diff --git a/irc/accounts.go b/irc/accounts.go
index 41b335c1..279f2986 100644
--- a/irc/accounts.go
+++ b/irc/accounts.go
@@ -38,11 +38,13 @@ const (
 	keyAccountVHost            = "account.vhost %s"
 	keyCertToAccount           = "account.creds.certfp %s"
 	keyAccountChannels         = "account.channels %s" // channels registered to the account
-	keyAccountJoinedChannels   = "account.joinedto %s" // channels a persistent client has joined
 	keyAccountLastSeen         = "account.lastseen %s"
 	keyAccountModes            = "account.modes %s"     // user modes for the always-on client as a string
 	keyAccountRealname         = "account.realname %s"  // client realname stored as string
 	keyAccountSuspended        = "account.suspended %s" // client realname stored as string
+	// for an always-on client, a map of channel names they're in to their current modes
+	// (not to be confused with their amodes, which a non-always-on client can have):
+	keyAccountChannelToModes = "account.channeltomodes %s"
 
 	maxCertfpsPerAccount = 5
 )
@@ -542,24 +544,34 @@ func (am *AccountManager) setPassword(account string, password string, hasPrivs
 	return err
 }
 
-func (am *AccountManager) saveChannels(account string, channels []string) {
-	channelsStr := strings.Join(channels, ",")
-	key := fmt.Sprintf(keyAccountJoinedChannels, account)
+func (am *AccountManager) saveChannels(account string, channelToModes map[string]string) {
+	j, err := json.Marshal(channelToModes)
+	if err != nil {
+		am.server.logger.Error("internal", "couldn't marshal channel-to-modes", account, err.Error())
+		return
+	}
+	jStr := string(j)
+	key := fmt.Sprintf(keyAccountChannelToModes, account)
 	am.server.store.Update(func(tx *buntdb.Tx) error {
-		tx.Set(key, channelsStr, nil)
+		tx.Set(key, jStr, nil)
 		return nil
 	})
 }
 
-func (am *AccountManager) loadChannels(account string) (channels []string) {
-	key := fmt.Sprintf(keyAccountJoinedChannels, account)
+func (am *AccountManager) loadChannels(account string) (channelToModes map[string]string) {
+	key := fmt.Sprintf(keyAccountChannelToModes, account)
 	var channelsStr string
 	am.server.store.View(func(tx *buntdb.Tx) error {
 		channelsStr, _ = tx.Get(key)
 		return nil
 	})
-	if channelsStr != "" {
-		return strings.Split(channelsStr, ",")
+	if channelsStr == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+	err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(channelsStr), &channelToModes)
+	if err != nil {
+		am.server.logger.Error("internal", "couldn't marshal channel-to-modes", account, err.Error())
+		return nil
 	}
 	return
 }
@@ -1454,7 +1466,7 @@ func (am *AccountManager) Unregister(account string, erase bool) error {
 	settingsKey := fmt.Sprintf(keyAccountSettings, casefoldedAccount)
 	vhostKey := fmt.Sprintf(keyAccountVHost, casefoldedAccount)
 	channelsKey := fmt.Sprintf(keyAccountChannels, casefoldedAccount)
-	joinedChannelsKey := fmt.Sprintf(keyAccountJoinedChannels, casefoldedAccount)
+	joinedChannelsKey := fmt.Sprintf(keyAccountChannelToModes, casefoldedAccount)
 	lastSeenKey := fmt.Sprintf(keyAccountLastSeen, casefoldedAccount)
 	unregisteredKey := fmt.Sprintf(keyAccountUnregistered, casefoldedAccount)
 	modesKey := fmt.Sprintf(keyAccountModes, casefoldedAccount)
diff --git a/irc/channel.go b/irc/channel.go
index ae53b558..ed8c05f8 100644
--- a/irc/channel.go
+++ b/irc/channel.go
@@ -553,6 +553,30 @@ func (channel *Channel) ClientStatus(client *Client) (present bool, cModes modes
 	return present, modes.AllModes()
 }
 
