diff --git a/distrib/atheme/atheme2json.py b/distrib/atheme/atheme2json.py
index 78768adc..b2971edf 100755
--- a/distrib/atheme/atheme2json.py
+++ b/distrib/atheme/atheme2json.py
@@ -140,14 +140,31 @@ def convert(infile):
                 chdata['amode'][username] = 'h'
             elif 'v' in flags or 'V' in flags:
                 chdata['amode'][username] = 'v'
+            elif 'S' in flags:
+                # take the first entry as the successor
+                if not chdata.get('successor'):
+                    chdata['successor'] = username
         else:
             pass
 
     # do some basic integrity checks
+    def validate_user(name):
+        if not name:
+            return False
+        return bool(out['users'].get(name))
+
+    invalid_channels = []
+
     for chname, chdata in out['channels'].items():
-        founder = chdata.get('founder')
-        if founder not in out['users']:
-            raise ValueError("no user corresponding to channel founder", chname, chdata.get('founder'))
+        if not validate_user(chdata.get('founder')):
+            if validate_user(chdata.get('successor')):
+                chdata['founder'] = chdata['successor']
+            else:
+                invalid_channels.append(chname)
+
+    for chname in invalid_channels:
+        logging.warning("Unable to find a valid founder for channel %s, discarding it", chname)
+        del out['channels'][chname]
 
     return out