diff --git a/protocols/hybrid.py b/protocols/hybrid.py
index a79bf93..88f328b 100644
--- a/protocols/hybrid.py
+++ b/protocols/hybrid.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import time
 
-from pylinkirc import utils
+from pylinkirc import utils, conf
 from pylinkirc.log import log
 from pylinkirc.classes import *
 from pylinkirc.protocols.ts6 import *
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ class HybridProtocol(TS6Protocol):
         f('CAPAB :TBURST DLN KNOCK UNDLN UNKLN KLN ENCAP IE EX HOPS CHW SVS CLUSTER EOB QS')
 
         f('SERVER %s 0 :%s' % (self.irc.serverdata["hostname"],
-                               self.irc.serverdata.get('serverdesc') or self.irc.botdata['serverdesc']))
+                               self.irc.serverdata.get('serverdesc') or conf.conf['bot']['serverdesc']))
 
         # send endburst now
         self.irc.send(':%s EOB' % (self.irc.sid,))
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ class HybridProtocol(TS6Protocol):
         uid = self.uidgen[server].next_uid()
 
         ts = ts or int(time.time())
-        realname = realname or self.irc.botdata['realname']
+        realname = realname or conf.conf['bot']['realname']
         realhost = realhost or host
         raw_modes = self.irc.joinModes(modes)
         u = self.irc.users[uid] = IrcUser(nick, ts, uid, server, ident=ident, host=host, realname=realname,
diff --git a/protocols/inspircd.py b/protocols/inspircd.py
index 12db96f..1929e23 100644
--- a/protocols/inspircd.py
+++ b/protocols/inspircd.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ inspircd.py: InspIRCd 2.x protocol module for PyLink.
 import time
 import threading
 
-from pylinkirc import utils
+from pylinkirc import utils, conf
 from pylinkirc.classes import *
 from pylinkirc.log import log
 from pylinkirc.protocols.ts6_common import *
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ class InspIRCdProtocol(TS6BaseProtocol):
         uid = self.uidgen[server].next_uid()
 
         ts = ts or int(time.time())
-        realname = realname or self.irc.botdata['realname']
+        realname = realname or conf.conf['bot']['realname']
         realhost = realhost or host
         raw_modes = self.irc.joinModes(modes)
         u = self.irc.users[uid] = IrcUser(nick, ts, uid, server, ident=ident, host=host, realname=realname,
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ class InspIRCdProtocol(TS6BaseProtocol):
         uplink = uplink or self.irc.sid
         name = name.lower()
         # "desc" defaults to the configured server description.
-        desc = desc or self.irc.serverdata.get('serverdesc') or self.irc.botdata['serverdesc']
+        desc = desc or self.irc.serverdata.get('serverdesc') or conf.conf['bot']['serverdesc']
         if sid is None:  # No sid given; generate one!
             sid = self.sidgen.next_sid()
         assert len(sid) == 3, "Incorrect SID length"
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ class InspIRCdProtocol(TS6BaseProtocol):
         host = self.irc.serverdata["hostname"]
         f('SERVER {host} {Pass} 0 {sid} :{sdesc}'.format(host=host,
           Pass=self.irc.serverdata["sendpass"], sid=self.irc.sid,
-          sdesc=self.irc.serverdata.get('serverdesc') or self.irc.botdata['serverdesc']))
+          sdesc=self.irc.serverdata.get('serverdesc') or conf.conf['bot']['serverdesc']))
 
         self._send(self.irc.sid, 'BURST %s' % ts)
         # InspIRCd sends VERSION data on link, instead of whenever requested by a client.
diff --git a/protocols/nefarious.py b/protocols/nefarious.py
index c137afa..14642ac 100644
--- a/protocols/nefarious.py
+++ b/protocols/nefarious.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import struct
 from ipaddress import ip_address
 import time
 
-from pylinkirc import utils, structures
+from pylinkirc import utils, structures, conf
 from pylinkirc.classes import *
 from pylinkirc.log import log
 from pylinkirc.protocols.ircs2s_common import *
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ class P10Protocol(IRCS2SProtocol):
 
         # Fill in all the values we need
         ts = ts or int(time.time())
-        realname = realname or self.irc.botdata['realname']
+        realname = realname or conf.conf['bot']['realname']
         realhost = realhost or host
         raw_modes = self.irc.joinModes(modes)
 
@@ -642,7 +642,7 @@ class P10Protocol(IRCS2SProtocol):
         # <- SERVER nefarious.midnight.vpn 1 1460673022 1460673239 J10 ABP]] +h6 :Nefarious2 test server
         uplink = uplink or self.irc.sid
         name = name.lower()
-        desc = desc or self.irc.serverdata.get('serverdesc') or self.irc.botdata['serverdesc']
+        desc = desc or self.irc.serverdata.get('serverdesc') or conf.conf['bot']['serverdesc']
 
         if sid is None:  # No sid given; generate one!
             sid = self.sidgen.next_sid()
@@ -764,7 +764,7 @@ class P10Protocol(IRCS2SProtocol):
         # Encode our SID using P10 Base64.
         self.irc.sid = sid = p10b64encode(self.irc.serverdata["sid"])
 
-        desc = self.irc.serverdata.get('serverdesc') or self.irc.botdata['serverdesc']
+        desc = self.irc.serverdata.get('serverdesc') or conf.conf['bot']['serverdesc']
 
