diff --git a/stdplugins/ninja.py b/stdplugins/ninja.py
index 266fab7..ec538a1 100644
--- a/stdplugins/ninja.py
+++ b/stdplugins/ninja.py
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ async def await_read(chat, message):
     await fut
 
 
-@borg.on(util.admin_cmd(r"^\.(del)(?:ete)?$"))
-@borg.on(util.admin_cmd(r"^\.(edit)(?:\s+(.*))?$"))
+@borg.on(events.NewMessage(outgoing=True, pattern=r"^\.(del)(?:ete)?$")
+@borg.on(events.NewMessage(outgoing=True, pattern=r"^\.(edit)(?:\s+(.*))?$")
 async def delete(event):
     await event.delete()
     command = event.pattern_match.group(1)
diff --git a/uniborg/_core.py b/uniborg/_core.py
index 43d8bd1..77f68b0 100644
--- a/uniborg/_core.py
+++ b/uniborg/_core.py
@@ -5,14 +5,13 @@
 import asyncio
 import traceback
 
-from uniborg import util
-
 DELETE_TIMEOUT = 2
 
 
-@borg.on(util.admin_cmd(r"^\.(?:re)?load (?P<shortname>\w+)$"))
+@borg.on(borg.admin_cmd(r"(?:re)?load (?P<shortname>\w+)"))
 async def load_reload(event):
-    await event.delete()
+    if not borg.me.bot:
+        await event.delete()
     shortname = event.pattern_match["shortname"]
 
     try:
@@ -22,8 +21,9 @@ async def load_reload(event):
 
         msg = await event.respond(
             f"Successfully (re)loaded plugin {shortname}")
-        await asyncio.sleep(DELETE_TIMEOUT)
-        await borg.delete_messages(msg.to_id, msg)
+        if not borg.me.bot:
+            await asyncio.sleep(DELETE_TIMEOUT)
+            await borg.delete_messages(msg.to_id, msg)
 
     except Exception as e:
         tb = traceback.format_exc()
@@ -31,9 +31,10 @@ async def load_reload(event):
         await event.respond(f"Failed to (re)load plugin {shortname}: {e}")
 
 
-@borg.on(util.admin_cmd(r"^\.(?:unload|disable|remove) (?P<shortname>\w+)$"))
+@borg.on(borg.admin_cmd(r"(?:unload|disable|remove) (?P<shortname>\w+)"))
 async def remove(event):
-    await event.delete()
+    if not borg.me.bot:
+        await event.delete()
     shortname = event.pattern_match["shortname"]
 
     if shortname == "_core":
@@ -44,5 +45,6 @@ async def remove(event):
     else:
         msg = await event.respond(f"Plugin {shortname} is not loaded")
 
-    await asyncio.sleep(DELETE_TIMEOUT)
-    await borg.delete_messages(msg.to_id, msg)
+    if not borg.me.bot:
+        await asyncio.sleep(DELETE_TIMEOUT)
+        await borg.delete_messages(msg.to_id, msg)
diff --git a/uniborg/uniborg.py b/uniborg/uniborg.py
index 3dd3447..af1fdcf 100644
--- a/uniborg/uniborg.py
+++ b/uniborg/uniborg.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from . import hacks
 
 class Uniborg(TelegramClient):
     def __init__(
-            self, session, *, plugin_path="plugins", storage=None,
+            self, session, *, plugin_path="plugins", storage=None, admins=[],
             bot_token=None, **kwargs):
         # TODO: handle non-string session
         #
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ class Uniborg(TelegramClient):
         self._logger = logging.getLogger(session)
         self._plugins = {}
         self._plugin_path = plugin_path
+        self.admins = admins
 
         kwargs = {
             "api_id": 6, "api_hash": "eb06d4abfb49dc3eeb1aeb98ae0f581e",
@@ -108,3 +109,15 @@ class Uniborg(TelegramClient):
             lambda _: self.remove_event_handler(cb, event_matcher))
 
         return fut
+
+    def admin_cmd(self, pattern):
+        if not self.me.bot:
+            return telethon.events.NewMessage(
+                outgoing=True,
+                pattern=fr'^\.{pattern}$'
+            )
+        else:
+            return telethon.events.NewMessage(
+                from_users=self.admins,
+                pattern=fr'^\/{pattern}$'
+            )
diff --git a/uniborg/util.py b/uniborg/util.py
index 1b93b26..84f5d44 100644
--- a/uniborg/util.py
+++ b/uniborg/util.py
@@ -10,10 +10,6 @@ from telethon import events
 from telethon.tl.functions.messages import GetPeerDialogsRequest
 
 
-def admin_cmd(pattern):
-    return events.NewMessage(outgoing=True, pattern=re.compile(pattern))
-
-
 async def is_read(borg, entity, message, is_out=None):
     """
     Returns True if the given message (or id) has been read