diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index ea552fe..43333a0 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -5,17 +5,74 @@ const tmi = require('tmi.js');
 let bridge;
 let tmiListener;
 
+// permissions
+const admins = process.env.ADMINS.split(',');
+const users = process.env.USERS.split(',').concat(admins);
+
 
 
 // Matrix part
+async function checkAdminPermissions(sender) {
+    return admins.includes(sender);
+}
+async function checkUserPermissions(sender) {
+    return users.includes(sender);
+}
+async function bridgeRoom(sender, matrixRoom, remoteRoom) {
+    await bridge.getRoomStore().linkRooms(matrixRoom, remoteRoom);
+    console.log('Linked rooms', matrixRoom.roomId, 'and', remoteRoom.roomId, 'by', sender);
+}
+async function unbridgeRoom(sender, roomId) {
+    await bridge.getRoomStore().removeEntriesByMatrixRoomId(roomId);
+    console.log('Removed Matrix room', roomId, 'by', sender);
+}
 async function matrixEventHandler(request, context) {
     const event = request.getData();
 
     if(event.type === 'm.room.message') {
         const message = event.content.body;
+
         const remoteUsers = await bridge.getUserStore().getRemoteUsersFromMatrixId(event.sender);
         // use the first user, multipe user mappings are unsupported
         const remoteUser = remoteUsers[0];
+        if(!remoteUser) {
+            // ignore messages from users without tmi credentials
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // handle bot commands and return directly afterwards
+        const command = message.match(/^!tmi (?<subcommand>\w*)( (?<args>.*))?$/);
+        if(command) {
+            if(!await checkAdminPermissions(event.sender)) {
+                bridge.getIntent().sendText(event.room_id, event.sender+' is not permitted as admin of this bridge');
+                return;
+            }
+            switch (command.groups.subcommand) {
+                case 'bridge':
+                    let channel = command.groups.args.toLowerCase();
+                    if(!channel.match(/^#/)) {
+                        channel = '#'+channel
+                    }
+                    bridgeRoom(event.sender, new mx.MatrixRoom(event.room_id), new mx.RemoteRoom(channel));
+                    bridge.getIntent().sendText(event.room_id, 'This room is now bridged to '+channel);
+                    break;
+                case 'unbridge':
+                    unbridgeRoom(event.sender, event.room_id);
+                    bridge.getIntent().sendText(event.room_id, 'Removed all bridges from this room');
+                    break;
+                default:
+                    bridge.getIntent().sendText(event.room_id, 'available commands: bridge, unbridge');
+                    break;
+            }
+
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if(!await checkUserPermissions(event.sender)) {
+            // no permissions; don't bridge
+            return;
+        }
+
         const tmiUsername = remoteUser.id;
         const tmiPassword = remoteUser.data.password;