         # Enumerate modes, from https://github.com/evilnet/nefarious2/blob/master/doc/modes.txt
         cmodes = {'op': 'o', 'voice': 'v', 'private': 'p', 'secret': 's', 'moderated': 'm',
diff --git a/protocols/ratbox.py b/protocols/ratbox.py
index 38ad878..c9fb979 100644
--- a/protocols/ratbox.py
+++ b/protocols/ratbox.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import time
 
-from pylinkirc import utils
+from pylinkirc import utils, conf
 from pylinkirc.log import log
 from pylinkirc.classes import *
 from pylinkirc.protocols.ts6 import *
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class RatboxProtocol(TS6Protocol):
         uid = self.uidgen[server].next_uid()
 
         ts = ts or int(time.time())
-        realname = realname or self.irc.botdata['realname']
+        realname = realname or conf.conf['bot']['realname']
         raw_modes = self.irc.joinModes(modes)
 
         orig_realhost = realhost
diff --git a/protocols/ts6.py b/protocols/ts6.py
index 93cc984..ff9ac05 100644
--- a/protocols/ts6.py
+++ b/protocols/ts6.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ ts6.py: PyLink protocol module for TS6-based IRCds (charybdis, elemental-ircd).
 import time
 import re
 
-from pylinkirc import utils
+from pylinkirc import utils, conf
 from pylinkirc.classes import *
 from pylinkirc.log import log
 from pylinkirc.protocols.ts6_common import *
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class TS6Protocol(TS6BaseProtocol):
         # parameters: nickname, hopcount, nickTS, umodes, username,
         # visible hostname, IP address, UID, real hostname, account name, gecos
         ts = ts or int(time.time())
-        realname = realname or self.irc.botdata['realname']
+        realname = realname or conf.conf['bot']['realname']
         realhost = realhost or host
         raw_modes = self.irc.joinModes(modes)
         u = self.irc.users[uid] = IrcUser(nick, ts, uid, server, ident=ident, host=host, realname=realname,
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ class TS6Protocol(TS6BaseProtocol):
         f('CAPAB :QS ENCAP EX CHW IE KNOCK SAVE SERVICES TB EUID RSFNC EOPMOD SAVETS_100')
 
         f('SERVER %s 0 :%s' % (self.irc.serverdata["hostname"],
-                               self.irc.serverdata.get('serverdesc') or self.irc.botdata['serverdesc']))
+                               self.irc.serverdata.get('serverdesc') or conf.conf['bot']['serverdesc']))
 
         # Finally, end all the initialization with a PING - that's Charybdis'
         # way of saying end-of-burst :)
diff --git a/protocols/ts6_common.py b/protocols/ts6_common.py
index 539673f..2af2d39 100644
--- a/protocols/ts6_common.py
+++ b/protocols/ts6_common.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ ts6_common.py: Common base protocol class with functions shared by the UnrealIRC
 import string
 import time
 
-from pylinkirc import utils, structures
+from pylinkirc import utils, structures, conf
 from pylinkirc.classes import *
 from pylinkirc.log import log
 from pylinkirc.protocols.ircs2s_common import *
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ class TS6BaseProtocol(IRCS2SProtocol):
         # -> :0AL SID test.server 1 0XY :some silly pseudoserver
         uplink = uplink or self.irc.sid
         name = name.lower()
-        desc = desc or self.irc.serverdata.get('serverdesc') or self.irc.botdata['serverdesc']
+        desc = desc or self.irc.serverdata.get('serverdesc') or conf.conf['bot']['serverdesc']
         if sid is None:  # No sid given; generate one!
             sid = self.sidgen.next_sid()
         assert len(sid) == 3, "Incorrect SID length"
diff --git a/protocols/unreal.py b/protocols/unreal.py
index 06e5174..ff29767 100644
--- a/protocols/unreal.py
+++ b/protocols/unreal.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import codecs
 import socket
 import re
 
-from pylinkirc import utils
+from pylinkirc import utils, conf
 from pylinkirc.classes import *
 from pylinkirc.log import log
 from pylinkirc.protocols.ts6_common import *
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ class UnrealProtocol(TS6BaseProtocol):
         uid = self.uidgen[server].next_uid()
 
         ts = ts or int(time.time())
-        realname = realname or self.irc.botdata['realname']
+        realname = realname or conf.conf['bot']['realname']
         realhost = realhost or host
 
         # Add +xt so that vHost cloaking always works.
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ class UnrealProtocol(TS6BaseProtocol):
         # ESVID - Supports account names in services stamps instead of just the signon time.
         #         AFAIK this doesn't actually affect services' behaviour?
         f('PROTOCTL SJOIN SJ3 NOQUIT NICKv2 VL UMODE2 PROTOCTL NICKIP EAUTH=%s SID=%s VHP ESVID' % (self.irc.serverdata["hostname"], self.irc.sid))
-        sdesc = self.irc.serverdata.get('serverdesc') or self.irc.botdata['serverdesc']
+        sdesc = self.irc.serverdata.get('serverdesc') or conf.conf['bot']['serverdesc']
         f('SERVER %s 1 U%s-h6e-%s :%s' % (host, self.proto_ver, self.irc.sid, sdesc))
         f('NETINFO 1 %s %s * 0 0 0 :%s' % (self.irc.start_ts, self.proto_ver, self.irc.serverdata.get("netname", self.irc.name)))
         self._send(self.irc.sid, 'EOS')