diff --git a/statusbot/bot.py b/statusbot/bot.py
index 1a13feb..2c2f3c4 100644
--- a/statusbot/bot.py
+++ b/statusbot/bot.py
@@ -20,8 +20,9 @@
 [ircbot]
 nick=NICKNAME
 pass=PASSWORD
-server=irc.freenode.net
+server=irc.oftc.net
 port=6697
+use_sasl=False
 channels=foo,bar
 nicks=alice,bob
 
@@ -313,12 +314,12 @@ class AlertFile(UpdateInterface):
         self.write(None)
 
 
-class StatusBot(SASL, SSL, irc.bot.SingleServerIRCBot):
+class BaseStatusBot(SSL, irc.bot.SingleServerIRCBot):
     log = logging.getLogger("statusbot.bot")
 
     def __init__(self, channels, nicks, publishers, successlog, thankslog,
                  nickname, password, server, port=6697):
-        super(StatusBot, self).__init__(
+        super(BaseStatusBot, self).__init__(
             server_list=[(server, port)],
             nickname=nickname,
             realname=nickname,
@@ -337,6 +338,7 @@ class StatusBot(SASL, SSL, irc.bot.SingleServerIRCBot):
 
     def on_welcome(self, c, e):
         self.identify_msg_cap = False
+        # TODO what do we do about this capability request?
         self.log.debug("Requesting identify-msg capability")
         c.cap('REQ', 'identify-msg')
         c.cap('END')
@@ -348,6 +350,7 @@ class StatusBot(SASL, SSL, irc.bot.SingleServerIRCBot):
             self.identify_msg_cap = True
 
     def on_pubmsg(self, c, e):
+        # TODO see TODO in on_welcome
         if not self.identify_msg_cap:
             self.log.debug("Ignoring message because identify-msg "
                            "cap not enabled")
@@ -474,6 +477,30 @@ class StatusBot(SASL, SSL, irc.bot.SingleServerIRCBot):
         time.sleep(ANTI_FLOOD_SLEEP)
 
 
+class NoSASLStatusBot(BaseStatusBot):
+    def on_welcome(self, c, e):
+        super(NoSASLStatusBot, self).on_welcome(self, c, e)
+        self.log.debug("Identifying to nickserv")
+        c.privmsg("nickserv", "identify %s " % self.password)
+        for channel in self.channel_list:
+            self.log.info("Joining %s" % channel)
+            c.join(channel)
+            time.sleep(ANTI_FLOOD_SLEEP)
+
+    def on_nicknameinuse(self, c, e):
+        self.log.debug("Nickname in use, releasing")
+        c.nick(c.get_nickname() + "_")
+        c.privmsg("nickserv", "identify %s " % self.password)
+        c.privmsg("nickserv", "ghost %s %s" % (self.nickname, self.password))
+        c.privmsg("nickserv", "release %s %s" % (self.nickname, self.password))
+        time.sleep(ANTI_FLOOD_SLEEP)
+        c.nick(self.nickname)
+
+
+class SASLStatusBot(SASL, BaseStatusBot):
+    pass
+
+
 def _main(configpath):
     config = ConfigParser.RawConfigParser()
     config.read(configpath)
@@ -490,11 +517,24 @@ def _main(configpath):
     if config.has_section('twitter'):
         publishers.append(Tweet(config))
 
-    bot = StatusBot(channels, nicks, publishers, successlog, thankslog,
-                    config.get('ircbot', 'nick'),
-                    config.get('ircbot', 'pass'),
-                    config.get('ircbot', 'server'),
-                    config.getint('ircbot', 'port'))
+    if config.has_option('ircbot', 'use_sasl'):
+        use_sasl = config.getboolean('ircbot', 'use_sasl')
+    else:
+        use_sasl = False
+    if use_sasl:
+        bot = SASLStatusBot(channels, nicks, publishers, successlog,
+                            thankslog,
+                            config.get('ircbot', 'nick'),
+                            config.get('ircbot', 'pass'),
+                            config.get('ircbot', 'server'),
+                            config.getint('ircbot', 'port'))
+    else:
+        bot = NoSASLStatusBot(channels, nicks, publishers, successlog,
+                              thankslog,
+                              config.get('ircbot', 'nick'),
+                              config.get('ircbot', 'pass'),
+                              config.get('ircbot', 'server'),
+                              config.getint('ircbot', 'port'))
     bot.start()