diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index a8743a23..45efef9a 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -198,12 +198,12 @@ func (c *client) connectionStatus() uint32 {
 func (c *client) setConnected(status uint32) {
 	c.Lock()
 	defer c.Unlock()
-	atomic.StoreUint32(&c.status, uint32(status))
+	atomic.StoreUint32(&c.status, status)
 }
 
 //ErrNotConnected is the error returned from function calls that are
 //made when the client is not connected to a broker
-var ErrNotConnected = errors.New("Not Connected")
+var ErrNotConnected = errors.New("not Connected")
 
 // Connect will create a connection to the message broker, by default
 // it will attempt to connect at v3.1.1 and auto retry at v3.1 if that
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ func (c *client) Connect() Token {
 		protocolVersion := c.options.ProtocolVersion
 
 		if len(c.options.Servers) == 0 {
-			t.setError(fmt.Errorf("No servers defined to connect to"))
+			t.setError(fmt.Errorf("no servers defined to connect to"))
 			return
 		}
 
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ func (c *client) reconnect() {
 		err error
 
 		rc    = byte(1)
-		sleep = time.Duration(1 * time.Second)
+		sleep = 1 * time.Second
 	)
 
 	for rc != 0 && atomic.LoadUint32(&c.status) != disconnected {
@@ -632,7 +632,7 @@ func (c *client) Publish(topic string, qos byte, retained bool, payload interfac
 	case bytes.Buffer:
 		pub.Payload = p.Bytes()
 	default:
-		token.setError(fmt.Errorf("Unknown payload type"))
+		token.setError(fmt.Errorf("unknown payload type"))
 		return token
 	}
 
diff --git a/fvt_client_test.go b/fvt_client_test.go
index 45c28a24..05257e05 100644
--- a/fvt_client_test.go
+++ b/fvt_client_test.go
@@ -1013,7 +1013,7 @@ func Test_autoreconnect(t *testing.T) {
 	time.Sleep(5 * time.Second)
 
 	fmt.Println("Breaking connection")
-	c.(*client).internalConnLost(fmt.Errorf("Autoreconnect test"))
+	c.(*client).internalConnLost(fmt.Errorf("autoreconnect test"))
 
 	time.Sleep(5 * time.Second)
 	if !c.IsConnected() {
@@ -1323,7 +1323,7 @@ func Test_ResumeSubsWithReconnect(t *testing.T) {
 
 	persistOutbound(c.(*client).persist, sub)
 	//subToken := c.Subscribe(topic, qos, nil)
-	c.(*client).internalConnLost(fmt.Errorf("Reconnection subscription test"))
+	c.(*client).internalConnLost(fmt.Errorf("reconnection subscription test"))
 
 	// As reconnect is enabled the client should automatically reconnect
 	subDone := make(chan bool)
diff --git a/memstore.go b/memstore.go
index 499c490b..d245a5fb 100644
--- a/memstore.go
+++ b/memstore.go
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ func (store *MemoryStore) All() []string {
 		ERROR.Println(STR, "Trying to use memory store, but not open")
 		return nil
 	}
-	keys := []string{}
+	var keys []string
 	for k := range store.messages {
 		keys = append(keys, k)
 	}
diff --git a/messageids.go b/messageids.go
index e98cc24f..00c9687c 100644
--- a/messageids.go
+++ b/messageids.go
@@ -40,11 +40,11 @@ func (mids *messageIds) cleanUp() {
 	for _, token := range mids.index {
 		switch token.(type) {
 		case *PublishToken:
-			token.setError(fmt.Errorf("Connection lost before Publish completed"))
+			token.setError(fmt.Errorf("connection lost before Publish completed"))
 		case *SubscribeToken:
-			token.setError(fmt.Errorf("Connection lost before Subscribe completed"))
+			token.setError(fmt.Errorf("connection lost before Subscribe completed"))
 		case *UnsubscribeToken:
-			token.setError(fmt.Errorf("Connection lost before Unsubscribe completed"))
+			token.setError(fmt.Errorf("connection lost before Unsubscribe completed"))
 		case nil:
 			continue
 		}
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ func (d *DummyToken) Error() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (p *DummyToken) setError(e error) {}
+func (d *DummyToken) setError(e error) {}
 
