diff --git a/coremods/service_support.py b/coremods/service_support.py
index ccdd6d0..0079dbc 100644
--- a/coremods/service_support.py
+++ b/coremods/service_support.py
@@ -104,7 +104,6 @@ def handle_kick(irc, source, command, args):
     sbot = irc.isServiceBot(kicked)
     if sbot:
         sbot.join(irc, channel)
-        irc.callHooks([irc.sid, 'PYLINK_SERVICE_JOIN', {'channel': channel, 'users': [kicked]}])
 utils.add_hook(handle_kick, 'KICK')
 
 def handle_commands(irc, source, command, args):
diff --git a/plugins/automode.py b/plugins/automode.py
index 59fb927..aed4f8b 100644
--- a/plugins/automode.py
+++ b/plugins/automode.py
@@ -78,8 +78,7 @@ def main(irc=None):
         netname, channel = entry.split('#', 1)
         channel = '#' + channel
         log.debug('automode: auto-joining %s on %s', channel, netname)
-        if netname in world.networkobjects:
-            modebot.join(world.networkobjects[netname], channel)
+        modebot.join(netname, channel)
 
 def die(sourceirc):
     """Saves the Automode database and quit."""
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index 8e106cc..47093f2 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -239,25 +239,38 @@ class ServiceBot():
         """
         Joins the given service bot to the given channel(s).
         """
-        try:
-            u = self.uids[irc.name]
-        except KeyError:
-            log.debug('(%s/%s) Skipping join(), UID not initialized yet', irc.name, self.name)
-            return
+
+        if type(irc) == str:
+            netname = irc
+        else:
+            netname = irc.name
 
         # Ensure type safety: pluralize strings if only one channel was given, then convert to set.
         if type(channels) == str:
             channels = [channels]
         channels = set(channels)
 
+        if autojoin:
+            log.debug('(%s/%s) Adding channels %s to autojoin', netname, self.name, channels)
+            self.extra_channels[netname] |= channels
+
+        # If the network was given as a string, look up the Irc object here.
+        try:
+            irc = world.networkobjects[netname]
+        except KeyError:
+            log.debug('(%s/%s) Skipping join(), IRC object not initialized yet', irc, self.name)
+            return
+
+        try:
+            u = self.uids[irc.name]
+        except KeyError:
+            log.debug('(%s/%s) Skipping join(), UID not initialized yet', irc.name, self.name)
+            return
+
         # Specify modes to join the services bot with.
         joinmodes = irc.serverdata.get("%s_joinmodes" % self.name) or conf.conf.get(self.name, {}).get('joinmodes') or ''
         joinmodes = ''.join([m for m in joinmodes if m in irc.prefixmodes])
 
-        if autojoin:
-            log.debug('(%s/%s) Adding channels %s to autojoin', irc.name, self.name, channels)
-            self.extra_channels[irc.name] |= channels
-
         for chan in channels:
             if isChannel(chan):
                 if u in irc.channels[chan].users: