diff --git a/driver/main.cpp b/driver/main.cpp
index 3d64722..c2371be 100644
--- a/driver/main.cpp
+++ b/driver/main.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include "connection.hpp"
 #include "openssl_utils.hpp"
 #include "registration.hpp"
+#include "sasl_mechanism.hpp"
 #include "settings.hpp"
 #include "ref.hpp"
 #include "irc_coroutine.hpp"
@@ -15,11 +16,37 @@
 #include <openssl/pem.h>
 
 #include <fstream>
-#include <iostream>
 #include <memory>
 
 using namespace std::literals;
 
+auto configure_sasl(const Settings &settings) -> std::unique_ptr<SaslMechanism>
+{
+    if (settings.sasl_mechanism == "PLAIN" &&
+        not settings.sasl_authcid.empty()
+    ) {
+        return std::make_unique<SaslPlain>(
+             settings.sasl_authcid,
+             settings.sasl_authzid,
+             settings.sasl_password);
+
+    } else if (settings.sasl_mechanism == "EXTERNAL") {
+        return std::make_unique<SaslExternal>(settings.sasl_authzid);
+
+    } else if (
+        settings.sasl_mechanism == "ECDSA" &&
+        not settings.sasl_authcid.empty() &&
+        not settings.sasl_key_file.empty()
+
+    ) {
+        if (auto sasl_key = key_from_file(settings.sasl_key_file, settings.sasl_key_password))
+            return std::make_unique<SaslEcdsa>(
+                        settings.sasl_authcid,
+                        settings.sasl_authzid,
+                        std::move(sasl_key));
+    }
+    return nullptr;
+}
 
 static auto start(boost::asio::io_context &io, const Settings &settings) -> void
 {
@@ -35,11 +62,7 @@ static auto start(boost::asio::io_context &io, const Settings &settings) -> void
         tls_key = key_from_file(settings.tls_key_file, settings.tls_key_password);
     }
 
-    Ref<EVP_PKEY> sasl_key;
-    if (not settings.sasl_key_file.empty())
-    {
-        sasl_key = key_from_file(settings.sasl_key_file, settings.sasl_key_password);
-    }
+    auto sasl_mech = configure_sasl(settings);
 
     const auto connection = std::make_shared<Connection>(io);
     const auto client = Client::start(connection);
@@ -48,11 +71,7 @@ static auto start(boost::asio::io_context &io, const Settings &settings) -> void
         .realname = settings.realname,
         .username = settings.username,
         .password = settings.password,
-        .sasl_mechanism = settings.sasl_mechanism,
-        .sasl_authcid = settings.sasl_authcid,
-        .sasl_authzid = settings.sasl_authzid,
-        .sasl_password = settings.sasl_password,
-        .sasl_key = std::move(sasl_key),
+        .sasl_mechanism = std::move(sasl_mech),
     }, client);
     const auto bot = Bot::start(client);
 
diff --git a/myirc/include/registration.hpp b/myirc/include/registration.hpp
index 78935f7..6af0f40 100644
--- a/myirc/include/registration.hpp
+++ b/myirc/include/registration.hpp
@@ -2,12 +2,10 @@
 
 #include "connection.hpp"
 #include "client.hpp"
-#include "ref.hpp"
 
 #include <memory>
 #include <string>
 #include <unordered_map>
-#include <unordered_set>
 
 class Registration : public std::enable_shared_from_this<Registration>
 {
@@ -17,11 +15,7 @@ public:
         std::string username;
         std::string realname;
         std::string password;
-        std::string sasl_mechanism;
-        std::string sasl_authcid;
-        std::string sasl_authzid;
-        std::string sasl_password;
-        Ref<EVP_PKEY> sasl_key;
+        std::unique_ptr<SaslMechanism> sasl_mechanism;
     };
 
 private:
diff --git a/myirc/registration.cpp b/myirc/registration.cpp
index e2130d3..196cb6d 100644
--- a/myirc/registration.cpp
+++ b/myirc/registration.cpp
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 
 #include "connection.hpp"
 #include "ircmsg.hpp"
-#include "sasl_mechanism.hpp"
-#include "openssl_utils.hpp"
 
 #include <memory>
 #include <random>
@@ -71,7 +69,7 @@ auto Registration::on_cap_list(const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string
         }
     }
 
-    bool do_sasl = not settings_.sasl_mechanism.empty() && caps.contains("sasl");
+    bool do_sasl = settings_.sasl_mechanism && caps.contains("sasl");
     if (do_sasl) {
         request.append("sasl ");
     }
@@ -82,19 +80,8 @@ auto Registration::on_cap_list(const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string
         client_->get_connection().send_cap_req(request);
     }
 
-    if (do_sasl && settings_.sasl_mechanism == "PLAIN") {
-        client_->start_sasl(
-            std::make_unique<SaslPlain>(
-                    settings_.sasl_authcid,
-                    settings_.sasl_authzid,
-                    settings_.sasl_password));
-    } else if (do_sasl && settings_.sasl_mechanism == "EXTERNAL") {
-        client_->start_sasl(std::make_unique<SaslExternal>(settings_.sasl_authzid));
-    } else if (do_sasl && settings_.sasl_mechanism == "ECDSA") {
-        client_->start_sasl(std::make_unique<SaslEcdsa>(
-                    settings_.sasl_authcid,
-                    settings_.sasl_authzid,
-                    settings_.sasl_key));
+    if (do_sasl) {
+        client_->start_sasl(std::move(settings_.sasl_mechanism));
     } else {
         client_->get_connection().send_cap_end();
     }