+// helper for persisting channel-user modes for always-on clients;
+// return the channel name and all channel-user modes for a client
+func (channel *Channel) nameAndModes(client *Client) (chname string, modeStr string) {
+	channel.stateMutex.RLock()
+	defer channel.stateMutex.RUnlock()
+	chname = channel.name
+	modeStr = channel.members[client].String()
+	return
+}
+
+// overwrite any existing channel-user modes with the stored ones
+func (channel *Channel) setModesForClient(client *Client, modeStr string) {
+	newModes := modes.NewModeSet()
+	for _, mode := range modeStr {
+		newModes.SetMode(modes.Mode(mode), true)
+	}
+	channel.stateMutex.Lock()
+	defer channel.stateMutex.Unlock()
+	if _, ok := channel.members[client]; !ok {
+		return
+	}
+	channel.members[client] = newModes
+}
+
 func (channel *Channel) ClientHasPrivsOver(client *Client, target *Client) bool {
 	channel.stateMutex.RLock()
 	founder := channel.registeredFounder
@@ -1383,6 +1407,9 @@ func (channel *Channel) applyModeToMember(client *Client, change modes.ModeChang
 	if !exists {
 		rb.Add(nil, client.server.name, ERR_USERNOTINCHANNEL, client.Nick(), channel.Name(), client.t("They aren't on that channel"))
 	}
+	if applied {
+		target.markDirty(IncludeChannels)
+	}
 	return
 }
 
diff --git a/irc/client.go b/irc/client.go
index 8f428f49..bc00f7a1 100644
--- a/irc/client.go
+++ b/irc/client.go
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ func (server *Server) RunClient(conn IRCConn) {
 	client.run(session)
 }
 
-func (server *Server) AddAlwaysOnClient(account ClientAccount, chnames []string, lastSeen map[string]time.Time, uModes modes.Modes, realname string) {
+func (server *Server) AddAlwaysOnClient(account ClientAccount, channelToModes map[string]string, lastSeen map[string]time.Time, uModes modes.Modes, realname string) {
 	now := time.Now().UTC()
 	config := server.Config()
 	if lastSeen == nil && account.Settings.AutoreplayMissed {
@@ -463,10 +463,15 @@ func (server *Server) AddAlwaysOnClient(account ClientAccount, chnames []string,
 	// XXX set this last to avoid confusing SetNick:
 	client.registered = true
 
-	for _, chname := range chnames {
+	for chname, modeStr := range channelToModes {
 		// XXX we're using isSajoin=true, to make these joins succeed even without channel key
 		// this is *probably* ok as long as the persisted memberships are accurate
 		server.channels.Join(client, chname, "", true, nil)
+		if channel := server.channels.Get(chname); channel != nil {
+			channel.setModesForClient(client, modeStr)
+		} else {
+			server.logger.Error("internal", "could not create channel", chname)
+		}
 	}
 
 	if persistenceEnabled(config.Accounts.Multiclient.AutoAway, client.accountSettings.AutoAway) {
@@ -1967,11 +1972,12 @@ func (client *Client) performWrite(additionalDirtyBits uint) {
 
 	if (dirtyBits & IncludeChannels) != 0 {
 		channels := client.Channels()
-		channelNames := make([]string, len(channels))
-		for i, channel := range channels {
-			channelNames[i] = channel.Name()
+		channelToModes := make(map[string]string, len(channels))
+		for _, channel := range channels {
+			chname, modes := channel.nameAndModes(client)
+			channelToModes[chname] = modes
 		}
-		client.server.accounts.saveChannels(account, channelNames)
+		client.server.accounts.saveChannels(account, channelToModes)
 	}
 	if (dirtyBits & IncludeLastSeen) != 0 {
 		client.server.accounts.saveLastSeen(account, client.copyLastSeen())
diff --git a/irc/getters.go b/irc/getters.go
index bbc6cf4f..cd3a939e 100644
--- a/irc/getters.go
+++ b/irc/getters.go
@@ -211,9 +211,9 @@ func (client *Client) SetAway(away bool, awayMessage string) (changed bool) {
 }
 
 func (client *Client) AlwaysOn() (alwaysOn bool) {
-	client.stateMutex.Lock()
+	client.stateMutex.RLock()
 	alwaysOn = client.registered && client.alwaysOn
-	client.stateMutex.Unlock()
+	client.stateMutex.RUnlock()
 	return
 }