diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 6700d9b..ffaa94d 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 # Ignore libxml2 while we're currently using the included distribution version before upgrading to newer
 HydraIRC/libs/libxml2/*
-# Ignore libxml2-old folder, where we save the previous version of libxml
-HydraIRC/libs/libxml2-old/*
 # Ignore VS Autogenerated Files
 *.ipch
 *.opensdf
diff --git a/CHANGES.TXT b/CHANGES.TXT
index 587ac9d..e40f47a 100644
--- a/CHANGES.TXT
+++ b/CHANGES.TXT
@@ -15,6 +15,15 @@ Key:
   (name) - the name of the person running HydraIRC who first reported
   the problem or requested the feature
   
+9/October/2023 - PM (0.3.169)
+  gdwnldsKSC
+  + Resolved IRC Protocol issue from github issue https://github.com/HydraIRC/hydrairc/issues/17
+  
+24/August/2023 - AM (0.3.168) 
+  gdwnldsKSC
+  * Updated libXML2 from 2.5.1 to current libXML2 master as of 22/October/2022
+  * Upgraded WTL8 to WTL9.1
+   
 23/September/2022 - AM (0.3.167) - Experimental
   gdwnldsKSC
   * Updated DEVELOPER.TXT with instructonis for building under Visual Studio 2008
diff --git a/HydraIRC/HydraIRC.rc b/HydraIRC/HydraIRC.rc
index de96e58..5690c4f 100644
--- a/HydraIRC/HydraIRC.rc
+++ b/HydraIRC/HydraIRC.rc
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@ END
 //
 
 VS_VERSION_INFO VERSIONINFO
- FILEVERSION 0,3,168,0
- PRODUCTVERSION 0,3,168,0
+ FILEVERSION 0,3,169,0
+ PRODUCTVERSION 0,3,169,0
  FILEFLAGSMASK 0x3fL
 #ifdef _DEBUG
  FILEFLAGS 0x1L
@@ -111,12 +111,12 @@ BEGIN
             VALUE "Comments", "http://www.HydraIRC.com"
             VALUE "CompanyName", "Hydra Productions"
             VALUE "FileDescription", "HydraIRC"
-            VALUE "FileVersion", "0, 3, 168, 0"
+            VALUE "FileVersion", "0, 3, 169, 0"
             VALUE "InternalName", "HydraIRC"
             VALUE "LegalCopyright", "Dominic Clifton - Copyright 2002-2022"
             VALUE "OriginalFilename", "HydraIRC.exe"
             VALUE "ProductName", "HydraIRC"
-            VALUE "ProductVersion", "0.3.168.0"
+            VALUE "ProductVersion", "0.3.169.0"
         END
     END
     BLOCK "VarFileInfo"
diff --git a/HydraIRC/Server.cpp b/HydraIRC/Server.cpp
index 4cd26c5..186343e 100644
--- a/HydraIRC/Server.cpp
+++ b/HydraIRC/Server.cpp
@@ -1985,6 +1985,9 @@ void IRCServer::Parse( char *processstr )
         {
           username = a;
           topictime = b;
+		  if (topictime[0] == ':') {
+              topictime++;
+          }
           time_t l = (time_t)atol(topictime); // FIXME - no check for null string
           t = localtime(&l);
         }
@@ -2023,23 +2026,31 @@ void IRCServer::Parse( char *processstr )
 		  {
 			  char *channelname;
 			  channelname = strtok(rest, " ");
-			  //username = UseEmptyString(strtok(NULL, " "));
-
-			  time_t l = (time_t)atol(UseEmptyString(strtok(NULL, ""))); // FIXME - no check for null string
+			  char *timeStr = UseEmptyString(strtok(NULL, ""));
+			  if (!timeStr) {
+				    sys_Printf(BIC_ERROR, "ERROR: Failed to parse creation time for channel %s\n", channelname);
+				    break;
+			  }
+				// ircd protocol fix for servers not putting space after
+			   if (timeStr[0] == ':') {
+			       timeStr++;
+			   }
+
+			  time_t l = (time_t)atol(timeStr);
 			  tm *t = localtime(&l);
-
 			  m_Variables[VID_CHANNEL] = channelname;
 			  m_Variables[VID_PARAM1] = channelname;
-        m_Variables[VID_PARAM2] = t ? stripcrlf(asctime(t)) : "unknown";
+              m_Variables[VID_PARAM2] = t ? stripcrlf(asctime(t)) : "unknown";
 
-        IRCChannel *pChannel = FindChannel(channelname);
-        if (pChannel)
-        {
-          pChannel->OutputFormatter(BIC_TOPIC,num);
-        }
-        else
-          sys_Printf(BIC_ERROR,"ERROR: Received channel information for a channel that we've not joined (%s)\n",channelname);
-      }
+              IRCChannel *pChannel = FindChannel(channelname);
+
+			  if (pChannel)
+              {
+                  pChannel->OutputFormatter(BIC_TOPIC,num);
+              }
+              else
+                  sys_Printf(BIC_ERROR,"ERROR: Received channel information for a channel that we've not joined (%s)\n",channelname);
+           }
       break;
 
     case RPL_NAMREPLY:
@@ -2117,6 +2128,10 @@ void IRCServer::Parse( char *processstr )
         channelname = strtok(rest, " ");
         channelmode = UseEmptyString(strtok(NULL,""));
 
+		if (channelmode && channelmode[0] == ':') {
+			channelmode++;
+        }
+
         m_Variables[VID_CHANNEL] = channelname;
         m_Variables[VID_CHANNELMODE] = channelmode;
         m_Variables[VID_PARAM1] = channelname;
@@ -2687,6 +2702,12 @@ void IRCServer::Parse( char *processstr )
       m_Variables[VID_PARAM1] = to;
       m_Variables[VID_PARAM2] = tmpnick;
       m_Variables[VID_PARAM3] = UseEmptyString(rest);
+
+	  char *colonPos = strchr(rest, ':');
+      if (colonPos) {
+          memmove(colonPos, colonPos + 1, strlen(colonPos));
+      }
+
       if (ischannelstartchar(to[0]))
       {
         IRCChannel *pChannel = FindChannel(to);
diff --git a/HydraIRC/version.h b/HydraIRC/version.h
index b7ed615..14a9cce 100644
--- a/HydraIRC/version.h
+++ b/HydraIRC/version.h
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@
 
 */
 
-#define VERSIONNUM "v0.3.168"
-#define VERSIONDATE "(13/November/2022)"
+#define VERSIONNUM "v0.3.169"
+#define VERSIONDATE "(9/October/2023)"
 
 #ifdef RELEASE_VERSION
 #define VERSIONSTRING_EXTRA_1 ""