diff --git a/packages/servers/ircbot/hooks/.gitignore b/packages/servers/ircbot/hooks/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..225fc6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/servers/ircbot/hooks/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+/__pycache__
diff --git a/packages/servers/ircbot/hooks/fistbump.py b/packages/servers/ircbot/hooks/fistbump.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..33cea53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/servers/ircbot/hooks/fistbump.py
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import main
+
+class EventHandler(main.EventHandler):
+    def on_message(bot, e):
+        if e.message == '.fistbump':
+            msg = f'vroooooooooooo fiiiist, {e.sender}! :^)'
+            bot.send_message(e.channel, msg)
diff --git a/packages/servers/ircbot/hooks/quit.py b/packages/servers/ircbot/hooks/quit.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cc5bd53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/servers/ircbot/hooks/quit.py
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import main
+
+class EventHandler(main.EventHandler):
+    def on_message(bot, e):
+        if e.message == '.quit':
+            bot.send_message(e.channel, 'exiting...')
+            bot.emit('quit')
diff --git a/packages/servers/ircbot/hooks/reload.py b/packages/servers/ircbot/hooks/reload.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..604337d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/servers/ircbot/hooks/reload.py
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import main
+
+class EventHandler(main.EventHandler):
+    def on_message(bot, e):
+        if e.message == '.reload':
+            bot.send_message(e.channel, 'reloading hooks...')
+            bot.emit('reload-hooks')
diff --git a/packages/servers/ircbot/main.py b/packages/servers/ircbot/main.py
index 87479bb..f86ca8c 100644
--- a/packages/servers/ircbot/main.py
+++ b/packages/servers/ircbot/main.py
@@ -1,34 +1,83 @@
+import os
+import sys
 import justirc
+import importlib
+
+class EventHandler(object):
+    def on_message(bot, event):
+        ...
+
+    def on_reload(bot):
+        ...
 
 def main():
-    config = dict(nick='smith', debug=False)
+    config = dict(
+        debug=False,
+        nick='smith',
+        channel='#general',
+        server='irc.privatevoid.net',
+        port=6697,
+        tls=True,
+    )
     run_bot(config)
 
+def shutdown_bot_hooks(bot):
+    for name, hook in bot.hooks:
+        try:
+            hook.EventHandler.on_reload(bot)
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f'exception running hook {name}: {e}')
+
 def run_bot(c):
     bot = justirc.IRCConnection()
 
+    bot.db = ()    # TODO: store a database handle here
+    bot.hooks = [] # storage for all bot hooks
+
     if c['debug']:
         @bot.on('packet')
         def new_packet(e):
             print(e.packet)
 
+    @bot.on('reload-hooks')
+    def reload_hooks(e):
+        shutdown_bot_hooks(bot)
+        bot.hooks.clear()
+
+        for path in filter(lambda h: h[-3:] == '.py', os.listdir('hooks')):
+            name = '.'.join(['hooks', path.split('.py')[0]])
+            if name in sys.modules.keys():
+                del sys.modules[name]
+            try:
+                mod = importlib.import_module(name, package=name)
+                bot.hooks.append((name, mod))
+            except Exception as e:
+                print(f'failed to load hook {name}: {e}')
+
+    @bot.on('quit')
+    def quit(e):
+        shutdown_bot_hooks(bot)
+        exit(0)
+
     @bot.on('connect')
     def connect(e):
         bot.send_line(f'NICK {c["nick"]}')
         bot.send_line(f'USER {c["nick"]} 8 * {c["nick"]}')
+        bot.emit('reload-hooks')
 
     @bot.on('welcome')
     def welcome(e):
-        bot.join_channel("#general")
+        bot.join_channel(c['channel'])
 
     @bot.on('message')
     def message(e):
-        message = e.message.lower()
-        if message == '.fistbump':
-            message = f'vroooooooooooo fiiiist, {e.sender} :vvvv)))'
-            bot.send_message(e.channel, message)
+        for name, hook in bot.hooks:
+            try:
+                hook.EventHandler.on_message(bot, e)
+            except Exception as e:
+                print(f'exception running hook {name}: {e}')
 
-    bot.connect('irc.privatevoid.net', port=6697, tls=True)
+    bot.connect(c['server'], port=c['port'], tls=c['tls'])
     bot.run_loop()
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':