 // PlaceHolderToken does nothing and was implemented to allow a messageid to be reserved
 // it differs from DummyToken in that calling flowComplete does not generate an error (it
diff --git a/net.go b/net.go
index 804cb3fc..1a921d8d 100644
--- a/net.go
+++ b/net.go
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func openConnection(uri *url.URL, tlsc *tls.Config, timeout time.Duration, heade
 
 		return tlsConn, nil
 	}
-	return nil, errors.New("Unknown protocol")
+	return nil, errors.New("unknown protocol")
 }
 
 // actually read incoming messages off the wire
diff --git a/packets/packets.go b/packets/packets.go
index 42eeb46d..abf11b65 100644
--- a/packets/packets.go
+++ b/packets/packets.go
@@ -85,13 +85,13 @@ var ConnackReturnCodes = map[uint8]string{
 //to a Go error
 var ConnErrors = map[byte]error{
 	Accepted:                        nil,
-	ErrRefusedBadProtocolVersion:    errors.New("Unnacceptable protocol version"),
-	ErrRefusedIDRejected:            errors.New("Identifier rejected"),
-	ErrRefusedServerUnavailable:     errors.New("Server Unavailable"),
-	ErrRefusedBadUsernameOrPassword: errors.New("Bad user name or password"),
-	ErrRefusedNotAuthorised:         errors.New("Not Authorized"),
-	ErrNetworkError:                 errors.New("Network Error"),
-	ErrProtocolViolation:            errors.New("Protocol Violation"),
+	ErrRefusedBadProtocolVersion:    errors.New("unnacceptable protocol version"),
+	ErrRefusedIDRejected:            errors.New("identifier rejected"),
+	ErrRefusedServerUnavailable:     errors.New("server Unavailable"),
+	ErrRefusedBadUsernameOrPassword: errors.New("bad user name or password"),
+	ErrRefusedNotAuthorised:         errors.New("not Authorized"),
+	ErrNetworkError:                 errors.New("network Error"),
+	ErrProtocolViolation:            errors.New("protocol Violation"),
 }
 
 //ReadPacket takes an instance of an io.Reader (such as net.Conn) and attempts
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ func ReadPacket(r io.Reader) (ControlPacket, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	if n != fh.RemainingLength {
-		return nil, errors.New("Failed to read expected data")
+		return nil, errors.New("failed to read expected data")
 	}
 
 	err = cp.Unpack(bytes.NewBuffer(packetBytes))
@@ -274,9 +274,9 @@ func decodeUint16(b io.Reader) (uint16, error) {
 }
 
 func encodeUint16(num uint16) []byte {
-	bytes := make([]byte, 2)
-	binary.BigEndian.PutUint16(bytes, num)
-	return bytes
+	bytesResult := make([]byte, 2)
+	binary.BigEndian.PutUint16(bytesResult, num)
+	return bytesResult
 }
 
