diff --git a/lisp/erc/erc-join.el b/lisp/erc/erc-join.el
--- a/lisp/erc/erc-join.el
+++ b/lisp/erc/erc-join.el
@@ -42,9 +42,11 @@
 (define-erc-module autojoin nil
   "Makes ERC autojoin on connects and reconnects."
   ((add-hook 'erc-after-connect 'erc-autojoin-channels)
+   (add-hook 'erc-nickserv-identified-hook 'erc-autojoin-after-ident)
    (add-hook 'erc-server-JOIN-functions 'erc-autojoin-add)
    (add-hook 'erc-server-PART-functions 'erc-autojoin-remove))
   ((remove-hook 'erc-after-connect 'erc-autojoin-channels)
+   (remove-hook 'erc-nickserv-identified-hook 'erc-autojoin-after-ident)
    (remove-hook 'erc-server-JOIN-functions 'erc-autojoin-add)
    (remove-hook 'erc-server-PART-functions 'erc-autojoin-remove)))
 
@@ -66,6 +68,25 @@ time is used again."
 		       (repeat :tag "Channels"
 			       (string :tag "Name")))))
 
+(defcustom erc-autojoin-timing :connect
+  "When erc should try to autojoin channels, assuming this feature has been
+enabled. Valid values are:\n
+  :connect - immediately upon connection to the server
+  :ident   - upon successful identification to services\n
+If :ident is chosen, but no identification has occurred after 
+`erc-autojoin-patience' seconds, erc will attempt to autojoin anyway.
+Any unrecognised value will be treated as the default (currently :connect)"
+  :group 'erc-autojoin
+  :type  '(choice (const :tag "On Connection" :connect)
+		  (const :tag "When Identified" :ident)))
+
+(defcustom erc-autojoin-patience 30
+  "Number of seconds to wait for successful services identification before
+attempting to autojoin channels anyway. Values of 0 or less disable this.\n
+See also: `erc-autojoin-timing'"
+  :group 'erc-autojoin
+  :type  'integer)
+
 (defcustom erc-autojoin-domain-only t
   "Truncate host name to the domain name when joining a server.
 If non-nil, and a channel on the server a.b.c is joined, then
@@ -75,12 +96,67 @@ servers, presumably in the same domain."
   :group 'erc-autojoin
   :type 'boolean)
 
+(defun erc-autojoin-timing-internal ()
+  (if (eq :ident erc-autojoin-timing) :ident :connect))
+
+(defvar erc-autojoin-delayed-timer nil)
+(make-variable-buffer-local 'erc-autojoin-delayed-timer)
+
+(defun erc-autojoin-channels-delayed (server nick buffer)
+  "Kick of a delayed channel autojoin (intended for use when we are waiting
+for a successful ident response before autojoining and run out of patience"
+  (if erc-autojoin-delayed-timer
+      (setq erc-autojoin-delayed-timer
+	    (erc-cancel-timer erc-autojoin-delayed-timer)))
+  (with-current-buffer buffer
+    ;; make sure we don't kick of another delayed autojoin or try to wait for
+    ;; another ident response:
+    (let ((erc-autojoin-patience -1)
+	  (erc-autojoin-timing :connect))
+      (erc-log "delayed autojoin started (no ident success detected yet)")
+      (erc-autojoin-channels server nick)) ))
+
 (defun erc-autojoin-channels (server nick)
-  "Autojoin channels in `erc-autojoin-channels-alist'."
-  (dolist (l erc-autojoin-channels-alist)
-    (when (string-match (car l) server)
-      (dolist (chan (cdr l))
-	(erc-server-send (concat "join " chan))))))
+  "Autojoin channels in `erc-autojoin-channels-alist'.
+See also `erc-autojoin-timing'"
+  (if (eq (erc-autojoin-timing-internal) :connect)
+    (dolist (l erc-autojoin-channels-alist)
+      (when (string-match (car l) server)
+	(dolist (chan (cdr l))
+	  (erc-server-send (concat "join " chan)))))
+    ;; ok, we want post-ident autojoin: prepare the delayed autojoin timer
+    ;; in case ident doesn't happen within the allotted time limit:
+    (when (< 0 erc-autojoin-patience)
+      (setq erc-autojoin-delayed-timer
+	    (run-with-timer erc-autojoin-patience nil
+			    'erc-autojoin-channels-delayed
+			    server nick (current-buffer)))
+      ;; make sure we return nil so we don't stomp on any other hook funcs:
+      nil)))
+
+(defun erc-autojoin-after-ident (network nick)
+  "Autojoin channels in `erc-autojoin-channels-alist' after
+successful identification to services, or after `erc-autojoin-patience'
+seconds otherwise."
+  (if erc-autojoin-delayed-timer
+      (setq erc-autojoin-delayed-timer
+	    (erc-cancel-timer erc-autojoin-delayed-timer)))
+  (when (eq (erc-autojoin-timing-internal) :ident)
+    (let ((server (or erc-server-announced-name erc-session-server))
+	  (joined (mapcar (lambda (buf)
+			    (with-current-buffer buf (erc-default-target)))
+			  (erc-channel-list erc-server-process))))
+      ;; we may already be in these channels, because the autojoin timer 
+      ;; went off, or random server weirdness (at least one server I know
+      ;; of automatically pumps all users into a global channel)
+      (dolist (l erc-autojoin-channels-alist)
+	(when (string-match (car l) server)
+	  (dolist (chan (cdr l))
+	    (if (erc-member-ignore-case chan joined)
+		(erc-log (format "erc-join-after-indent: already in %s" chan))
+	      (erc-log (format "erc-join-after-indent: joining %s" chan))
+	      (erc-server-send (concat "join " chan)) )) )) ))
+  nil)
 
 (defun erc-autojoin-add (proc parsed)
   "Add the channel being joined to `erc-autojoin-channels-alist'."