} talking in this channel.".format(inp)
+        return "I've never seen {} talking in this channel.".format(lookup_nick)