 func encodeString(field string) []byte {
diff --git a/packets/packets_test.go b/packets/packets_test.go
index 6b635507..86fa0e17 100644
--- a/packets/packets_test.go
+++ b/packets/packets_test.go
@@ -203,9 +203,9 @@ func TestEncoding(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	strings := map[string][]byte{
-		"foo":         []byte{0x00, 0x03, 'f', 'o', 'o'},
-		"\U0000FEFF":  []byte{0x00, 0x03, 0xEF, 0xBB, 0xBF},
-		"A\U0002A6D4": []byte{0x00, 0x05, 'A', 0xF0, 0xAA, 0x9B, 0x94},
+		"foo":         {0x00, 0x03, 'f', 'o', 'o'},
+		"\U0000FEFF":  {0x00, 0x03, 0xEF, 0xBB, 0xBF},
+		"A\U0002A6D4": {0x00, 0x05, 'A', 0xF0, 0xAA, 0x9B, 0x94},
 	}
 	for str, encoded := range strings {
 		if res, err := decodeString(bytes.NewBuffer(encoded)); res != str || err != nil {
@@ -217,14 +217,14 @@ func TestEncoding(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	lengths := map[int][]byte{
-		0:         []byte{0x00},
-		127:       []byte{0x7F},
-		128:       []byte{0x80, 0x01},
-		16383:     []byte{0xFF, 0x7F},
-		16384:     []byte{0x80, 0x80, 0x01},
-		2097151:   []byte{0xFF, 0xFF, 0x7F},
-		2097152:   []byte{0x80, 0x80, 0x80, 0x01},
-		268435455: []byte{0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0x7F},
+		0:         {0x00},
+		127:       {0x7F},
+		128:       {0x80, 0x01},
+		16383:     {0xFF, 0x7F},
+		16384:     {0x80, 0x80, 0x01},
+		2097151:   {0xFF, 0xFF, 0x7F},
+		2097152:   {0x80, 0x80, 0x80, 0x01},
+		268435455: {0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0x7F},
 	}
 	for length, encoded := range lengths {
 		if res, err := decodeLength(bytes.NewBuffer(encoded)); res != length || err != nil {
diff --git a/packets/publish.go b/packets/publish.go
index 7d425780..ab0de219 100644
--- a/packets/publish.go
+++ b/packets/publish.go
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ func (p *PublishPacket) Unpack(b io.Reader) error {
 		payloadLength -= len(p.TopicName) + 2
 	}
 	if payloadLength < 0 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Error unpacking publish, payload length < 0")
+		return fmt.Errorf("error unpacking publish, payload length < 0")
 	}
 	p.Payload = make([]byte, payloadLength)
 	_, err = b.Read(p.Payload)
diff --git a/router.go b/router.go
index dd55e0dd..315aa70b 100644
--- a/router.go
+++ b/router.go
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ func (r *router) matchAndDispatch(messages <-chan *packets.PublishPacket, order
 				sent := false
 				r.RLock()
 				m := messageFromPublish(message, client.ackFunc(message))
-				handlers := []MessageHandler{}
+				var handlers []MessageHandler
 				for e := r.routes.Front(); e != nil; e = e.Next() {
 					if e.Value.(*route).match(message.TopicName) {
 						if order {
diff --git a/topic.go b/topic.go
index 01b536d7..5593eac6 100644
--- a/topic.go
+++ b/topic.go
@@ -21,16 +21,16 @@ import (
 
 //ErrInvalidQos is the error returned when an packet is to be sent
 //with an invalid Qos value
-var ErrInvalidQos = errors.New("Invalid QoS")
+var ErrInvalidQos = errors.New("invalid QoS")
 
 //ErrInvalidTopicEmptyString is the error returned when a topic string
 //is passed in that is 0 length
-var ErrInvalidTopicEmptyString = errors.New("Invalid Topic; empty string")
+var ErrInvalidTopicEmptyString = errors.New("invalid Topic; empty string")
 
 //ErrInvalidTopicMultilevel is the error returned when a topic string
 //is passed in that has the multi level wildcard in any position but
 //the last
-var ErrInvalidTopicMultilevel = errors.New("Invalid Topic; multi-level wildcard must be last level")
+var ErrInvalidTopicMultilevel = errors.New("invalid Topic; multi-level wildcard must be last level")
 
 // Topic Names and Topic Filters
 // The MQTT v3.1.1 spec clarifies a number of ambiguities with regard
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ var ErrInvalidTopicMultilevel = errors.New("Invalid Topic; multi-level wildcard
 
 func validateSubscribeMap(subs map[string]byte) ([]string, []byte, error) {
 	if len(subs) == 0 {
-		return nil, nil, errors.New("Invalid subscription; subscribe map must not be empty")
+		return nil, nil, errors.New("invalid subscription; subscribe map must not be empty")
 	}
 
 	var topics []string
diff --git a/unit_store_test.go b/unit_store_test.go
index d8af064d..f50ec3d5 100644
--- a/unit_store_test.go
+++ b/unit_store_test.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func Test_exists_no(t *testing.T) {
 
 func isemptydir(dir string) bool {
 	if !exists(dir) {
-		panic(fmt.Errorf("Directory %s does not exist", dir))
+		panic(fmt.Errorf("directory %s does not exist", dir))
 	}
 	files, err := ioutil.ReadDir(dir)
 	chkerr(err)