diff --git a/lambdabot-core.cabal b/lambdabot-core.cabal
--- a/lambdabot-core.cabal
+++ b/lambdabot-core.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                   lambdabot-core
-version:                5.1.0.2
+version:                5.1.0.4
 
 license:                GPL
 license-file:           LICENSE
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 build-type:             Simple
 cabal-version:          >= 1.8
-tested-with:            GHC == 7.8.4, GHC == 7.10.3
+tested-with:            GHC == 7.10.3, GHC == 8.0.2, GHC == 8.2.2, GHC == 8.4.4, GHC == 8.6.1
 
 extra-source-files:     AUTHORS.md
                         COMMENTARY.md
diff --git a/src/Lambdabot/Config/Core.hs b/src/Lambdabot/Config/Core.hs
--- a/src/Lambdabot/Config/Core.hs
+++ b/src/Lambdabot/Config/Core.hs
@@ -58,4 +58,8 @@
 defaultIrcHandler :: SomeException -> IO ()
 defaultIrcHandler = errorM . ("Main: caught (and ignoring) "++) . show
 
-config "uncaughtExceptionHandler" [t| SomeException -> IO () |] [| defaultIrcHandler |]
+type DIH = SomeException -> IO ()
+-- work around a TemplateHaskell bug in ghc-8.6.1
+-- see https://ghc.haskell.org/trac/ghc/ticket/15815
+
+config "uncaughtExceptionHandler" [t| DIH |] [| defaultIrcHandler |]
diff --git a/src/Lambdabot/IRC.hs b/src/Lambdabot/IRC.hs
--- a/src/Lambdabot/IRC.hs
+++ b/src/Lambdabot/IRC.hs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 --
 -- | The IRC module processes the IRC protocol and provides a nice API for sending
---   and recieving IRC messages with an IRC server.
+--   and receiving IRC messages with an IRC server.
 --
 module Lambdabot.IRC
     ( IrcMessage(..)
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
 setTopic chan topic = mkMessage (nTag chan) "TOPIC" [nName chan, ':' : topic]
 
 -- | 'privmsg' creates a private message to the person designated.
-privmsg :: Nick -- ^ Who should recieve the message (nick)
+privmsg :: Nick -- ^ Who should receive the message (nick)
         -> String -- ^ What is the message?
         -> IrcMessage -- ^ Constructed message
 privmsg who msg = if action then mk [nName who, ':':(chr 0x1):("ACTION " ++ clean_msg ++ ((chr 0x1):[]))]
diff --git a/src/Lambdabot/Module.hs b/src/Lambdabot/Module.hs
--- a/src/Lambdabot/Module.hs
+++ b/src/Lambdabot/Module.hs
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
         --   unloaded. By default, modules are not sticky.
         moduleSticky    :: !Bool,
 
-        -- | The commands the module listenes to.
+        -- | The commands the module listens to.
         moduleCmds      :: !(ModuleT st LB [Cmd.Command (ModuleT st LB)]),
 
         -- | Initialize the module. The default implementation does nothing.
diff --git a/src/Lambdabot/Monad.hs b/src/Lambdabot/Monad.hs
--- a/src/Lambdabot/Monad.hs
+++ b/src/Lambdabot/Monad.hs
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@
 -- Lambdabot.  It provides a mapping between the String server "tags" and
 -- functions which are able to handle sending messages.
 --
--- When a message is recieved, the chat module is expected to call
+-- When a message is received, the chat module is expected to call
 -- `Lambdabot.Main.received'.  This is not ideal.
 
 registerServer :: String -> Server st -> ModuleT st LB ()
diff --git a/src/Lambdabot/Plugin/Core/OfflineRC.hs b/src/Lambdabot/Plugin/Core/OfflineRC.hs
--- a/src/Lambdabot/Plugin/Core/OfflineRC.hs
+++ b/src/Lambdabot/Plugin/Core/OfflineRC.hs
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@
         lb . modify $ \s -> s
             { ircPrivilegedUsers = S.insert (Nick "offlinerc" "null") (ircPrivilegedUsers s)
             }
-        
-        void . fork $ do
+        -- note: moduleInit is invoked with exceptions masked
+        void . forkUnmasked $ do
             waitForInit
             lockRC
             cmds <- getConfig onStartupCmds
diff --git a/src/Lambdabot/Util.hs b/src/Lambdabot/Util.hs
--- a/src/Lambdabot/Util.hs
+++ b/src/Lambdabot/Util.hs
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 -- Copyright (c) 2006 Don Stewart - http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~dons
 -- GPL version 2 or later (see http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html)
 
+{-# LANGUAGE FlexibleContexts #-}
+
 -- | String and other utilities
 module Lambdabot.Util (
         strip,
@@ -14,6 +16,7 @@
         arePrefixesOf,
 
         io,
+        forkUnmasked,
 
         random,
         randomFailureMsg,
@@ -24,6 +27,8 @@
 import Data.Char
 import Data.List
 import Data.Random
+import Control.Concurrent.Lifted
+import Control.Monad.Trans.Control
 import Lambdabot.Config
 import Lambdabot.Config.Core
 
@@ -96,6 +101,9 @@
 io :: MonadIO m => IO a -> m a
 io = liftIO
 {-# INLINE io #-}
+
+forkUnmasked :: MonadBaseControl IO m => m () -> m ThreadId
+forkUnmasked m = forkWithUnmask $ \unmask -> unmask m
 
 arePrefixesWithSpaceOf :: [String] -> String -> Bool
 arePrefixesWithSpaceOf = arePrefixesOf . map (++ " ")
diff --git a/src/Lambdabot/Util/Serial.hs b/src/Lambdabot/Util/Serial.hs
--- a/src/Lambdabot/Util/Serial.hs
+++ b/src/Lambdabot/Util/Serial.hs
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
 -- | Serializes a 'Map' type if both the key and the value are instances
 -- of Read and Show. The serialization is done by converting the map to
 -- and from lists. Results are saved line-wise, for better editing and
--- revison control.
+-- revision control.
 --
 mapSerial :: (Ord k, Show k, Show v, Read k, Read v) => Serial (Map k v)
 mapSerial = Serial {