diff --git a/config.yml.example b/config.yml.example
index 1718760..5654323 100644
--- a/config.yml.example
+++ b/config.yml.example
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ server:
     sid: "0AL"
     # Autojoin channels
     channels: ["#pylink"]
+    protocol: "inspircd"
 
 # Plugins to load (omit the .py extension)
 plugins:
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 4714806..1192e00 100755
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -7,14 +7,9 @@ import time
 import sys
 
 from conf import conf
-import proto
-
-if conf['login']['password'] == 'changeme':
-     print("You have not set the login details correctly! Exiting...")
-     sys.exit(2)
 
 class Irc():
-    def __init__(self):
+    def __init__(self, proto):
         # Initialize some variables
         self.socket = socket.socket()
         self.connected = False
@@ -32,6 +27,7 @@ class Irc():
 
         self.socket = socket.socket()
         self.socket.connect((ip, port))
+        self.proto = proto
         proto.connect(self)
         self.loaded = []
         self.load_plugins()
@@ -74,9 +70,24 @@ class Irc():
                 if str(e).startswith('No module named'):
                     print('Failed to load plugin %r: the plugin could not be found.' % plugin)
                 else:
-                    print('Failed to load plugin %r: import error %s' (plugin, str(e)))
+                    print('Failed to load plugin %r: import error %s' % (plugin, str(e)))
         print("loaded plugins: %s" % self.loaded)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     print('PyLink starting...')
-    irc_obj = Irc()
+    if conf['login']['password'] == 'changeme':
+        print("You have not set the login details correctly! Exiting...")
+        sys.exit(2)
+
+    protoname = conf['server']['protocol']
+    protocols_folder = [os.path.join(os.getcwd(), 'protocols')]
+    try:
+        moduleinfo = imp.find_module(protoname, protocols_folder)
+        proto = imp.load_source(protoname, moduleinfo[1])
+    except ImportError as e:
+        if str(e).startswith('No module named'):
+            print('Failed to load protocol module %r: the file could not be found.' % protoname)
+        else:
+            print('Failed to load protocol module: import error %s' % (protoname, str(e)))
+    else:
+        irc_obj = Irc(proto)
diff --git a/plugins/admin.py b/plugins/admin.py
index e4edd18..6791dca 100644
--- a/plugins/admin.py
+++ b/plugins/admin.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 # admin.py: PyLink administrative commands
 import sys, os
 sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))))
-import proto
 import utils
 
 class NotAuthenticatedError(Exception):
@@ -28,7 +27,7 @@ def spawnclient(irc, source, args):
     except ValueError:
         utils.msg(irc, source, "Error: not enough arguments. Needs 3: nick, user, host.")
         return
-    proto.spawnClient(irc, nick, ident, host)
+    irc.proto.spawnClient(irc, nick, ident, host)
 
 @utils.add_cmd
 def quitclient(irc, source, args):
@@ -43,7 +42,7 @@ def quitclient(irc, source, args):
         return
     u = utils.nickToUid(irc, nick)
     quitmsg =  ' '.join(args[1:]) or 'Client quit'
-    proto.quitClient(irc, u, quitmsg)
+    irc.proto.quitClient(irc, u, quitmsg)
 
 @utils.add_cmd
 def joinclient(irc, source, args):
@@ -61,7 +60,7 @@ def joinclient(irc, source, args):
         if not channel.startswith('#'):
             utils.msg(irc, source, "Error: channel names must start with #.")
             return
-        proto.joinClient(irc, u, channel)
+        irc.proto.joinClient(irc, u, channel)
 
 @utils.add_cmd
 def nickclient(irc, source, args):
@@ -73,7 +72,7 @@ def nickclient(irc, source, args):
         utils.msg(irc, source, "Error: not enough arguments. Needs 2: nick, newnick.")
         return
     u = utils.nickToUid(irc, nick)
-    proto.nickClient(irc, u, newnick)
+    irc.proto.nickClient(irc, u, newnick)
 
 @utils.add_cmd
 def partclient(irc, source, args):
@@ -90,7 +89,7 @@ def partclient(irc, source, args):
         if not channel.startswith('#'):
             utils.msg(irc, source, "Error: channel names must start with #.")
             return
-        proto.partClient(irc, u, channel, reason)
+        irc.proto.partClient(irc, u, channel, reason)
 
 @utils.add_cmd
 def kickclient(irc, source, args):
@@ -108,4 +107,21 @@ def kickclient(irc, source, args):
     if not channel.startswith('#'):
         utils.msg(irc, source, "Error: channel names must start with #.")
         return
-    proto.kickClient(irc, u, channel, targetu, reason)
+    irc.proto.kickClient(irc, u, channel, targetu, reason)
+
+@utils.add_cmd
+def tell(irc, source, args):
+    checkauthenticated(irc, source)
+    try:
+        source, target, text = args[0], args[1], ' '.join(args[2:])
+    except IndexError:
+        utils.msg(irc, source, 'Error: not enough arguments.')
+        return
+    targetuid = utils.nickToUid(irc, target)
+    if targetuid is None:
+        utils.msg(irc, source, 'Error: unknown user %r' % target)
+        return
+    if not text:
+        utils.msg(irc, source, "Error: can't send an empty message!")
+        return
+    utils.msg(irc, target, text, notice=True)
diff --git a/plugins/commands.py b/plugins/commands.py
index edda62d..018f019 100644
--- a/plugins/commands.py
+++ b/plugins/commands.py
@@ -1,26 +1,9 @@
 # commands.py: base PyLink commands
 import sys, os
 sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))))
-import proto
 import utils
 from conf import conf
 
-@utils.add_cmd
-def tell(irc, source, args):
-    try:
-        target, text = args[0], ' '.join(args[1:])
-    except IndexError:
-        utils.msg(irc, source, 'Error: not enough arguments.')
-        return
-    targetuid = utils.nickToUid(irc, target)
-    if targetuid is None:
-        utils.msg(irc, source, 'Error: unknown user %r' % target)
-        return
-    if not text:
-        utils.msg(irc, source, "Error: can't send an empty message!")
-        return
-    utils.msg(irc, target, text, notice=True)
-
 @utils.add_cmd
 def debug(irc, source, args):
     print('user index: %s' % irc.users)
diff --git a/proto.py b/protocols/inspircd.py
similarity index 99%
rename from proto.py
rename to protocols/inspircd.py
index 1950184..4fb7c65 100644
--- a/proto.py
+++ b/protocols/inspircd.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import socket
 import time
 import sys
+import os
+sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))))
 from utils import *
 from copy import copy
 import traceback
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index 10bdbee..7a15b72 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import string
-import proto
 
 global bot_commands
 # This should be a mapping of command names to functions
@@ -19,7 +18,7 @@ def next_uid(sid, level=-1):
 
 def msg(irc, target, text, notice=False):
     command = 'NOTICE' if notice else 'PRIVMSG'
-    proto._sendFromUser(irc, irc.pseudoclient.uid, '%s %s :%s' % (command, target, text))
+    irc.proto._sendFromUser(irc, irc.pseudoclient.uid, '%s %s :%s' % (command, target, text))
 
 def add_cmd(func, name=None):
     if name is None: