diff -Nurp ircu2.10.12.08/include/channel.h ircu2.10.12.08-chanpersist/include/channel.h
--- ircu2.10.12.08/include/channel.h	2005-12-23 18:15:01.000000000 +0100
+++ ircu2.10.12.08-chanpersist/include/channel.h	2007-01-13 10:49:05.000000000 +0100
@@ -110,12 +110,13 @@ struct Client;
 #define MODE_APASS	0x200000
 #define MODE_WASDELJOINS 0x400000 	/**< Not DELJOINS, but some joins 
 					 * pending */
+#define MODE_PERSIST    0x800000        /**< +z Persistent channel */
 /** mode flags which take another parameter (With PARAmeterS)
  */
 #define MODE_WPARAS     (MODE_CHANOP|MODE_VOICE|MODE_BAN|MODE_KEY|MODE_LIMIT|MODE_APASS|MODE_UPASS)
 
 /** Available Channel modes */
-#define infochanmodes feature_bool(FEAT_OPLEVELS) ? "AbiklmnopstUvrD" : "biklmnopstvrD"
+#define infochanmodes feature_bool(FEAT_OPLEVELS) ? "AbiklmnopstUvrDz" : "biklmnopstvrDz"
 /** Available Channel modes that take parameters */
 #define infochanmodeswithparams feature_bool(FEAT_OPLEVELS) ? "AbkloUv" : "bklov"
 
diff -Nurp ircu2.10.12.08/ircd/channel.c ircu2.10.12.08-chanpersist/ircd/channel.c
--- ircu2.10.12.08/ircd/channel.c	2006-04-05 01:09:47.000000000 +0200
+++ ircu2.10.12.08-chanpersist/ircd/channel.c	2007-01-13 10:40:34.000000000 +0100
@@ -258,6 +258,9 @@ int sub1_from_channel(struct Channel* ch
 
   chptr->users = 0;
 
+  if (chptr->mode.mode & MODE_PERSIST)
+    return 1;
+
   /*
    * Also channels without Apass set need to be kept alive,
    * otherwise Bad Guys(tm) would be able to takeover
@@ -547,6 +550,9 @@ static int channel_all_zombies(struct Ch
 {
   struct Membership* member;
 
+  if (chptr->mode.mode & MODE_PERSIST)
+    return 0;
+
   for (member = chptr->members; member; member = member->next_member) {
     if (!IsZombie(member))
       return 0;
@@ -832,6 +838,8 @@ void channel_modes(struct Client *cptr, 
     *mbuf++ = 'D';
   else if (MyUser(cptr) && (chptr->mode.mode & MODE_WASDELJOINS))
     *mbuf++ = 'd';
+  if (chptr->mode.mode & MODE_PERSIST)
+    *mbuf++ = 'z';
   if (chptr->mode.limit) {
     *mbuf++ = 'l';
     ircd_snprintf(0, pbuf, buflen, "%u", chptr->mode.limit);
@@ -1542,6 +1550,7 @@ modebuf_flush_int(struct ModeBuf *mbuf, 
     MODE_LIMIT,		'l',
 /*  MODE_APASS,		'A', */
 /*  MODE_UPASS,		'U', */
+    MODE_PERSIST,	'z',
     0x0, 0x0
   };
   static int local_flags[] = {
@@ -1951,7 +1960,7 @@ modebuf_mode(struct ModeBuf *mbuf, unsig
 
   mode &= (MODE_ADD | MODE_DEL | MODE_PRIVATE | MODE_SECRET | MODE_MODERATED |
 	   MODE_TOPICLIMIT | MODE_INVITEONLY | MODE_NOPRIVMSGS | MODE_REGONLY |
-           MODE_DELJOINS | MODE_WASDELJOINS);
+           MODE_DELJOINS | MODE_WASDELJOINS | MODE_PERSIST);
 
   if (!(mode & ~(MODE_ADD | MODE_DEL))) /* don't add empty modes... */
     return;
@@ -2098,6 +2107,7 @@ modebuf_extract(struct ModeBuf *mbuf, ch
     MODE_LIMIT,		'l',
     MODE_REGONLY,	'r',
     MODE_DELJOINS,      'D',
+    MODE_PERSIST,       'z',
     0x0, 0x0
   };
   unsigned int add;
@@ -3176,6 +3186,7 @@ mode_parse(struct ModeBuf *mbuf, struct 
     MODE_LIMIT,		'l',
     MODE_REGONLY,	'r',
     MODE_DELJOINS,      'D',
+    MODE_PERSIST,       'z',
     MODE_ADD,		'+',
     MODE_DEL,		'-',
     0x0, 0x0
@@ -3265,6 +3276,11 @@ mode_parse(struct ModeBuf *mbuf, struct 
 	mode_parse_client(&state, flag_p);
 	break;
 
