diff --git a/scripts/supybot b/scripts/supybot
index 85dd5a8a9..a7d4cdc09 100755
--- a/scripts/supybot
+++ b/scripts/supybot
@@ -249,6 +249,7 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
         if world.dying:
             log.info('Finished writing registry file.')
     world.flushers.append(closeRegistry)
+    world.registryFilename = registryFilename
 
     nick = options.nick or conf.supybot.nick()
     user = options.user or conf.supybot.user()
diff --git a/src/Config.py b/src/Config.py
index c373f0821..330fa2a04 100644
--- a/src/Config.py
+++ b/src/Config.py
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import getopt
 
 import conf
 import utils
+import world
 import ircdb
 import plugins
 import ircutils
@@ -47,7 +48,6 @@ import callbacks
 ###
 # Now, to setup the registry.
 ###
-import registry
 
 class InvalidRegistryName(callbacks.Error):
     pass
@@ -210,9 +210,9 @@ class Config(callbacks.Privmsg):
         Reloads the various configuration files (user database, channel
         database, registry, etc.).
         """
-        # TODO: Reload registry.
         ircdb.users.reload()
         ircdb.channels.reload()
+        registry.open(world.registryFilename)
         irc.replySuccess()
     reload = privmsgs.checkCapability(reload, 'owner')
         
diff --git a/src/conf.py b/src/conf.py
index 8c87dd636..eef919e1a 100644
--- a/src/conf.py
+++ b/src/conf.py
@@ -352,6 +352,12 @@ supybot.register('pingInterval', registry.Integer(120, """Determines the
 number of seconds between sending pings to the server, if pings are being sent
 to the server."""))
 
+supybot.register('flush', registry.Boolean(True, """Determines whether the bot
+will periodically flush data and configuration files to disk.  Generally, the
+only time you'll want to set this to False is when you want to modify those
+configuration files by hand and don't want the bot to flush its current version
+over your modifications."""))
+
 ###
 # Driver stuff.
 ###
diff --git a/src/world.py b/src/world.py
index 5c0df355c..a2e59d554 100644
--- a/src/world.py
+++ b/src/world.py
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ ircs = [] # A list of all the IRCs.
 
 flushers = [] # A periodic function will flush all these.
 
+registryFilename = None
+
 def flush():
     """Flushes all the registered flushers."""
     for f in flushers:
@@ -85,14 +87,19 @@ def upkeep():
             pass
     if gc.garbage:
         log.warning('Uncollectable garbage: %s', gc.garbage)
-    if True: # XXX: Replace this with the registry variable.
+    flushed = conf.supybot.flush()
+    if flushed:
         flush()
     if not dying:
         log.debug('Regexp cache size: %s', len(sre._cache))
         log.debug('Pattern cache size: %s'%len(ircutils._patternCache))
         log.debug('HostmaskPatternEqual cache size: %s' %
                   len(ircutils._hostmaskPatternEqualCache))
-        log.info('%s Flushers flushed and garbage collected.', log.timestamp())
+        timestamp = log.timestamp()
+        if flushed:
+            log.info('%s Flushers flushed and garbage collected.', timestamp)
+        else:
+            log.info('%s Garbage collected.', timestamp)
     return collected
 
 def makeDriversDie():