diff --git a/fjerkroa_bot/discord_bot.py b/fjerkroa_bot/discord_bot.py
index ffd0aa3..b6c5c5b 100644
--- a/fjerkroa_bot/discord_bot.py
+++ b/fjerkroa_bot/discord_bot.py
@@ -3,12 +3,12 @@ import argparse
 import toml
 import discord
 import logging
-from discord import Message, TextChannel
+from discord import Message, TextChannel, DMChannel
 from discord.ext import commands
 from watchdog.observers import Observer
 from watchdog.events import FileSystemEventHandler
 from .ai_responder import AIResponder, AIMessage
-from typing import Optional
+from typing import Optional, Union
 
 
 class ConfigFileHandler(FileSystemEventHandler):
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class FjerkroaBot(commands.Bot):
     async def on_message(self, message: Message) -> None:
         if self.user is not None and message.author.id == self.user.id:
             return
-        if not isinstance(message.channel, TextChannel):
+        if not isinstance(message.channel, (TextChannel, DMChannel)):
             return
         message_content = str(message.content).strip()
         if len(message_content) < 1:
@@ -82,8 +82,8 @@ class FjerkroaBot(commands.Bot):
 
     def channel_by_name(self,
                         channel_name: Optional[str],
-                        fallback_channel: Optional[TextChannel] = None
-                        ) -> Optional[TextChannel]:
+                        fallback_channel: Optional[Union[TextChannel, DMChannel]] = None
+                        ) -> Optional[Union[TextChannel, DMChannel]]:
         if channel_name is None:
             return fallback_channel
         for guild in self.guilds:
@@ -92,11 +92,16 @@ class FjerkroaBot(commands.Bot):
                 return channel
         return fallback_channel
 
-    async def respond(self, message: AIMessage, channel: TextChannel) -> None:
-        try:
+    async def respond(self,
+                      message: AIMessage,
+                      channel: Union[TextChannel, DMChannel]) -> None:
+        if isinstance(channel, DMChannel):
+            if channel.recipient is not None:
+                channel_name = str(channel.recipient.name)
+            else:
+                channel_name = str(channel.id)
+        else:
             channel_name = str(channel.name)
-        except Exception:
-            channel_name = str(channel.id)
         if channel_name in self.config.get('ignore-channels', []) and not message.direct:
             logging.info(f"ignore message {repr(message)} for channel {channel_name}")
             return