+      case 'z': /* only let remote clients or opmode change persistence */
+        if (!MyUser(state.sptr) || (state.flags & MODE_PARSE_FORCE))
+	mode_parse_mode(&state, flag_p);
+	break;
+
       default: /* deal with other modes */
 	mode_parse_mode(&state, flag_p);
 	break;
diff -Nurp ircu2.10.12.08/ircd/m_endburst.c ircu2.10.12.08-chanpersist/ircd/m_endburst.c
--- ircu2.10.12.08/ircd/m_endburst.c	2005-05-30 15:14:53.000000000 +0200
+++ ircu2.10.12.08-chanpersist/ircd/m_endburst.c	2007-01-13 10:33:17.000000000 +0100
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ int ms_end_of_burst(struct Client* cptr,
   /* Count through channels... */
   for (chan = GlobalChannelList; chan; chan = next_chan) {
     next_chan = chan->next;
-    if (!chan->members && (chan->mode.mode & MODE_BURSTADDED)) {
+    if (!chan->members && ((chan->mode.mode & (MODE_PERSIST | MODE_BURSTADDED)) == MODE_BURSTADDED)) {
       /* Newly empty channel, schedule it for removal. */
       chan->mode.mode &= ~MODE_BURSTADDED;
       sub1_from_channel(chan);
diff -Nurp ircu2.10.12.08/ircd/m_join.c ircu2.10.12.08-chanpersist/ircd/m_join.c
--- ircu2.10.12.08/ircd/m_join.c	2006-02-05 01:50:22.000000000 +0100
+++ ircu2.10.12.08-chanpersist/ircd/m_join.c	2007-01-13 11:46:21.000000000 +0100
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ int m_join(struct Client *cptr, struct C
         flags = CHFL_CHANOP | CHFL_CHANNEL_MANAGER;
       else if (key && !strcmp(key, chptr->mode.upass))
         flags = CHFL_CHANOP;
-      else if (chptr->users == 0 && !chptr->mode.apass[0]) {
+      else if (chptr->users == 0 && !chptr->mode.apass[0] && !(chptr->mode.mode & MODE_PERSIST)) {
         /* Joining a zombie channel (zannel): give ops and increment TS. */
         flags = CHFL_CHANOP;
         chptr->creationtime++;
diff -Nurp ircu2.10.12.08/ircd/m_kick.c ircu2.10.12.08-chanpersist/ircd/m_kick.c
--- ircu2.10.12.08/ircd/m_kick.c	2005-11-14 22:17:07.000000000 +0100
+++ ircu2.10.12.08-chanpersist/ircd/m_kick.c	2007-01-13 10:42:15.000000000 +0100
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ int ms_kick(struct Client *cptr, struct 
    * here), if kicker is not on channel, or if kicker is not a channel
    * operator, bounce the kick
    */
-  if (!IsServer(sptr) && member && cli_from(who) != cptr &&
+  if (!IsServer(sptr) && !IsChannelService(sptr) && member && cli_from(who) != cptr &&
       (!(sptr_link = find_member_link(chptr, sptr)) || !IsChanOp(sptr_link))) {
     sendto_opmask_butone(0, SNO_HACK2, "HACK: %C KICK %H %C %s", sptr, chptr,
 			 who, comment);
diff -Nurp ircu2.10.12.08/ircd/m_mode.c ircu2.10.12.08-chanpersist/ircd/m_mode.c
--- ircu2.10.12.08/ircd/m_mode.c	2006-03-18 16:52:58.000000000 +0100
+++ ircu2.10.12.08-chanpersist/ircd/m_mode.c	2007-01-13 19:24:50.000000000 +0100
@@ -140,7 +140,17 @@ m_mode(struct Client *cptr, struct Clien
 		 (MODE_PARSE_SET |    /* Set the mode */
 		  MODE_PARSE_FORCE),  /* Force it to take */
 		  member);
-      return modebuf_flush(&mbuf);
+      modebuf_flush(&mbuf);
+
+      if(!(chptr->mode.mode & MODE_PERSIST) && chptr->users == 0) // Destruct emtpy, non-persistent channel
+      {
+        // other servers also get this MODE and will destruct the channel if it's empty and not persistent
+        if(chptr->destruct_event)
+          remove_destruct_event(chptr);
+        destruct_channel(chptr);
+      }
+
+      return 0;
     } else
       mode_parse(0, cptr, sptr, chptr, parc - 2, parv + 2,
 		 (member ? MODE_PARSE_NOTOPER : MODE_PARSE_NOTMEMBER), member);
@@ -151,7 +161,17 @@ m_mode(struct Client *cptr, struct Clien
 	       (MODEBUF_DEST_CHANNEL | /* Send mode to channel */
 		MODEBUF_DEST_SERVER)); /* Send mode to servers */
   mode_parse(&mbuf, cptr, sptr, chptr, parc - 2, parv + 2, MODE_PARSE_SET, member);
-  return modebuf_flush(&mbuf);
+  modebuf_flush(&mbuf);
+
+  if(!(chptr->mode.mode & MODE_PERSIST) && chptr->users == 0) // Destruct emtpy, non-persistent channel
+  {
+    // other servers also get this MODE and will destruct the channel if it's empty and not persistent
+    if(chptr->destruct_event)
+      remove_destruct_event(chptr);
+    destruct_channel(chptr);
+  }
+
+  return 0;
 }
 
