diff --git a/include/parse.h b/include/parse.h
index 26efe7a..ef5de1f 100644
--- a/include/parse.h
+++ b/include/parse.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ DECL char * raw(char const * const sql);
 DECL char * remind(char * who);
 DECL char * slurp(char const * fn);
 DECL int  is_admin(char const * user);
+DECL void parse_admins(char * admin_string);
 DECL int  parse_pair(char const * buf, size_t const len);
 DECL void creds_free_password(void);
 DECL void creds_free_rest(void);
diff --git a/src/parse.c b/src/parse.c
index b739e25..05a87ac 100644
--- a/src/parse.c
+++ b/src/parse.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 #include "help.h"
 #include "parse.h"
 
-#define PARAMS_COUNT 5
+#define PARAMS_COUNT 6
 
 enum cred_param_ids_e
 {
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ enum cred_param_ids_e
   PASSWORD,
   CHANNEL,
   SERVER,
-  PORT
+  PORT,
+  ADMINS
 };
 
 char const * cred_names[] =
@@ -43,7 +44,8 @@ char const * cred_names[] =
   "password",
   "channel",
   "server",
-  "port"
+  "port",
+  "admins"
 };
 
 size_t const cred_names_len[] =
@@ -52,7 +54,8 @@ size_t const cred_names_len[] =
   8,
   7,
   6,
-  4
+  4,
+  6
 };
 
 creds_t creds = {0};
@@ -189,6 +192,10 @@ parse_pair(char const * buf, size_t len)
           case  CHANNEL: creds.channel  = strndup(buf,x); break;
           case   SERVER: creds.server   = strndup(buf,x); break;
           case     PORT: creds.port     = atoi(buf);      break;
+
+          case   ADMINS: 
+            parse_admins(strndup(buf,x));
+          break;
           }
           if (x + 2 < len)
           { buf += x + 1; }
@@ -203,6 +210,39 @@ parse_pair(char const * buf, size_t len)
   return 0;
 }
 
+/* WARNING: admin_string WILL be changed */
+DECL void
+parse_admins(char * admin_string)
+{
+  #define ADMIN_LIST_INIT_SIZE 8
+  /* prealloc with 8 */
+  size_t current_array_size = ADMIN_LIST_INIT_SIZE;
+
+  size_t i = 0;
+  char * token = NULL;
+
+  admins = calloc(ADMIN_LIST_INIT_SIZE, sizeof(char *));
+
+  while ((token = strtok(admin_string, " ")))
+  {
+    if (++i > current_array_size)
+    {
+      /* double the space */
+      current_array_size *= 2;
+      admins = realloc(admins, current_array_size);
+    }
+
+    admins[i - 1] = strdup(token);
+  }
+
+  /* set up array end marker for proper clean-up later */
+  if (i + 1 > current_array_size)
+  {
+    admins = realloc(admins, current_array_size + 1);
+  }
+  admins[i] = NULL;
+}
+
 DECL int
 is_admin(char const * user)
 {