diff --git a/coremods/service_support.py b/coremods/service_support.py
index 9a02f95..2448548 100644
--- a/coremods/service_support.py
+++ b/coremods/service_support.py
@@ -22,21 +22,10 @@ def spawn_service(irc, source, command, args):
     # Get the ServiceBot object.
     sbot = world.services[name]
 
-    # Look up the nick or ident in the following order:
-    # 1) Network specific nick/ident settings for this service (servers::irc.name::servicename_nick)
-    # 2) Global settings for this service (servicename::nick)
-    # 3) The preferred nick/ident combination defined by the plugin (sbot.nick / sbot.ident)
-    # 4) The literal service name.
-    # settings, and then falling back to the literal service name.
-    sbconf = conf.conf.get(name, {})
-    nick = irc.serverdata.get("%s_nick" % name) or sbconf.get('nick') or sbot.nick or name
-    ident = irc.serverdata.get("%s_ident" % name) or sbconf.get('ident') or sbot.ident or name
-
-    # Determine host the same way as above, except fall back to server hostname.
-    host = irc.serverdata.get("%s_host" % name) or sbconf.get('host') or irc.hostname()
-
-    # Determine realname the same way as above, except fall back to pylink:realname (and if that fails, the service name).
-    realname = irc.serverdata.get("%s_realname" % name) or sbconf.get('realname') or conf.conf['pylink'].get('realname') or name
+    nick = sbot.get_nick(irc)
+    ident = sbot.get_ident(irc)
+    host = sbot.get_host(irc)
+    realname = sbot.get_realname(irc)
 
     # Spawning service clients with these umodes where supported. servprotect usage is a
     # configuration option.
@@ -143,4 +132,4 @@ utils.add_hook(handle_commands, 'PRIVMSG')
 # TODO: be more specific, and possibly allow plugins to modify this to mention
 # their features?
 mydesc = "\x02PyLink\x02 provides extended network services for IRC."
-utils.registerService('pylink', desc=mydesc, manipulatable=True)
+utils.registerService('pylink', default_nick="PyLink", desc=mydesc, manipulatable=True)
diff --git a/docs/technical/services-api.md b/docs/technical/services-api.md
index 8920bf5..bc5ae3d 100644
--- a/docs/technical/services-api.md
+++ b/docs/technical/services-api.md
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ myservice = utils.registerService("myservice", desc=desc)
 - **`name`** - defines the service name (mandatory)
 - `default_help` - Determines whether the default HELP command should be used for the service. Defaults to True.
 - `default_list` - Determines whether the default LIST command should be used for the service. Defaults to True.
-- `nick`, `ident` - Sets the default nick and ident for the service bot. If not given, these simply default to the service name.
+- `default_nick` - Sets the default nick this service should use if the user doesn't provide it. Defaults to the same as the service name.
 - `manipulatable` - Determines whether the bot is marked manipulatable. Only manipulatable clients can be force joined, etc. using PyLink commands. Defaults to False.
 - `desc` - Sets the command description of the service. This is shown in the default HELP command if enabled.
 
diff --git a/plugins/automode.py b/plugins/automode.py
index 2d27d24..d6df252 100644
--- a/plugins/automode.py
+++ b/plugins/automode.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ mydesc = ("The \x02Automode\x02 plugin provides simple channel ACL management by
           "to users matching hostmasks or exttargets.")
 
 # Register ourselves as a service.
-modebot = utils.registerService("automode", desc=mydesc)
+modebot = utils.registerService("automode", default_nick="Automode", desc=mydesc)
 reply = modebot.reply
 error = modebot.error
 
diff --git a/plugins/games.py b/plugins/games.py
index bed711a..d1c3bf2 100644
--- a/plugins/games.py
+++ b/plugins/games.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from pylinkirc.log import log
 
 mydesc = "The \x02Games\x02 plugin provides simple games for IRC."
 
-gameclient = utils.registerService("Games", manipulatable=True, desc=mydesc)
+gameclient = utils.registerService("Games", default_nick="Games", manipulatable=True, desc=mydesc)
 reply = gameclient.reply  # TODO find a better syntax for ServiceBot.reply()
 error = gameclient.error  # TODO find a better syntax for ServiceBot.error()
 # commands
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index c6a3233..156f071 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -183,18 +183,14 @@ class ServiceBot():
     PyLink IRC Service class.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, name, default_help=True, default_list=True,
-                 nick=None, ident=None, manipulatable=False, desc=None):
-        # Service name
+    def __init__(self, name, default_help=True, default_list=True, manipulatable=False, default_nick=None, desc=None):
+        # Service name and default nick
         self.name = name
+        self.default_nick = default_nick
 
         # TODO: validate nick, ident, etc. on runtime as well
         assert isNick(name), "Invalid service name %r" % name
 
-        # Nick/ident to take. Defaults to the same as the service name if not given.
-        self.nick = nick
-        self.ident = ident
-
         # Tracks whether the bot should be manipulatable by the 'bots' plugin and other commands.
         self.manipulatable = manipulatable
 
@@ -363,6 +359,49 @@ class ServiceBot():
         self.commands[name].append(func)
         return func
 
+    def get_nick(self, irc):
+        """
+        Returns the preferred nick for this service bot on the given network. The following fields are checked in the given order:
+        # 1) Network specific nick settings for this service (servers:<netname>:servicename_nick)
+        # 2) Global settings for this service (servicename:nick)
+        # 3) The service's hardcoded default nick.
+        # 4) The literal service name.
+        """
+        sbconf = conf.conf.get(self.name, {})
+        return irc.serverdata.get("%s_nick" % self.name) or sbconf.get('nick') or self.default_nick or self.name
+
+    def get_ident(self, irc):
+        """
+        Returns the preferred ident for this service bot on the given network. The following fields are checked in the given order:
+        # 1) Network specific ident settings for this service (servers:<netname>:servicename_ident)
+        # 2) Global settings for this service (servicename:ident)
+        # 3) The service's hardcoded default nick.
+        # 4) The literal service name.
+        """
+        sbconf = conf.conf.get(self.name, {})
+        return irc.serverdata.get("%s_ident" % self.name) or sbconf.get('ident') or self.default_nick or self.name
+
+    def get_host(self, irc):
+        """
+        Returns the preferred hostname for this service bot on the given network. The following fields are checked in the given order:
+        # 1) Network specific hostname settings for this service (servers:<netname>:servicename_host)
+        # 2) Global settings for this service (servicename:host)
+        # 3) The PyLink server hostname.
+        """
+        sbconf = conf.conf.get(self.name, {})
+        return irc.serverdata.get("%s_host" % self.name) or sbconf.get('host') or irc.hostname()
+
+    def get_realname(self, irc):
+        """
+        Returns the preferred real name for this service bot on the given network. The following fields are checked in the given order:
+        # 1) Network specific realname settings for this service (servers:<netname>:servicename_realname)
+        # 2) Global settings for this service (servicename:realname)
+        # 3) The globally configured real name (pylink:realname).
+        # 4) The literal service name.
+        """
+        sbconf = conf.conf.get(self.name, {})
+        return irc.serverdata.get("%s_realname" % self.name) or sbconf.get('realname') or conf.conf['pylink'].get('realname') or self.name
+
     def _show_command_help(self, irc, command, private=False, shortform=False):
         """
         Shows help for the given command.