diff --git a/plugins/tell/tell.go b/plugins/tell/tell.go
index a106574..3a9b666 100644
--- a/plugins/tell/tell.go
+++ b/plugins/tell/tell.go
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
+
+	"github.com/jmoiron/sqlx"
+
 	"github.com/velour/catbase/bot"
 	"github.com/velour/catbase/bot/msg"
 )
@@ -11,32 +15,100 @@ import (
 type delayedMsg string
 
 type TellPlugin struct {
-	b     bot.Bot
-	users map[string][]string
+	b  bot.Bot
+	db *sqlx.DB
 }
 
 func New(b bot.Bot) *TellPlugin {
-	tp := &TellPlugin{b, make(map[string][]string)}
+	tp := &TellPlugin{b, b.DB()}
 	b.Register(tp, bot.Message, tp.message)
+	tp.createDB()
 	return tp
 }
 
+type tell struct {
+	ID   int
+	Who  string
+	What string
+}
+
+func (t *TellPlugin) createDB() {
+	q := `create table if not exists tell (
+		id integer primary key autoincrement,
+		who string,
+		what string
+	)`
+	t.db.MustExec(q)
+}
+
+func (t *TellPlugin) getTells() []tell {
+	result := []tell{}
+	q := `select * from tell`
+	t.db.Select(&result, q)
+	return result
+}
+
+func (t *TellPlugin) rmTell(entry tell) {
+	q := `delete from tell where id=?`
+	if _, err := t.db.Exec(q, entry.ID); err != nil {
+		log.Error().Err(err).Msg("could not remove tell")
+	}
+}
+
+func (t *TellPlugin) addTell(who, what string) error {
+	q := `insert into tell (who, what) values (?, ?)`
+	_, err := t.db.Exec(q, who, what)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error().Err(err).Msg("could not add tell")
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
+func (t *TellPlugin) check(who string) []tell {
+	result := []tell{}
+	tells := t.getTells()
+	for _, e := range tells {
+		if e.Who == who {
+			result = append(result, e)
+			t.rmTell(e)
+		}
+	}
+	return result
+}
+
+func (t *TellPlugin) checkValidTarget(ch, target string) bool {
+	users := t.b.Who(ch)
+	log.Debug().
+		Str("ch", ch).
+		Str("target", target).
+		Interface("users", users).
+		Msg("checking valid target")
+	for _, u := range users {
+		if u.Name == target {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 func (t *TellPlugin) message(c bot.Connector, kind bot.Kind, message msg.Message, args ...interface{}) bool {
-	if strings.HasPrefix(strings.ToLower(message.Body), "tell") {
+	if strings.HasPrefix(strings.ToLower(message.Body), "tell ") {
 		parts := strings.Split(message.Body, " ")
 		target := strings.ToLower(parts[1])
+		if !t.checkValidTarget(message.Channel, target) {
+			return false
+		}
 		newMessage := strings.Join(parts[2:], " ")
 		newMessage = fmt.Sprintf("Hey, %s. %s said: %s", target, message.User.Name, newMessage)
-		t.users[target] = append(t.users[target], newMessage)
+		t.addTell(target, newMessage)
 		t.b.Send(c, bot.Message, message.Channel, fmt.Sprintf("Okay. I'll tell %s.", target))
 		return true
 	}
 	uname := strings.ToLower(message.User.Name)
-	if msg, ok := t.users[uname]; ok && len(msg) > 0 {
-		for _, m := range msg {
-			t.b.Send(c, bot.Message, message.Channel, string(m))
+	if tells := t.check(uname); len(tells) > 0 {
+		for _, m := range tells {
+			t.b.Send(c, bot.Message, message.Channel, m.What)
 		}
-		t.users[uname] = []string{}
 		return true
 	}
 	return false