diff --git a/cloudbot.py b/cloudbot.py
index 60a2aa3..946d413 100644
--- a/cloudbot.py
+++ b/cloudbot.py
@@ -31,19 +31,19 @@ def exit_gracefully(signum, frame):
 original_sigint = signal.getsignal(signal.SIGINT)
 signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, exit_gracefully)
 
-# create new bot object
+# create a bot thread and start it
 cloudbot = bot.Bot()
+cloudbot.start()
 
-cloudbot.run()
-
-# wait for the bot loop to stop
-
-if cloudbot.do_restart:
-    # this kills the bot
-    # TODO: make it not just kill the bot
-    time.sleep(2)
-    sys.exit()
-else:
-    print "wtf"
-    time.sleep(2)
-    sys.exit()
+# watch to see if the bot stops running or needs a restart
+while True:
+    if cloudbot.running:
+        time.sleep(.1)
+    else:
+        if cloudbot.do_restart:
+            # create a new bot thread and start it
+            cloudbot = bot.Bot()
+            cloudbot.start()
+            continue
+        else:
+            break
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core/bot.py b/core/bot.py
index 5c614c6..b963c7c 100644
--- a/core/bot.py
+++ b/core/bot.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import re
 import os
 import Queue
 import collections
+import threading
 
 from sqlalchemy.orm import scoped_session, sessionmaker
 from sqlalchemy import create_engine
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ def get_logger():
     return logger
 
 
-class Bot(object):
+class Bot(threading.Thread):
     def __init__(self):
         # basic variables
         self.start_time = time.time()
@@ -71,6 +72,8 @@ class Bot(object):
 
         self.loader = PluginLoader(self)
 
+        threading.Thread.__init__(self)
+
 
     def run(self):
         """recieves input from the IRC engine and processes it"""