diff --git a/degesch.c b/degesch.c
index de093c6..b336938 100644
--- a/degesch.c
+++ b/degesch.c
@@ -3269,14 +3269,52 @@ end:
 
 // --- Connection establishment ------------------------------------------------
 
-static void
-irc_register (struct server *s)
+static bool
+irc_autofill_user_info (struct server *s, struct error **e)
 {
 	const char *nickname = get_config_string (s->config, "nickname");
 	const char *username = get_config_string (s->config, "username");
 	const char *realname = get_config_string (s->config, "realname");
 
-	// These are filled automatically if needed
+	if (nickname && username && realname)
+		return true;
+
+	// Read POSIX user info and fill the configuration if needed
+	struct passwd *pwd = getpwuid (geteuid ());
+	if (!pwd)
+		FAIL ("cannot retrieve user information: %s", strerror (errno));
+
+	// FIXME: set_config_strings() writes errors on its own
+	if (!nickname)
+		set_config_string (s->config, "nickname", pwd->pw_name);
+	if (!username)
+		set_config_string (s->config, "username", pwd->pw_name);
+
+	// Not all systems have the GECOS field but the vast majority does
+	if (!realname)
+	{
+		char *gecos = pwd->pw_gecos;
+
+		// The first comma, if any, ends the user's real name
+		char *comma = strchr (gecos, ',');
+		if (comma)
+			*comma = '\0';
+
+		set_config_string (s->config, "realname", gecos);
+	}
+
+	return true;
+}
+
+static void
+irc_register (struct server *s)
+{
+	// Fill in user information automatically if needed
+	irc_autofill_user_info (s, NULL);
+
+	const char *nickname = get_config_string (s->config, "nickname");
+	const char *username = get_config_string (s->config, "username");
+	const char *realname = get_config_string (s->config, "realname");
 	hard_assert (nickname && username && realname);
 
 	irc_send (s, "NICK %s", nickname);
@@ -6318,43 +6356,6 @@ app_editline_init (struct input *self)
 
 // --- Configuration loading ---------------------------------------------------
 
-static bool
-autofill_user_info (struct server *s, struct error **e)
-{
-	const char *nickname = get_config_string (s->config, "nickname");
-	const char *username = get_config_string (s->config, "username");
-	const char *realname = get_config_string (s->config, "realname");
-
-	if (nickname && username && realname)
-		return true;
-
-	// Read POSIX user info and fill the configuration if needed
-	struct passwd *pwd = getpwuid (geteuid ());
-	if (!pwd)
-		FAIL ("cannot retrieve user information: %s", strerror (errno));
-
-	// FIXME: set_config_strings() writes errors on its own
-	if (!nickname)
-		set_config_string (s->config, "nickname", pwd->pw_name);
-	if (!username)
-		set_config_string (s->config, "username", pwd->pw_name);
-
-	// Not all systems have the GECOS field but the vast majority does
-	if (!realname)
-	{
-		char *gecos = pwd->pw_gecos;
-
-		// The first comma, if any, ends the user's real name
-		char *comma = strchr (gecos, ',');
-		if (comma)
-			*comma = '\0';
-
-		set_config_string (s->config, "realname", gecos);
-	}
-
-	return true;
-}
-
 static bool
 read_file (const char *filename, struct str *output, struct error **e)
 {
@@ -6664,7 +6665,7 @@ create_server (struct app_context *ctx)
 	s->reconnect_delay = get_config_integer (s->config, "reconnect_delay");
 
 	struct error *e = NULL;
-	if (!autofill_user_info (s, &e))
+	if (!irc_autofill_user_info (s, &e))
 	{
 		print_error ("%s: %s", "failed to fill in user details", e->message);
 		error_free (e);