diff -uNr a/bot.py b/bot.py
--- a/bot.py	2019-10-08 16:57:09.000000000 -0400
+++ b/bot.py	2021-06-16 13:45:30.519940513 -0400
@@ -244,6 +244,17 @@
             eat_logline(user, chan, text, action)
 
 
+joined = False
+def join_chans():
+    global joined
+    # Join selected channels
+    if joined:
+	return
+    for chan in Channels:
+        logging.info("Joining channel '%s'..." % chan)
+        send("JOIN #%s\r\n" % chan)
+        joined = True
+
 # IRCate until we get disconnected
 def irc():
     global connected
@@ -262,24 +273,24 @@
     time_last_conn = datetime.now()
     
     # Auth to server
-    send("NICK %s\r\n" % Nick)
-    send("USER %s %s %s :%s\r\n" % (Nick, Nick, Nick, Nick))
-    
     # If this is a production bot, rather than test, there will be a PW:
     if Pass != "":
-        send("NICKSERV IDENTIFY %s %s\r\n" % (Nick, Pass))
+        send("PASS %s\r\n" % Pass)
+
+    send("NICK %s\r\n" % Nick)
+    send("USER %s 0 * :%s\r\n\r\n" % (Nick, Nick))
     
     time.sleep(Join_Delay) # wait to join until fleanode eats auth
     
-    # Join selected channels
-    for chan in Channels:
-        logging.info("Joining channel '%s'..." % chan)
-        send("JOIN #%s\r\n" % chan)
-    
+    lnrec = 0    
     while connected:
         try:
             data = sock.recv(Buf_Size)
             time_last_recv = datetime.now() # Received anything -- reset timer
+            lnrec = lnrec + 1
+    	    if lnrec > 2:
+    	        join_chans()
+            
         except socket.timeout as e:
             logging.debug("Receive timed out")
             # Determine whether the connection has timed out:
@@ -303,6 +314,7 @@
                 deinit_socket()
                 continue
             try:
+        	
                 try:
                     data = data.strip(b'\r\n').decode("utf-8")
                 except UnicodeDecodeError: