diff --git a/src/conf.py b/src/conf.py
index f38dfba33..fb90e17b1 100644
--- a/src/conf.py
+++ b/src/conf.py
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ class SpaceSeparatedSetOfChannels(registry.SpaceSeparatedListOf):
         else:
             return ircmsgs.join(channel)
 
-def registerNetwork(name, password='', ssl=False):
+def registerNetwork(name, username='', password='', ssl=False):
     network = registerGroup(supybot.networks, name)
     registerGlobalValue(network, 'password', registry.String(password,
         _("""Determines what password will be used on %s.  Yes, we know that
@@ -277,6 +277,15 @@ def registerNetwork(name, password='', ssl=False):
     registerChannelValue(network.channels, 'key', registry.String('',
         _("""Determines what key (if any) will be used to join the
         channel.""")))
+    sasl = registerGroup(network, 'sasl')
+    registerGlobalValue(sasl, 'username', registry.String(username,
+        _("""Determines what SASL username will be used on %s. This should
+        be the bot's account name. Due to the way SASL works, you can't use
+        any grouped nick.""") % name, private=False))
+    registerGlobalValue(sasl, 'password', registry.String(password,
+        _("""Determines what SASL password will be used on %s. Yes, we know
+        that technically passwords are server-specific and not network-specific,
+        but this is the best we can do right now.""") % name, private=True))
     return network
 
 # Let's fill our networks.
diff --git a/src/irclib.py b/src/irclib.py
index 0efa1abc8..b7dc0f648 100644
--- a/src/irclib.py
+++ b/src/irclib.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import re
 import copy
 import time
 import random
+import base64
 
 import supybot.log as log
 import supybot.conf as conf
@@ -862,6 +863,8 @@ class Irc(IrcCommandDispatcher):
         self.ident = conf.supybot.ident()
         self.alternateNicks = conf.supybot.nick.alternates()[:]
         self.password = conf.supybot.networks.get(self.network).password()
+        self.sasl_username = conf.supybot.networks.get(self.network).sasl.username()
+        self.sasl_password = conf.supybot.networks.get(self.network).sasl.password()
         self.prefix = '%s!%s@%s' % (self.nick, self.ident, 'unset.domain')
         # The rest.
         self.lastTake = 0
@@ -875,6 +878,18 @@ class Irc(IrcCommandDispatcher):
             self.driver.die()
             self._reallyDie()
         else:
+            if self.sasl_password:
+                if not self.sasl_username:
+                    log.error('SASL username is not set, unable to identify.')
+                else:
+                    auth_string = base64.b64encode('%s\x00%s\x00%s' % (self.sasl_username,
+                        self.sasl_username, self.sasl_password))
+                    log.debug('Sending CAP REQ command, requesting capability \'sasl\'.')
+                    self.queueMsg(ircmsgs.IrcMsg(command="CAP", args=('REQ', 'sasl')))
+                    log.debug('Sending AUTHENTICATE command, using mechanism PLAIN.')
+                    self.queueMsg(ircmsgs.IrcMsg(command="AUTHENTICATE", args=('PLAIN',)))
+                    log.info('Sending AUTHENTICATE command, not logging the password.')
+                    self.queueMsg(ircmsgs.IrcMsg(command="AUTHENTICATE", args=(auth_string,)))
             if self.password:
                 log.info('Sending PASS command, not logging the password.')
                 self.queueMsg(ircmsgs.password(self.password))
@@ -884,6 +899,17 @@ class Irc(IrcCommandDispatcher):
                      self.ident, self.user)
             self.queueMsg(ircmsgs.user(self.ident, self.user))
 
+    def do903(self, msg):
+        log.info('SASL authentication successful')
+        log.debug('Sending CAP END command.')
+        self.queueMsg(ircmsgs.IrcMsg(command="CAP", args=('END',)))
+
+    def do904(self, msg):
+        log.warning('SASL authentication failed')
+        log.debug('Aborting authentication.')
+        log.debug('Sending CAP END command.')
+        self.queueMsg(ircmsgs.IrcMsg(command="CAP", args=('END',)))
+
     def _getNextNick(self):
         if self.alternateNicks:
             nick = self.alternateNicks.pop(0)