diff --git a/src/freedombone b/src/freedombone
index 876534c4..2533a1a1 100755
--- a/src/freedombone
+++ b/src/freedombone
@@ -7325,6 +7325,11 @@ function install_irc_server {
         DEFAULTDOMAIN="${DEFAULT_DOMAIN_NAME}.local"
     fi
 
+    # create a login password if needed
+    if [ ! $IRC_PASSWORD ]; then
+        IRC_PASSWORD="$(openssl rand -base64 32 | cut -c1-10)"
+    fi
+    
     echo '**************************************************' > /etc/ngircd/motd
     echo $'*           F R E E D O M B O N E   I R C        *' >> /etc/ngircd/motd
     echo '*                                                *' >> /etc/ngircd/motd
@@ -7363,7 +7368,7 @@ function install_irc_server {
     sed -i "s/;Password = ThePwd/Password = $IRC_OPERATOR_PASSWORD/g" /etc/ngircd/ngircd.conf
     sed -i 's|;Listen =.*|Listen = 0.0.0.0,0.0.0.0:9050,127.0.0.1,127.0.0.1:9050|g' /etc/ngircd/ngircd.conf
     if [ $IRC_PASSWORD ]; then
-        sed -i "0,/RE/s/Password =.*/Password = $IRC_PASSWORD/" /etc/ngircd/ngircd.conf
+        sed -i "0,/RE/s/Password =.*/Password =$IRC_PASSWORD/" /etc/ngircd/ngircd.conf
     fi
     # If we are on a mesh then DNS is not available
     if [[ $SYSTEM_TYPE == "$VARIANT_MESH" ]]; then