diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2cfef69..68e2598 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -2,3 +2,5 @@ __pycache__/
 *.py[cod]
 *$py.class
 *.swp
+
+*config.yml
diff --git a/config.py b/config.py
deleted file mode 100644
index db6ceab..0000000
--- a/config.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-# Server and channel settings
-server = ("localhost", 6667)
-channels = ["#rktest"]
-bot_nick = "ramenkan"
-
-# Admin user and code for admin actions
-admin_user =  "mio"
-admin_code = "ramen"
-
-# Request prefix, e.g. "!<request>"
-req_prefix = "!"
-
-# Print messages to stdout
-debug = True
diff --git a/irc.py b/irc.py
index fd47f16..75b8ab3 100644
--- a/irc.py
+++ b/irc.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import socket
+import yaml
 from sys import exit
 from time import sleep
 
@@ -6,23 +7,32 @@ from time import sleep
 class IRC:
     """Methods for basic IRC communication."""
 
-    debug = False
+    def config(self, conf):
+        """Load runtime settings from a YAML config file, and returns a
+        dictionary of config values."""
+        yml = open(conf, "r")
+        cfg = yaml.safe_load(yml)
+        yml.close()
+        self.server = (cfg["server"]["host"], cfg["server"]["port"])
+        self.channels = cfg["channels"]
+        self.bot_nick = cfg["bot_nick"]
+        self.req_prefix = cfg["req_prefix"]
+        self.admin_user = cfg["admin"]["user"]
+        self.admin_code = cfg["admin"]["code"]
+        self.debug = cfg["debug"]
+        return cfg
 
-    def run(self, listen_hook, conf):
-        """A routine that connects to a server, joins channels, and initialises
-        the request listener in a loop."""
-        # Conf settings needed by listen(), also used by disconnect()
-        self.bot_nick = conf.bot_nick
-        self.admin_user = conf.admin_user
-        self.admin_code = conf.admin_code
-        self.connect(conf.server, self.bot_nick)
-        self.join_channels(conf.channels)
+    def run(self, listen_hook):
+        """A routine that connects to a server, joins channels, and attaches
+        the request listener hook to a loop."""
+        self.connect(self.server, self.bot_nick)
+        self.join_channels(self.channels)
         while 1:
             sleep(2)
             data = self.receive()
             self.keepalive(data)
-            self.msg = self.parse(data, conf.req_prefix)
-            for c in conf.channels:
+            self.msg = self.parse(data, self.req_prefix)
+            for c in self.channels:
                 # Pass in a context dict for handlers
                 listen_hook({"msg": self.msg, "listen_chan": c})
 
diff --git a/ramen.config.sample.yml b/ramen.config.sample.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d57e373
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ramen.config.sample.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Server and channel settings
+server:
+  host: "localhost"
+  port: 6667
+
+channels:
+  - "#rktest"
+
+bot_nick: "ramenkan"
+
+# User and code for admin actions
+admin:
+  user: "mio"
+  code: "ramen"
+
+# Request prefix, e.g. "!" for "!<request>"
+req_prefix: "!"
+
+# Print messages to stdout
+debug: True
diff --git a/ramen.py b/ramen.py
index 6a9dd3e..1406490 100644
--- a/ramen.py
+++ b/ramen.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 from random import randint
 
-import config as cfg
 from irc import IRC
 
 
@@ -10,16 +9,17 @@ class Ramen:
     def main(self):
         """Instantiate an IRC object and attach the listeners."""
         self.irc = IRC()
-        self.irc.debug = cfg.debug
-        self.irc.run(self.add_listeners, cfg)
+        self.cfg = self.irc.config("ramen.config.sample.yml")
+        self.irc.run(self.add_listeners)
 
     def add_listeners(self, cxt):
         """Map triggers to handlers."""
-        self.irc.listen(cxt, "exit " + cfg.admin_code, self.quit, admin=True)
+        self.irc.listen(cxt, "exit " + self.cfg["admin"]["code"], self.quit, \
+            admin=True)
         self.irc.listen(cxt, "rollcall", self.rollcall)
         self.irc.listen(cxt, "help", self.rollcall)
-        self.irc.listen(cxt, "water " + cfg.bot_nick, self.water)
-        self.irc.listen(cxt, "botsnack " + cfg.bot_nick, self.botsnack)
+        self.irc.listen(cxt, "water " + self.cfg["bot_nick"], self.water)
+        self.irc.listen(cxt, "botsnack " + self.cfg["bot_nick"], self.botsnack)
 
     def quit(self, cxt):
         """Disconnect from the server and quit."""