diff --git a/fjerkroa_bot/discord_bot.py b/fjerkroa_bot/discord_bot.py
index 9516b78..7e67212 100644
--- a/fjerkroa_bot/discord_bot.py
+++ b/fjerkroa_bot/discord_bot.py
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ class FjerkroaBot(commands.Bot):
 
     async def on_ready(self):
         print(f"We have logged in as {self.user}")
-        self.staff_channel = self.channel_by_name(self.config['staff-channel'])
-        self.welcome_channel = self.channel_by_name(self.config['welcome-channel'])
+        self.staff_channel = self.channel_by_name(self.config['staff-channel'], no_ignore=True)
+        self.welcome_channel = self.channel_by_name(self.config['welcome-channel'], no_ignore=True)
 
     async def on_member_join(self, member):
         logging.info(f"User {member.name} joined")
@@ -79,13 +79,14 @@ class FjerkroaBot(commands.Bot):
 
     def channel_by_name(self,
                         channel_name: Optional[str],
-                        fallback_channel: Optional[Union[TextChannel, DMChannel]] = None
+                        fallback_channel: Optional[Union[TextChannel, DMChannel]] = None,
+                        no_ignore: bool = False
                         ) -> Optional[Union[TextChannel, DMChannel]]:
         if channel_name is None:
             return fallback_channel
         if channel_name.startswith("#"):
             channel_name = channel_name[1:]
-        if channel_name in self.config.get("ignore-channels", []):
+        if not no_ignore and channel_name in self.config.get("ignore-channels", []):
             return fallback_channel
         for guild in self.guilds:
             channel = discord.utils.get(guild.channels, name=channel_name)