diff --git a/irc/channel.go b/irc/channel.go
index c18eddc7..b0bb276b 100644
--- a/irc/channel.go
+++ b/irc/channel.go
@@ -515,8 +515,13 @@ func channelUserModeHasPrivsOver(clientMode modes.Mode, targetMode modes.Mode) b
 func (channel *Channel) ClientIsAtLeast(client *Client, permission modes.Mode) bool {
 	channel.stateMutex.RLock()
 	clientModes := channel.members[client]
+	founder := channel.registeredFounder
 	channel.stateMutex.RUnlock()
 
+	if founder != "" && founder == client.Account() {
+		return true
+	}
+
 	for _, mode := range modes.ChannelUserModes {
 		if clientModes.HasMode(mode) {
 			return true
diff --git a/irc/client.go b/irc/client.go
index e702aa43..42845108 100644
--- a/irc/client.go
+++ b/irc/client.go
@@ -326,9 +326,7 @@ func (server *Server) RunClient(conn IRCConn) {
 	session.idletimer.Initialize(session)
 	session.resetFakelag()
 
-	for _, defaultMode := range config.Accounts.defaultUserModes {
-		client.SetMode(defaultMode, true)
-	}
+	ApplyUserModeChanges(client, config.Accounts.defaultUserModes, false, nil)
 	if proxiedConn.Secure {
 		client.SetMode(modes.TLS, true)
 	}
@@ -374,9 +372,7 @@ func (server *Server) AddAlwaysOnClient(account ClientAccount, chnames []string,
 		alwaysOn: true,
 	}
 
-	for _, defaultMode := range config.Accounts.defaultUserModes {
-		client.SetMode(defaultMode, true)
-	}
+	ApplyUserModeChanges(client, config.Accounts.defaultUserModes, false, nil)
 
 	client.SetMode(modes.TLS, true)
 	client.writerSemaphore.Initialize(1)
diff --git a/irc/config.go b/irc/config.go
index 1b25afc4..982afc3a 100644
--- a/irc/config.go
+++ b/irc/config.go
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ type AccountConfig struct {
 		exemptedNets []net.IPNet
 	} `yaml:"require-sasl"`
 	DefaultUserModes   *string `yaml:"default-user-modes"`
-	defaultUserModes   modes.Modes
+	defaultUserModes   modes.ModeChanges
 	LDAP               ldap.ServerConfig
 	LoginThrottling    ThrottleConfig `yaml:"login-throttling"`
 	SkipServerPassword bool           `yaml:"skip-server-password"`
diff --git a/irc/modes.go b/irc/modes.go
index 86912474..bfbfc271 100644
--- a/irc/modes.go
+++ b/irc/modes.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ var (
 
 	// DefaultUserModes are set on all users when they login.
 	// this can be overridden in the `accounts` config, with the `default-user-modes` key
-	DefaultUserModes = modes.Modes{}
+	DefaultUserModes = modes.ModeChanges{}
 )
 
 // ApplyUserModeChanges applies the given changes, and returns the applied changes.
@@ -106,35 +106,32 @@ func ApplyUserModeChanges(client *Client, changes modes.ModeChanges, force bool,
 	return applied
 }
 
-// parseDefaultModes uses the provided mode change parser to parse the rawModes.
-func parseDefaultModes(rawModes string, parser func(params ...string) (modes.ModeChanges, map[rune]bool)) modes.Modes {
-	modeChangeStrings := strings.Fields(rawModes)
-	modeChanges, _ := parser(modeChangeStrings...)
-	defaultModes := make(modes.Modes, 0)
-	for _, modeChange := range modeChanges {
-		if modeChange.Op == modes.Add {
-			defaultModes = append(defaultModes, modeChange.Mode)
-		}
-	}
-	return defaultModes
-}
-
 // ParseDefaultChannelModes parses the `default-modes` line of the config
 func ParseDefaultChannelModes(rawModes *string) modes.Modes {
 	if rawModes == nil {
 		// not present in config, fall back to compile-time default
 		return DefaultChannelModes
 	}
-	return parseDefaultModes(*rawModes, modes.ParseChannelModeChanges)
+	modeChangeStrings := strings.Fields(*rawModes)
+	modeChanges, _ := modes.ParseChannelModeChanges(modeChangeStrings...)
+	defaultChannelModes := make(modes.Modes, 0)
+	for _, modeChange := range modeChanges {
+		if modeChange.Op == modes.Add {
+			defaultChannelModes = append(defaultChannelModes, modeChange.Mode)
+		}
+	}
+	return defaultChannelModes
 }
 
 // ParseDefaultUserModes parses the `default-user-modes` line of the config
-func ParseDefaultUserModes(rawModes *string) modes.Modes {
+func ParseDefaultUserModes(rawModes *string) modes.ModeChanges {
 	if rawModes == nil {
 		// not present in config, fall back to compile-time default
 		return DefaultUserModes
 	}
-	return parseDefaultModes(*rawModes, modes.ParseUserModeChanges)
+	modeChangeStrings := strings.Fields(*rawModes)
+	modeChanges, _ := modes.ParseUserModeChanges(modeChangeStrings...)
+	return modeChanges
 }
 
 // ApplyChannelModeChanges applies a given set of mode changes.
diff --git a/irc/modes_test.go b/irc/modes_test.go
index 005d0555..ca7aa6a8 100644
--- a/irc/modes_test.go
+++ b/irc/modes_test.go
@@ -43,19 +43,19 @@ func TestParseDefaultUserModes(t *testing.T) {
 
 	var parseTests = []struct {
 		raw      *string
-		expected modes.Modes
+		expected modes.ModeChanges
 	}{
-		{&iR, modes.Modes{modes.Invisible, modes.RegisteredOnly}},
-		{&i, modes.Modes{modes.Invisible}},
-		{&empty, modes.Modes{}},
-		{&rminusi, modes.Modes{modes.RegisteredOnly}},
-		{nil, modes.Modes{}},
+		{&iR, modes.ModeChanges{{Mode: modes.Invisible, Op: modes.Add}, {Mode: modes.RegisteredOnly, Op: modes.Add}}},
+		{&i, modes.ModeChanges{{Mode: modes.Invisible, Op: modes.Add}}},
+		{&empty, modes.ModeChanges{}},
+		{&rminusi, modes.ModeChanges{{Mode: modes.RegisteredOnly, Op: modes.Add}}},
+		{nil, modes.ModeChanges{}},
 	}
 
 	for _, testcase := range parseTests {
 		result := ParseDefaultUserModes(testcase.raw)
 		if !reflect.DeepEqual(result, testcase.expected) {
-			t.Errorf("expected modes %s, got %s", testcase.expected, result)
+			t.Errorf("expected modes %v, got %v", testcase.expected, result)
 		}
 	}
 }