diff --git a/ergonomadic.conf b/ergonomadic.conf
index fd08218f..7225b98b 100644
--- a/ergonomadic.conf
+++ b/ergonomadic.conf
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ name = "irc.example.com" ; required, usually a hostname
 database = "ergonomadic.db" ; path relative to this file
 listen = "localhost:6667" ; see `net.Listen` for examples
 listen = "[::1]:6667" ; multiple `listen`s are allowed.
+wslisten = ":8080" ; websocket listen
 log = "debug" ; error, warn, info, debug
 motd = "motd.txt" ; path relative to this file
 password = "JDJhJDA0JHJzVFFlNXdOUXNhLmtkSGRUQVVEVHVYWXRKUmdNQ3FKVTRrczRSMTlSWGRPZHRSMVRzQmtt" ; 'test'
diff --git a/irc/config.go b/irc/config.go
index 5a3c2e44..f3db3ea9 100644
--- a/irc/config.go
+++ b/irc/config.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ type Config struct {
 		PassConfig
 		Database string
 		Listen   []string
+		Wslisten string
 		Log      string
 		MOTD     string
 		Name     string
diff --git a/irc/server.go b/irc/server.go
index f21812dd..33fa2fb7 100644
--- a/irc/server.go
+++ b/irc/server.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"net"
+	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
 	"strings"
@@ -72,6 +73,10 @@ func NewServer(config *Config) *Server {
 		server.listen(addr)
 	}
 
+	if config.Server.Wslisten != "" {
+		server.wslisten(config.Server.Wslisten)
+	}
+
 	signal.Notify(server.signals, SERVER_SIGNALS...)
 
 	return server
@@ -203,6 +208,41 @@ func (s *Server) listen(addr string) {
 	}()
 }
 
+//
+// websocket listen goroutine
+//
+
+func (s *Server) wslisten(addr string) {
+	http.HandleFunc("/", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if r.Method != "GET" {
+			Log.error.Printf("%s method not allowed", s)
+			return
+		}
+
+		// We don't have any subprotocols, so if someone attempts to `new
+		// WebSocket(server, "subprotocol")` they'll break here, instead of
+		// getting the default, ambiguous, response from gorilla.
+		if v, ok := r.Header["Sec-Websocket-Protocol"]; ok {
+			http.Error(w, fmt.Sprintf("WebSocket subprocotols (e.g. %s) not supported", v), 400)
+		}
+
+		ws, err := upgrader.Upgrade(w, r, nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			Log.error.Printf("%s websocket upgrade error: %s", s, err)
+			return
+		}
+
+		s.newConns <- WSContainer{ws}
+	})
+	go func() {
+		Log.info.Printf("%s listening on %s", s, addr)
+		err := http.ListenAndServe(addr, nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			Log.error.Printf("%s listenAndServe error: %s", s, err)
+		}
+	}()
+}
+
 //
 // server functionality
 //
diff --git a/irc/websocket.go b/irc/websocket.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..72a1c1c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/irc/websocket.go
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+package irc
+
+import (
+	"github.com/gorilla/websocket"
+	"net/http"
+	"time"
+)
+
+var upgrader = websocket.Upgrader{
+	ReadBufferSize:  1024,
+	WriteBufferSize: 1024,
+	// If a WS session contains sensitive information, and you choose to use
+	// cookies for authentication (during the HTTP(S) upgrade request), then
+	// you should check that Origin is a domain under your control. If it
+	// isn't, then it is possible for users of your site, visiting a naughty
+	// Origin, to have a WS opened using their credentials. See
+	// http://www.christian-schneider.net/CrossSiteWebSocketHijacking.html#main.
+	// We don't care about Origin because the (IRC) authentication is contained
+	// in the WS stream -- the WS session is not privileged when it is opened.
+	CheckOrigin:     func(r *http.Request) bool { return true },
+}
+
+type WSContainer struct {
+	*websocket.Conn
+}
+
+func (this WSContainer) Read(msg []byte) (int, error) {
+	ty, bytes, err := this.ReadMessage()
+	if ty == websocket.TextMessage {
+		n := copy(msg, []byte(string(bytes)+CRLF+CRLF))
+		return n, err
+	}
+	// Binary, and other kinds of messages, are thrown away.
+	return 0, nil
+}
+
+func (this WSContainer) Write(msg []byte) (int, error) {
+	err := this.WriteMessage(websocket.TextMessage, msg)
+	return len(msg), err
+}
+
+func (this WSContainer) SetDeadline(t time.Time) error {
+	if err := this.SetWriteDeadline(t); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return this.SetReadDeadline(t)
+}