diff --git a/src/ngircd/conf.c b/src/ngircd/conf.c
index 423221cb..fa1bfba1 100644
--- a/src/ngircd/conf.c
+++ b/src/ngircd/conf.c
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ static CONF_SERVER New_Server;
 static int New_Server_Idx;
 
 static char Conf_MotdFile[FNAME_LEN];
+static char Conf_HelpFile[FNAME_LEN];
 
 static void Set_Defaults PARAMS(( bool InitServers ));
 static bool Read_Config PARAMS(( bool TestOnly, bool IsStarting ));
@@ -316,6 +317,7 @@ Conf_Test( void )
 	printf("  AdminInfo1 = %s\n", Conf_ServerAdmin1);
 	printf("  AdminInfo2 = %s\n", Conf_ServerAdmin2);
 	printf("  AdminEMail = %s\n", Conf_ServerAdminMail);
+	printf("  HelpFile = %s\n", Conf_HelpFile);
 	printf("  Info = %s\n", Conf_ServerInfo);
 	printf("  Listen = %s\n", Conf_ListenAddress);
 	if (Using_MotdFile) {
@@ -701,8 +703,11 @@ Set_Defaults(bool InitServers)
 	Conf_ListenAddress = NULL;
 	array_free(&Conf_ListenPorts);
 	array_free(&Conf_Motd);
+	array_free(&Conf_Helptext);
 	strlcpy(Conf_MotdFile, SYSCONFDIR, sizeof(Conf_MotdFile));
 	strlcat(Conf_MotdFile, MOTD_FILE, sizeof(Conf_MotdFile));
+	strlcpy(Conf_HelpFile, SYSCONFDIR, sizeof(Conf_HelpFile));
+	strlcat(Conf_HelpFile, HELP_FILE, sizeof(Conf_HelpFile));
 	strcpy(Conf_ServerPwd, "");
 	strlcpy(Conf_PidFile, PID_FILE, sizeof(Conf_PidFile));
 	Conf_UID = Conf_GID = 0;
@@ -1047,6 +1052,12 @@ Read_Config(bool TestOnly, bool IsStarting)
 			Using_MotdFile = true;
 	}
 
+	/* Try to read ngIRCd help text file. */
+	(void)Read_TextFile(Conf_HelpFile, "help text", &Conf_Helptext);
+	if (!array_bytes(&Conf_Helptext))
+		Config_Error(LOG_WARNING,
+		    "No help text available, HELP command will be of limited use.");
+
 #ifdef SSL_SUPPORT
 	/* Make sure that all SSL-related files are readable */
 	CheckFileReadable("CertFile", Conf_SSLOptions.CertFile);
@@ -1312,6 +1323,12 @@ Handle_GLOBAL( int Line, char *Var, char *Arg )
 			Config_Error_TooLong(Line, Var);
 		return;
 	}
+	if (strcasecmp(Var, "HelpFile") == 0) {
+		len = strlcpy(Conf_HelpFile, Arg, sizeof(Conf_HelpFile));
+		if (len >= sizeof(Conf_HelpFile))
+			Config_Error_TooLong(Line, Var);
+		return;
+	}
 	if (strcasecmp(Var, "Listen") == 0) {
 		if (Conf_ListenAddress) {
 			Config_Error(LOG_ERR,
diff --git a/src/ngircd/conf.h b/src/ngircd/conf.h
index f85a25fa..ac42746c 100644
--- a/src/ngircd/conf.h
+++ b/src/ngircd/conf.h
@@ -111,6 +111,9 @@ GLOBAL char Conf_ServerAdminMail[CLIENT_INFO_LEN];
 /** Message of the day (MOTD) of this server */
 GLOBAL array Conf_Motd;
 
+/** Help text of this server */
+GLOBAL array Conf_Helptext;
+
 /** Array of ports this server should listen on */
 GLOBAL array Conf_ListenPorts;
 
diff --git a/src/ngircd/defines.h b/src/ngircd/defines.h
index ad9716fd..28a260b8 100644
--- a/src/ngircd/defines.h
+++ b/src/ngircd/defines.h
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@
 /** Name of the MOTD file. */
 #define MOTD_FILE "/ngircd.motd"
 
+/** Name of the help file. */
+#define HELP_FILE "/ngircd.help"
+
 /** Default chroot() directory. */
 #define CHROOT_DIR ""