diff --git a/bot.py b/bot.py
index 1bcc46b..0fb66da 100755
--- a/bot.py
+++ b/bot.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 
-network = "irc.synirc.net"
+network = "localhost"
 nick = "skybot"
-channel = "#cobol"
+channel = "#test"
 
 import sys
 import os
@@ -12,25 +12,25 @@ sys.path += ['plugins'] # so 'import hook' works without duplication
 sys.path += ['lib']
 os.chdir(sys.path[0])   # do stuff relative to the installation directory
 
-import irc
-
 
 class Bot(object):
     pass
 
+
 bot = Bot()
 
 print 'Loading plugins'
 
 # bootstrap the reloader
 eval(compile(open('core/reload.py', 'U').read(), 'core/reload.py', 'exec'))
+reload(init=True)
 
 print 'Connecting to IRC'
 
 bot.nick = nick
 bot.channel = channel
 bot.network = network
-bot.irc = irc.irc(network, nick)
+bot.irc = irc(network, nick)
 bot.irc.join(channel)
 bot.persist_dir = os.path.abspath('persist')
 
diff --git a/core/reload.py b/core/reload.py
index 68df8ee..d6365aa 100644
--- a/core/reload.py
+++ b/core/reload.py
@@ -8,11 +8,9 @@ if 'mtimes' not in globals():
 if 'lastfiles' not in globals():
     lastfiles = set()
 
-def reload():
-    init = False
-    if not hasattr(bot, 'plugs'):
+def reload(init=False):
+    if init:
         bot.plugs = collections.defaultdict(lambda: [])
-        init = True
 
     for filename in glob.glob("core/*.py"):
         mtime = os.stat(filename).st_mtime
@@ -26,7 +24,7 @@ def reload():
                 continue
 
             if filename == 'core/reload.py':
-                reload()
+                reload(init=init)
                 return
 
     fileset = set(glob.glob("plugins/*py"))
@@ -53,6 +51,12 @@ def reload():
                 if hasattr(obj, '_skybot_hook'): #check for magic
                     for type, data in obj._skybot_hook:
                         bot.plugs[type] += [data]
+                        
+                        if type == 'init':
+                            try:
+                                obj(bot)
+                            except Exception:
+                                traceback.print_exc(Exception)
 
     if init:
         print '  plugin listing:'
diff --git a/plugins/util/hook.py b/plugins/util/hook.py
index e27bc23..767c52e 100644
--- a/plugins/util/hook.py
+++ b/plugins/util/hook.py
@@ -30,6 +30,14 @@ def sieve(func):
     return func
 
 
+def init(func):
+    if func.func_code.co_argcount != 1:
+        raise ValueError(
+                'initializers must take 1 argument: bot')
+    _hook_add(func, ['init', (_make_sig(func), func)])
+    return func
+
+
 def command(func=None, hook=None, **kwargs):
     args = {}