diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 180299b..1b21275 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ mod command;
 mod qna;
 mod setup;
 
+const DEFAULT_INSTRUCT: &str = "";
+
 #[tokio::main]
 async fn main() -> Result<()> {
     // Some error sprucing.
@@ -40,9 +42,7 @@ async fn main() -> Result<()> {
         config
             .get_string("model")
             .wrap_err("model string missing.")?,
-        "You are a shady, yet helpful IRC bot.  You try to give responses that can
-be sent in a single IRC response according to the specification."
-            .to_string(),
+        config.get_string("instruct").unwrap_or_else(|_| DEFAULT_INSTRUCT.to_string()),
     )
     .wrap_err("Couldn't initialize LLM handle.")?;
     let mut c = chat::new(&config, &handle).await?;