diff --git a/lolbot.py b/lolbot.py
index 5b106b8..9d22ff2 100644
--- a/lolbot.py
+++ b/lolbot.py
@@ -9,9 +9,11 @@ LOLBOT 2
 
 from __future__ import print_function, unicode_literals
 
+import sys
 import sqlite3
 import random
 import time
+import getopt
 import irc.strings
 from irc.bot import SingleServerIRCBot
 from sqlalchemy import create_engine
@@ -37,8 +39,28 @@ class LolBot(SingleServerIRCBot):
 
     qb = list()
 
-    def __init__(self, channel, nickname, server, database, port=6667):
+    def __init__(self, config=None):
+        """
+        Constructor. Instantiates a lolbot with a configuration dictionary,
+        or from command-line options if none is specified.
+        """
+
+        if not config:
+            config = LolBot.get_options()
+
+        if not self.validate_config(config):
+            sys.exit(1)
+
+        (server, port, channel, nickname, database) = (
+            config['irc.server'],
+            config['irc.port'],
+            config['irc.channel'],
+            config['irc.nickname'],
+            config['db.file'],
+            )
+
         debug("Instantiating SingleServerIRCBot")
+        irc.client.ServerConnection.buffer_class = irc.buffer.LenientDecodingLineBuffer
         SingleServerIRCBot.__init__(self, [(server, port)], nickname, nickname)
         self.channel = channel
 
@@ -73,7 +95,7 @@ class LolBot(SingleServerIRCBot):
 
     def on_nicknameinuse(self, connection, event):
         nick = connection.get_nickname()
-        debug("Nick '%s' in use, trying '%s_'" % nick)
+        debug("Nick '%s' in use, trying '%s_'" % (nick, nick))
         connection.nick(nick + "_")
 
     def on_welcome(self, connection, event):
@@ -247,36 +269,163 @@ class LolBot(SingleServerIRCBot):
         else:
             c.notice(nick, "Not understood: " + cmd)
 
+    def validate_config(self, config):
+        """
+        Basic checks for configuration parameters. Returns a Boolean indicating
+        success or failure.
+        """
 
-def main():
-    import sys
-    if len(sys.argv) != 5:
-        print("Usage: lolbot2.py <server[:port]> <channel> <nickname> <db>")
-        sys.exit(1)
+        # validate IRC host
+        if 'irc.server' not in config.keys():
+            print("Error: the IRC server was not specified. Use --help for more information.")
+            return False
+
+        # validate IRC port
+        if 'irc.port' not in config.keys():
+            config['irc.port'] = '6667'
+            try:
+                config['irc.port'] = int(config['irc.port'])
+            except ValueError:
+                print("Error: the IRC port must be an integer. If not specified, lolbot will use the default IRC port value 6667. Use --help for more information.")
+                return False
+
+        # validate IRC channel
+        if 'irc.channel' not in config.keys() or not config['irc.channel'].startswith('#'):
+            print("Error: the IRC channel is not specified or incorrect. It must begin with a # - e.g. #mychatchannel. Use --help for more information.")
+            return False
+
+        # validate bot nickname
+        if 'irc.nickname' not in config.keys():
+            config['irc.nickname'] = 'lolbot'
+
+        # validate bot nickname
+        if 'db.file' not in config.keys():
+            config['db.file'] = 'lolbot.db'
+
+        return True
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_options():
+        """
+        Set up configuration from the script arguments.
+        """
 
-    s = sys.argv[1].split(":", 1)
-    server = s[0]
-    if len(s) == 2:
         try:
-            port = int(s[1])
-        except ValueError:
-            print("Error: Erroneous port.")
+            (options, args) = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:], 'hc:s:p:j:n:d:', ['help', 'config=', 'server=', 'port=', 'join=', 'nick=', 'database=', ])
+        except getopt.GetoptError as err:
+            print(str(err))
+            LolBot.usage()
+            sys.exit(2)
+
+        config = {}
+        for option, value in options:
+            # Display help text.
+            if option in ('-h', '--help'):
+                LolBot.usage()
+                sys.exit(2)
+
+            # Get configuration from a file.
+            if option in ('-c', '--config'):
+                config = load_config(value)
+                break
+
+            # Individually specified settings.
+            if option in ('-s', '--server'):
+                config['irc.server'] = value
+            if option in ('-p', '--port'):
+                config['irc.port'] = value
+            if option in ('-j', '--join', '--channel', '--join-channel'):
+                config['irc.channel'] = value
+            if option in ('-n', '--nickname'):
+                config['irc.nickname'] = value
+            if option in ('-d', '--database'):
+                config['db.file'] = value
+
+        return config
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def load_config(config_path=''):
+        """
+        This method loads configuration options from a lolbot.conf file. The file
+        should look something like this::
+
+        irc.server = irc.yourdomain.com
+        irc.port = 6667
+        irc.channel = #lolbottest
+        irc.nickname = lolbot
+        db.file = lolbot.db
+        """
+
+        if config_path == '':
+            config_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'lolbot.conf')
+        if not os.path.exists(config_path):
+            print("Error: configuration file not found. By default lolbot will look for a lolbot.conf file in the same directory as the lolbot script, but you can override this by specifying a path on the command line with the --config option.")
+            LolBot.usage()
             sys.exit(1)
-    else:
-        port = 6667
-    channel = sys.argv[2]
-    nickname = sys.argv[3]
-    database = sys.argv[4]
 
-    debug("Parameters: server=%s port=%s nickname=%s channel=%s database=%s" % (server, port, nickname, channel, database))
+        # open the configuration file and grab all param=value declarations.
+        config = {}
+        with open(config_path) as f:
+            for line in f:
+                # skip comments
+                if line.strip().startswith('#') or line.strip() == '':
+                    continue
 
-    irc.client.ServerConnection.buffer_class = irc.buffer.LenientDecodingLineBuffer
-    bot = LolBot(channel, nickname, server, database, port)
-    bot.start()
+                # collect up param = value
+                try:
+                    (param, value) = line.strip().split('=', 1)
+                    if param.strip() != '':
+                        config[param.strip()] = value.strip()
+                except ValueError:
+                    continue
+
+        return config
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def usage():
+        """
+        Spits out CLI help.
+        """
+
+        print("""Run a lolbot.
+
+      -h, --help
+             This message.
+
+      -s, --server=<hostname>
+             The IRC server, e.g. irc.freenode.net
+
+      -p, --port=<port>
+             The IRC server port. Default: 6667
+
+      -j, --join=<channel>
+             The chat channel to join, e.g. #trainspotting
+
+      -n, --nickname=<nickname>
+             The nickname for your lolbot. Default: "lolbot"
+
+      -d, --database=<path>
+             The path to a SQLite lolbot database. If not specified, lolbot will
+             attempt to use a SQLite database called lolbot.db in the same
+             directory as the script.
+
+    Configuration file:
+
+      -c, --config=<filename>
+             Specify a configuration file. Ignores any options specified from the
+             command-line. Defaults to lolbot.conf in the same directory as the
+             script. File layout:
+
+               irc.server = <host>
+               irc.port = <port>
+               irc.channel = <channel>
+               irc.nickname = <nickname>
+               db.file = <path>
+""".strip())
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     try:
-        main()
+        LolBot().start()
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
         pass