diff --git a/DrBotIRC.py b/DrBotIRC.py
index 5303001..8fef15b 100644
--- a/DrBotIRC.py
+++ b/DrBotIRC.py
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ class DrBotServerConnection(irclib.ServerConnection):
 
     nickmask = None
 
-    def __init__(self, irclibobj):
+    def __init__(self, irclibobj, nickname=None, username=None):
         """Instantiate the server connection.
 
         Also start guessing at the nickmask and get ready to do on_welcome
@@ -119,13 +119,20 @@ class DrBotServerConnection(irclib.ServerConnection):
 
         Args:
             irclibobj   the irclib instance to connect with
+            nickname    the nickname to use in nickmask guess
+            username    the username to use in nickmask guess
 
         """
 
         irclib.ServerConnection.__init__(self, irclibobj)
 
-        # temporary. hopefully on_welcome() will set this
-        self.nickmask = socket.getfqdn()
+        # temporary. hopefully on_welcome() will set this, but this should be
+        # a pretty good guess if not
+        nick = nickname
+        user = username if username is not None else nick
+        host = socket.getfqdn()
+        self.nickmask = "{0:s}!~{1:s}@{2:s}".format(nick, user, host)
+        log.debug("guessing at nickmask '{0:s}'".format(self.nickmask))
 
         self.add_global_handler('welcome', self.on_welcome, 1)
 
@@ -145,7 +152,7 @@ class DrBotServerConnection(irclib.ServerConnection):
         match = re.search('(\S+!\S+@\S+)', what)
         if match:
             self.nickmask = match.group(1)
-            log.debug("nickmask: {0:s}".format(self.nickmask))
+            log.debug("setting nickmask: {0:s}".format(self.nickmask))
 
     def privmsg(self, target, text):
         """Send a PRIVMSG command.
@@ -232,7 +239,17 @@ class DrBotIRC(irclib.IRC):
 
         """
 
-        self.server = DrBotServerConnection(self)
+        # get the nick and user name so we can provide it to
+        # DrBotServerConnection as a hint for the nickmask
+        user = None
+        nick = None
+        try:
+            if self.config.has_section('dr.botzo'):
+                user = self.config.get('dr.botzo', 'user')
+                nick = self.config.get('dr.botzo', 'nick')
+        except NoOptionError: pass
+
+        self.server = DrBotServerConnection(self, user, nick)
         self.connections.append(self.server)
 
         return self.server