diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 859b7a20..42a7a3a8 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 pkg
 bin
 ergonomadic.db
+ergonomadic.json
diff --git a/ergonomadic.go b/ergonomadic.go
index 457a8f53..88cebbe7 100644
--- a/ergonomadic.go
+++ b/ergonomadic.go
@@ -1,17 +1,27 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"flag"
 	"github.com/jlatt/ergonomadic/irc"
+	"log"
+	"sync"
 )
 
 func main() {
-	name := flag.String("name", "ergonomadic", "A name for the server")
-	listen := flag.String("listen", ":6667", "interface to listen on")
-	flag.BoolVar(&irc.DEBUG_NET, "dnet", false, "debug net")
-	flag.BoolVar(&irc.DEBUG_CLIENT, "dclient", false, "debug client")
-	flag.BoolVar(&irc.DEBUG_CHANNEL, "dchannel", false, "debug channel")
-	flag.BoolVar(&irc.DEBUG_SERVER, "dserver", false, "debug server")
-	flag.Parse()
-	irc.NewServer(*name).Listen(*listen)
+	config, err := irc.LoadConfig()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	irc.DEBUG_NET = config.Debug["net"]
+	irc.DEBUG_CLIENT = config.Debug["client"]
+	irc.DEBUG_CHANNEL = config.Debug["channel"]
+	irc.DEBUG_SERVER = config.Debug["server"]
+
+	irc.NewServer(config)
+
+	// never finishes
+	wg := sync.WaitGroup{}
+	wg.Add(1)
+	wg.Wait()
 }
diff --git a/irc/config.go b/irc/config.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5df7c267
--- /dev/null
+++ b/irc/config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+package irc
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"os"
+)
+
+type Config struct {
+	Name     string
+	Listen   string
+	Password string
+	Debug    map[string]bool
+}
+
+func LoadConfig() (config *Config, err error) {
+	config = &Config{}
+
+	file, err := os.Open("ergonomadic.json")
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	defer file.Close()
+
+	decoder := json.NewDecoder(file)
+	err = decoder.Decode(config)
+	return
+}
diff --git a/irc/server.go b/irc/server.go
index 5ea4fb51..009400ac 100644
--- a/irc/server.go
+++ b/irc/server.go
@@ -19,16 +19,17 @@ type Server struct {
 	clients  ClientNameMap
 }
 
-func NewServer(name string) *Server {
+func NewServer(config *Config) *Server {
 	commands := make(chan Command)
 	server := &Server{
 		ctime:    time.Now(),
-		name:     name,
+		name:     config.Name,
 		commands: commands,
 		clients:  make(ClientNameMap),
 		channels: make(ChannelNameMap),
 	}
 	go server.receiveCommands(commands)
+	go server.listen(config.Listen)
 	return server
 }
 
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ func (server *Server) receiveCommands(commands <-chan Command) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (s *Server) Listen(addr string) {
+func (s *Server) listen(addr string) {
 	listener, err := net.Listen("tcp", addr)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatal("Server.Listen: ", err)