diff --git a/doc/ircd.conf.example b/doc/ircd.conf.example
index 37e4c401..10c6517b 100755
--- a/doc/ircd.conf.example
+++ b/doc/ircd.conf.example
@@ -361,6 +361,7 @@ channel {
 	resv_forcepart = yes;
 	channel_target_change = yes;
 	disable_local_channels = no;
+	autochanmodes = "+nt";
 };
 
 serverhide {
diff --git a/doc/reference.conf b/doc/reference.conf
index 894c284f..6ac16171 100755
--- a/doc/reference.conf
+++ b/doc/reference.conf
@@ -794,6 +794,11 @@ channel {
 	 * supported.
 	 */
 	disable_local_channels = no;
+
+	/* autochanmodes: the channel modes that should be automatically set
+	 * when a channel is created.
+	 */
+	autochanmodes = "+nt";
 };
 
 
diff --git a/include/s_conf.h b/include/s_conf.h
index ec6545c4..42df6ef0 100644
--- a/include/s_conf.h
+++ b/include/s_conf.h
@@ -258,6 +258,7 @@ struct config_channel_entry
 	int resv_forcepart;
 	int channel_target_change;
 	int disable_local_channels;
+	unsigned int autochanmodes;
 };
 
 struct config_server_hide
diff --git a/modules/core/m_join.c b/modules/core/m_join.c
index b1892141..b45728e3 100644
--- a/modules/core/m_join.c
+++ b/modules/core/m_join.c
@@ -341,8 +341,7 @@ m_join(struct Client *client_p, struct Client *source_p, int parc, const char *p
 		if(flags & CHFL_CHANOP)
 		{
 			chptr->channelts = rb_current_time();
-			chptr->mode.mode |= MODE_TOPICLIMIT;
-			chptr->mode.mode |= MODE_NOPRIVMSGS;
+			chptr->mode.mode |= ConfigChannel.autochanmodes;
 			modes = channel_modes(chptr, &me);
 
 			sendto_channel_local(ONLY_CHANOPS, chptr, ":%s MODE %s %s",
diff --git a/src/newconf.c b/src/newconf.c
index b7cf4329..cf675727 100644
--- a/src/newconf.c
+++ b/src/newconf.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "blacklist.h"
 #include "sslproc.h"
 #include "privilege.h"
+#include "chmode.h"
 
 #define CF_TYPE(x) ((x) & CF_MTYPE)
 
@@ -1797,6 +1798,42 @@ conf_set_alias_target(void *data)
 	yy_alias->target = rb_strdup(data);
 }
 
+static void
+conf_set_channel_autochanmodes(void *data)
+{
+	char *pm;
+	int what = MODE_ADD;
+
+	ConfigChannel.autochanmodes = 0;
+	for (pm = (char *) data; *pm; pm++)
+	{
+		switch (*pm)
+		{
+		case '+':
+			what = MODE_ADD;
+			break;
+		case '-':
+			what = MODE_DEL;
+			break;
+
+		default:
+			if (chmode_table[(unsigned char) *pm].set_func == chm_simple)
+			{
+				if (what == MODE_ADD)
+					ConfigChannel.autochanmodes |= chmode_table[(unsigned char) *pm].mode_type;
+				else
+					ConfigChannel.autochanmodes &= ~chmode_table[(unsigned char) *pm].mode_type;
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				conf_report_error("channel::autochanmodes -- Invalid channel mode %c", pm);
+				continue;
+			}
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 /* XXX for below */
 static void conf_set_blacklist_reason(void *data);
 
@@ -2419,6 +2456,7 @@ static struct ConfEntry conf_channel_table[] =
 	{ "resv_forcepart",     CF_YESNO, NULL, 0, &ConfigChannel.resv_forcepart	},
 	{ "channel_target_change", CF_YESNO, NULL, 0, &ConfigChannel.channel_target_change	},
 	{ "disable_local_channels", CF_YESNO, NULL, 0, &ConfigChannel.disable_local_channels },
+	{ "autochanmodes",	CF_QSTRING, conf_set_channel_autochanmodes, 0, NULL	},
 	{ "\0", 		0, 	  NULL, 0, NULL }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/s_conf.c b/src/s_conf.c
index 35c52a8b..96559c13 100644
--- a/src/s_conf.c
+++ b/src/s_conf.c
@@ -793,6 +793,8 @@ set_default_conf(void)
 	ConfigChannel.channel_target_change = YES;
 	ConfigChannel.disable_local_channels = NO;
 
+	ConfigChannel.autochanmodes = MODE_TOPICLIMIT | MODE_NOPRIVMSGS;
+
 	ConfigServerHide.flatten_links = 0;
 	ConfigServerHide.links_delay = 300;
 	ConfigServerHide.hidden = 0;