diff --git a/bridge/bridge.go b/bridge/bridge.go
index 8fe233d6..a849ba67 100644
--- a/bridge/bridge.go
+++ b/bridge/bridge.go
@@ -14,47 +14,33 @@ type Bridge struct {
 	*config.Config
 	Source      string
 	Bridges     []Bridger
-	kind        string
 	Channels    []map[string]string
 	ignoreNicks map[string][]string
 }
 
-type FancyLog struct {
-	irc  *log.Entry
-	mm   *log.Entry
-	xmpp *log.Entry
-}
-
 type Bridger interface {
 	Send(msg config.Message) error
 	Name() string
+	Connect() error
 	//Command(cmd string) string
 }
 
-var flog FancyLog
-
-const Legacy = "legacy"
-
-func initFLog() {
-	flog.irc = log.WithFields(log.Fields{"module": "irc"})
-	flog.mm = log.WithFields(log.Fields{"module": "mattermost"})
-	flog.xmpp = log.WithFields(log.Fields{"module": "xmpp"})
-}
-
 func NewBridge(cfg *config.Config) error {
 	c := make(chan config.Message)
-	initFLog()
 	b := &Bridge{}
 	b.Config = cfg
-	if cfg.General.Irc {
+	if cfg.IRC.Enable {
 		b.Bridges = append(b.Bridges, birc.New(cfg, c))
 	}
-	if cfg.General.Mattermost {
+	if cfg.Mattermost.Enable {
 		b.Bridges = append(b.Bridges, bmattermost.New(cfg, c))
 	}
-	if cfg.General.Xmpp {
+	if cfg.Xmpp.Enable {
 		b.Bridges = append(b.Bridges, bxmpp.New(cfg, c))
 	}
+	if len(b.Bridges) < 2 {
+		log.Fatalf("only %d sections enabled. Need at least 2 sections enabled (eg [IRC] and [mattermost]", len(b.Bridges))
+	}
 	b.mapChannels()
 	b.mapIgnores()
 	b.handleReceive(c)
diff --git a/bridge/config/config.go b/bridge/config/config.go
index 131ff95e..03836b63 100644
--- a/bridge/config/config.go
+++ b/bridge/config/config.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ type Config struct {
 		NickServPassword string
 		RemoteNickFormat string
 		IgnoreNicks      string
+		Enable           bool
 	}
 	Mattermost struct {
 		URL                    string
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ type Config struct {
 		RemoteNickFormat       string
 		IgnoreNicks            string
 		NoTLS                  bool
+		Enable                 bool
 	}
 	Xmpp struct {
 		Jid              string
@@ -52,6 +54,7 @@ type Config struct {
 		Muc              string
 		Nick             string
 		RemoteNickFormat string
+		Enable           bool
 	}
 	Channel map[string]*struct {
 		IRC        string
diff --git a/matterbridge.conf.sample b/matterbridge.conf.sample
index f8f07f70..43d69a57 100644
--- a/matterbridge.conf.sample
+++ b/matterbridge.conf.sample
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 #IRC section
 ###################################################################
 [IRC]
+#Enable enables this bridge
+#OPTIONAL (default false)
+Enable=true
 #irc server to connect to. 
 #REQUIRED
 Server="irc.freenode.net:6667"
@@ -45,6 +48,10 @@ IgnoreNicks="ircspammer1 ircspammer2"
 #XMPP section
 ###################################################################
 [XMPP]
+#Enable enables this bridge
+#OPTIONAL (default false)
+Enable=true
+
 #xmpp server to connect to. 
 #REQUIRED
 Server="jabber.example.com:5222"
@@ -71,6 +78,10 @@ Nick="xmppbot"
 ###################################################################
 
 [mattermost]
+#Enable enables this bridge
+#OPTIONAL (default false)
+Enable=true
+
 #### Settings for webhook matterbridge.
 #### These settings will not be used when using -plus switch which doesn't use 
 #### webhooks.
@@ -174,9 +185,3 @@ GiphyApiKey="dc6zaTOxFJmzC"
 
 #Enabling plus means you'll use the API version instead of the webhooks one
 Plus=false
-
-#Choose protocols to bridge. You need to specify at least two
-#REQUIRED
-Irc=true
-Xmpp=false
-Mattermost=true