diff --git a/ergonomadic.go b/ergonomadic.go
index 2c4cce76..cf91bdea 100644
--- a/ergonomadic.go
+++ b/ergonomadic.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 func main() {
 	conf := flag.String("conf", "ergonomadic.conf", "ergonomadic config file")
 	initdb := flag.Bool("initdb", false, "initialize database")
+	upgradedb := flag.Bool("upgradedb", false, "update database")
 	passwd := flag.String("genpasswd", "", "bcrypt a password")
 	flag.Parse()
 
@@ -35,7 +36,13 @@ func main() {
 
 	if *initdb {
 		irc.InitDB(config.Server.Database)
-		log.Println("database initialized: " + config.Server.Database)
+		log.Println("database initialized: ", config.Server.Database)
+		return
+	}
+
+	if *upgradedb {
+		irc.UpgradeDB(config.Server.Database)
+		log.Println("database upgraded: ", config.Server.Database)
 		return
 	}
 
diff --git a/irc/channel.go b/irc/channel.go
index c44e191d..41f7f9a8 100644
--- a/irc/channel.go
+++ b/irc/channel.go
@@ -443,10 +443,12 @@ func (channel *Channel) Persist() (err error) {
 	if channel.flags[Persistent] {
 		_, err = channel.server.db.Exec(`
             INSERT OR REPLACE INTO channel
-              (name, flags, key, topic, user_limit)
-              VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)`,
+              (name, flags, key, topic, user_limit, ban_list, except_list,
+               invite_list)
+              VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)`,
 			channel.name, channel.flags.String(), channel.key, channel.topic,
-			channel.userLimit)
+			channel.userLimit, channel.lists[BanMask].String(),
+			channel.lists[ExceptMask].String(), channel.lists[InviteMask].String())
 	} else {
 		_, err = channel.server.db.Exec(`
             DELETE FROM channel WHERE name = ?`, channel.name)
diff --git a/irc/client_lookup_set.go b/irc/client_lookup_set.go
index 44aa4bda..6506741e 100644
--- a/irc/client_lookup_set.go
+++ b/irc/client_lookup_set.go
@@ -219,6 +219,16 @@ func (set *UserMaskSet) Match(userhost string) bool {
 	return set.regexp.MatchString(userhost)
 }
 
+func (set *UserMaskSet) String() string {
+	masks := make([]string, len(set.masks))
+	index := 0
+	for mask := range set.masks {
+		masks[index] = mask
+		index += 1
+	}
+	return strings.Join(masks, " ")
+}
+
 func (set *UserMaskSet) setRegexp() {
 	if len(set.masks) == 0 {
 		set.regexp = nil
diff --git a/irc/database.go b/irc/database.go
index c7f9264a..2a482ecf 100644
--- a/irc/database.go
+++ b/irc/database.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package irc
 
 import (
 	"database/sql"
+	"fmt"
 	_ "github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3"
 	"log"
 	"os"
@@ -14,15 +15,30 @@ func InitDB(path string) {
 	_, err := db.Exec(`
         CREATE TABLE channel (
           name TEXT NOT NULL UNIQUE,
-          flags TEXT NOT NULL,
-          key TEXT NOT NULL,
-          topic TEXT NOT NULL,
-          user_limit INTEGER DEFAULT 0)`)
+          flags TEXT DEFAULT '',
+          key TEXT DEFAULT '',
+          topic TEXT DEFAULT '',
+          user_limit INTEGER DEFAULT 0,
+          ban_list TEXT DEFAULT '',
+          except_list TEXT DEFAULT '',
+          invite_list TEXT DEFAULT '')`)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatal("initdb error: ", err)
 	}
 }
 
+func UpgradeDB(path string) {
+	db := OpenDB(path)
+	alter := `ALTER TABLE channel ADD COLUMN %s TEXT DEFAULT ''`
+	cols := []string{"ban_list", "except_list", "invite_list"}
+	for _, col := range cols {
+		_, err := db.Exec(fmt.Sprintf(alter, col))
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatal("updatedb error: ", err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func OpenDB(path string) *sql.DB {
 	db, err := sql.Open("sqlite3", path)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/irc/server.go b/irc/server.go
index 5f19f773..6d83fc50 100644
--- a/irc/server.go
+++ b/irc/server.go
@@ -64,9 +64,19 @@ func NewServer(config *Config) *Server {
 	return server
 }
 
+func loadChannelList(channel *Channel, list string, maskMode ChannelMode) {
+	if list == "" {
+		return
+	}
+	for _, mask := range strings.Split(list, " ") {
+		channel.lists[maskMode].Add(mask)
+	}
+}
+
 func (server *Server) loadChannels() {
 	rows, err := server.db.Query(`
-        SELECT name, flags, key, topic, user_limit
+        SELECT name, flags, key, topic, user_limit, ban_list, except_list,
+               invite_list
           FROM channel`)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatal("error loading channels: ", err)
@@ -74,9 +84,11 @@ func (server *Server) loadChannels() {
 	for rows.Next() {
 		var name, flags, key, topic string
 		var userLimit uint64
-		err = rows.Scan(&name, &flags, &key, &topic, &userLimit)
+		var banList, exceptList, inviteList string
+		err = rows.Scan(&name, &flags, &key, &topic, &userLimit, &banList,
+			&exceptList, &inviteList)
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Println(err)
+			log.Println("Server.loadChannels:", err)
 			continue
 		}
 
@@ -87,6 +99,9 @@ func (server *Server) loadChannels() {
 		channel.key = key
 		channel.topic = topic
 		channel.userLimit = userLimit
+		loadChannelList(channel, banList, BanMask)
+		loadChannelList(channel, exceptList, ExceptMask)
+		loadChannelList(channel, inviteList, InviteMask)
 	}
 }