diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+# 0.2.3 - 05.03.2017
+
+- A big thanks to @lubomir for testing the IRC adapter and contributing the following changes
+    - Better command recognition in IRC adapter
+    - Bot now properly registers in IRC
+    - Added config setting to IRC for channels which the bot should join
+
 # 0.2.2 - 05.03.2017
 
 - Removed the integration tests from the cabal package config
diff --git a/marvin.cabal b/marvin.cabal
--- a/marvin.cabal
+++ b/marvin.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                marvin
-version:             0.2.2
+version:             0.2.3
 synopsis:            A framework for modular, portable chat bots.
 description:         A framework for writing portable chat bots. Inspired by hubot. 
                      . 
diff --git a/src/Marvin/Adapter/IRC.hs b/src/Marvin/Adapter/IRC.hs
--- a/src/Marvin/Adapter/IRC.hs
+++ b/src/Marvin/Adapter/IRC.hs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 -}
 {-# LANGUAGE NamedFieldPuns #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE Rank2Types     #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE ViewPatterns   #-}
 module Marvin.Adapter.IRC
     ( IRCAdapter, IRCChannel
     ) where
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@
 import           Data.ByteString                 (ByteString)
 import           Data.Conduit
 import           Data.Maybe
+import           Data.Monoid                     ((<>))
 import qualified Data.Text                       as T
 import qualified Data.Text.Encoding              as T
 import qualified Data.Text.Lazy                  as L
@@ -74,8 +76,13 @@
                                         User nick -> (nick, Direct nick)
                                         Channel chan user -> (user, RealChannel chan)
                 case _message ev of
-                    Privmsg _ (Right msg) ->
-                        runHandler $ CommandEvent user channel msg ts
+                    Privmsg target (Right msg) -> do
+                        -- Privmsg can either be a private message directly to
+                        -- the user, or it could be a message going to a
+                        -- channel.
+                        botname <- getBotname
+                        let (cmd, msg') = isMention botname target msg
+                        runHandler $ cmd user channel msg' ts
                     Notice target (Right msg) -> do
                         botname <- getBotname
                         -- Check if bot is addressed
@@ -86,13 +93,40 @@
                     Topic channel' t -> runHandler $ TopicChangeEvent user (RealChannel channel') t ts
                     Ping a b -> writeChan msgOutChan $ Pong $ fromMaybe a b
                     Invite chan _ -> writeChan msgOutChan $ Join chan
-                    _ -> logDebugN $(isT "Unhadeled event #{rawEv}")
+                    _ -> logDebugN $(isT "Unhandled event #{rawEv}")
     forever $
         handleOneMessage `catch` (\e -> logErrorN $(isT "UserError: #{e :: ErrorCall}"))
   where
     runHandler = void . async . liftIO . handler
 
+-- If the bot is the target of the message, it's a command. Also we should
+-- treat the message as a command if the message starts with the name of the
+-- bot followed by a colon or a comma.
+--
+-- For such message we strip off the name, separator and whitespace and return
+-- just the important bit.
+--
+--  * "marvin: hello" returns (CommandEvent, "hello")
+--  * "hey everyone"  returns (MessageEvent, "hey everyone")
+isMention :: IsAdapter a
+          => L.Text     -- ^Bot name
+          -> L.Text     -- ^Target of message
+          -> L.Text     -- ^The actual message text
+          -> (User a -> Channel a -> L.Text -> TimeStamp -> MT.Event a, L.Text)
+isMention botname target msg
+  | L.head target /= '#' = (CommandEvent, msg)
+  | otherwise = case msg of
+      (L.stripPrefix (botname <> ", ") -> Just msg') -> (CommandEvent, L.stripStart msg')
+      (L.stripPrefix (botname <> ": ") -> Just msg') -> (CommandEvent, L.stripStart msg')
+      _                                              -> (MessageEvent, msg)
 
+
+setUp :: Chan MarvinIRCMsg -> L.Text -> [L.Text] -> IO ()
+setUp chan username channels = do
+    writeChan chan (Nick username)
+    writeChan chan (RawMsg $ "User " <> username <> " 0 * :" <> username)
+    writeList2Chan chan $ map Join channels
+
 instance IsAdapter IRCAdapter where
     -- | Stores the username
     type User IRCAdapter = L.Text
@@ -119,7 +153,11 @@
     runWithAdapter handler = do
         port <- fromMaybe 7000 <$> lookupFromAdapterConfig "port"
         host <- requireFromAdapterConfig "host"
+        user <- getBotname
+        channels <- requireFromAdapterConfig "channels"
         IRCAdapter{msgOutChan} <- getAdapter
         inChan <- newChan
         async $ processor inChan handler
-        liftIO $ ircClient port host (return ()) (consumer inChan) (producer msgOutChan)
+        liftIO $ do 
+            setUp msgOutChan user channels
+            ircClient port host (return ()) (consumer inChan) (producer msgOutChan)