diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ed3c1ca..5f9bf78 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,31 +1,32 @@
 ### 0.4.5 (Next)
 
+* [#17](https://github.com/dblock/slack-ruby-client/issues/17): Do not respond to messages from self, override with `allow_message_loops` - [@dblock](https://github.com/dblock).
 * Your contribution here.
 
 ### 0.4.4 (10/5/2015)
 
-* [#17](https://github.com/dblock/slack-ruby-bot/issues/17): Address bot by `name:` - [@dblock](https://githubcom/dblock).
-* [#19](https://github.com/dblock/slack-ruby-bot/issues/19): Retry on `Faraday::Error::TimeoutError`, `TimeoutError` and `SSLError` - [@dblock](https://githubcom/dblock).
-* [#3](https://github.com/dblock/slack-ruby-bot/issues/3): Retry on `migration_in_progress` errors during `rtm.start` - [@dblock](https://githubcom/dblock).
-* Respond to direct messages without being addressed by name - [@dblock](https://githubcom/dblock).
+* [#17](https://github.com/dblock/slack-ruby-bot/issues/17): Address bot by `name:` - [@dblock](https://github.com/dblock).
+* [#19](https://github.com/dblock/slack-ruby-bot/issues/19): Retry on `Faraday::Error::TimeoutError`, `TimeoutError` and `SSLError` - [@dblock](https://github.com/dblock).
+* [#3](https://github.com/dblock/slack-ruby-bot/issues/3): Retry on `migration_in_progress` errors during `rtm.start` - [@dblock](https://github.com/dblock).
+* Respond to direct messages without being addressed by name - [@dblock](https://github.com/dblock).
 * Added `send_gif`, to allow GIFs to be sent without text - [@maclover7](https://github.com/maclover7).
 
 ### 0.4.3 (8/21/2015)
 
-* [#13](https://github.com/dblock/slack-ruby-bot/issues/13): You can now address the bot by its Slack @id - [@dblock](https://githubcom/dblock).
+* [#13](https://github.com/dblock/slack-ruby-bot/issues/13): You can now address the bot by its Slack @id - [@dblock](https://github.com/dblock).
 
 ### 0.4.2 (8/20/2015)
 
-* [#12](https://github.com/dblock/slack-ruby-bot/issues/12): Added support for bot aliases - [@dblock](https://githubcom/dblock).
+* [#12](https://github.com/dblock/slack-ruby-bot/issues/12): Added support for bot aliases - [@dblock](https://github.com/dblock).
 
 ### 0.4.1 (7/25/2015)
 
-* Use a real client in `respond_with_slack_message` expectaions - [@dblock](https://githubcom/dblock).
+* Use a real client in `respond_with_slack_message` expectaions - [@dblock](https://github.com/dblock).
 
 ### 0.4.0 (7/25/2015)
 
-* Using [slack-ruby-client](https://github.com/dblock/slack-ruby-client) - [@dblock](https://githubcom/dblock).
-* Use RealTime API to post messages - [@dblock](https://githubcom/dblock).
+* Using [slack-ruby-client](https://github.com/dblock/slack-ruby-client) - [@dblock](https://github.com/dblock).
+* Use RealTime API to post messages - [@dblock](https://github.com/dblock).
 
 ### 0.3.1 (7/21/2015)
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4fb18d5..eb9ea85 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -193,6 +193,16 @@ module MyBot
 end
 ```
 
+### Message Loop Protection
+
+By default bots do not respond to their own messages. If you wish to change that behavior, set `allow_message_loops` to `true`.
+
+```ruby
+SlackRubyBot.configure do |config|
+  config.allow_message_loops = true
+end
+```
+
 ### RSpec Shared Behaviors
 
 Slack-ruby-bot ships with a number of shared RSpec behaviors that can be used in your RSpec tests. Require 'slack-ruby-bot/rspec' in your `spec_helper.rb`.
diff --git a/examples/minimal/Gemfile.lock b/examples/minimal/Gemfile.lock
index 3863263..81640b0 100644
--- a/examples/minimal/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/examples/minimal/Gemfile.lock
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 PATH
   remote: ../..
   specs:
-    slack-ruby-bot (0.4.4)
+    slack-ruby-bot (0.4.5)
       activesupport
       giphy (~> 2.0.2)
       hashie
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ PATH
 GEM
   remote: http://rubygems.org/
   specs:
-    activesupport (4.2.3)
+    activesupport (4.2.4)
       i18n (~> 0.7)
       json (~> 1.7, >= 1.7.7)
       minitest (~> 5.1)
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ GEM
     json (1.8.3)
     launchy (2.4.3)
       addressable (~> 2.3)
-    minitest (5.8.0)
+    minitest (5.8.1)
     multipart-post (2.0.0)
     oj (2.12.12)
     slack-ruby-client (0.2.1)
@@ -60,3 +60,6 @@ PLATFORMS
 
 DEPENDENCIES
   slack-ruby-bot!
+
+BUNDLED WITH
+   1.10.6
diff --git a/lib/slack-ruby-bot/config.rb b/lib/slack-ruby-bot/config.rb
index f8ca182..9bcb37e 100644
--- a/lib/slack-ruby-bot/config.rb
+++ b/lib/slack-ruby-bot/config.rb
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ module Config
     attr_accessor :user_id
     attr_accessor :team
     attr_accessor :team_id
+    attr_accessor :allow_message_loops
 
     def names
       [user, aliases, "<@#{user_id.downcase}>", "<@#{user_id.downcase}>:", "#{user}:"].compact.flatten
diff --git a/lib/slack-ruby-bot/hooks/message.rb b/lib/slack-ruby-bot/hooks/message.rb
index 3f9b76c..82164de 100644
--- a/lib/slack-ruby-bot/hooks/message.rb
+++ b/lib/slack-ruby-bot/hooks/message.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ module Message
 
       def message(client, data)
         data = Hashie::Mash.new(data)
+        return if !SlackRubyBot::Config.allow_message_loops && (client.self && client.self['id'] == data.user)
         data.text.strip! if data.text
         result = child_command_classes.detect { |d| d.invoke(client, data) }
         result ||= built_in_command_classes.detect { |d| d.invoke(client, data) }
diff --git a/spec/slack-ruby-bot/commands/message_loop_spec.rb b/spec/slack-ruby-bot/commands/message_loop_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fe32807
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/slack-ruby-bot/commands/message_loop_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+describe SlackRubyBot::App do
+  def app
+    SlackRubyBot::App.new
+  end
+  let(:client) { subject.send(:client) }
+  before do
+    allow(client).to receive(:self).and_return('id' => 'UDEADBEEF')
+    allow(Giphy).to receive(:random)
+  end
+  context 'default' do
+    it 'does not respond to self' do
+      expect(SlackRubyBot::Commands::Base).to_not receive(:send_client_message)
+      subject.send(:message, client, text: "#{SlackRubyBot.config.user} hi", channel: 'channel', user: 'UDEADBEEF')
+    end
+  end
+  context 'with allow_message_loops=true' do
+    before do
+      SlackRubyBot.configure do |config|
+        config.allow_message_loops = true
+      end
+    end
+    after do
+      SlackRubyBot.configure do |config|
+        config.allow_message_loops = nil
+      end
+    end
+    it 'responds to self' do
+      expect(SlackRubyBot::Commands::Base).to receive(:send_client_message)
+      subject.send(:message, client, text: "#{SlackRubyBot.config.user} hi", channel: 'channel', user: 'UDEADBEEF')
+    end
+  end
+end