diff --git a/irc/channel.go b/irc/channel.go
index a95ebeba..7254eea2 100644
--- a/irc/channel.go
+++ b/irc/channel.go
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ func (channel *Channel) Part(client *Client, message string) {
 	}
 	channel.Quit(client)
 
-	if channel.IsEmpty() {
+	if !channel.flags[Persistent] && channel.IsEmpty() {
 		channel.server.channels.Remove(channel)
 	}
 }
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ func (channel *Channel) applyMode(client *Client, change *ChannelModeChange) boo
 		}
 		client.RplEndOfMaskList(change.mode, channel)
 
-	case Moderated, NoOutside, OpOnlyTopic, Private:
+	case Moderated, NoOutside, OpOnlyTopic, Persistent, Private:
 		return channel.applyModeFlag(client, change.mode, change.op)
 
 	case Key:
diff --git a/irc/constants.go b/irc/constants.go
index a831c6d2..fbec13e2 100644
--- a/irc/constants.go
+++ b/irc/constants.go
@@ -223,6 +223,7 @@ const (
 	Moderated       ChannelMode = 'm' // flag
 	NoOutside       ChannelMode = 'n' // flag
 	OpOnlyTopic     ChannelMode = 't' // flag
+	Persistent      ChannelMode = 'P' // flag
 	Private         ChannelMode = 'p' // flag
 	Quiet           ChannelMode = 'q' // flag
 	ReOp            ChannelMode = 'r' // flag