 int
@@ -197,7 +217,7 @@ ms_mode(struct Client *cptr, struct Clie
 		MODE_PARSE_FORCE),  /* And force it to be accepted */
 	        NULL);
   } else {
-    if (!(member = find_member_link(chptr, sptr))) {
+    if (!IsChannelService(sptr) && !(member = find_member_link(chptr, sptr))) {
       modebuf_init(&mbuf, sptr, cptr, chptr,
 		   (MODEBUF_DEST_SERVER |  /* Send mode to server */
 		    MODEBUF_DEST_HACK2  |  /* Send a HACK(2) message */
@@ -219,5 +239,15 @@ ms_mode(struct Client *cptr, struct Clie
     }
   }
 
-  return modebuf_flush(&mbuf);
+  modebuf_flush(&mbuf);
+
+  if(!(chptr->mode.mode & MODE_PERSIST) && chptr->users == 0) // Destruct emtpy, non-persistent channel
+  {
+    // other servers also get this MODE and will destruct the channel if it's empty and not persistent
+    if(chptr->destruct_event)
+      remove_destruct_event(chptr);
+    destruct_channel(chptr);
+  }
+
+  return 0;
 }
diff -Nurp ircu2.10.12.08/ircd/m_opmode.c ircu2.10.12.08-chanpersist/ircd/m_opmode.c
--- ircu2.10.12.08/ircd/m_opmode.c	2005-09-13 17:17:46.000000000 +0200
+++ ircu2.10.12.08-chanpersist/ircd/m_opmode.c	2007-01-13 10:43:35.000000000 +0100
@@ -130,6 +130,14 @@ int ms_opmode(struct Client* cptr, struc
 
   modebuf_flush(&mbuf); /* flush the modes */
 
+  if(!(chptr->mode.mode & MODE_PERSIST) && chptr->users == 0) // Destruct emtpy, non-persistent channel
+  {
+    // other servers also get this MODE and will destruct the channel if it's empty and not persistent
+    if(chptr->destruct_event)
+      remove_destruct_event(chptr);
+    destruct_channel(chptr);
+  }
+
   return 0;
 }
 
@@ -184,6 +192,14 @@ int mo_opmode(struct Client* cptr, struc
 
   modebuf_flush(&mbuf); /* flush the modes */
 
+  if(!(chptr->mode.mode & MODE_PERSIST) && chptr->users == 0) // Destruct emtpy, non-persistent channel
+  {
+    // other servers also get this MODE and will destruct the channel if it's empty and not persistent
+    if(chptr->destruct_event)
+      remove_destruct_event(chptr);
+    destruct_channel(chptr);
+  }
+
   return 0;
 }