diff --git a/rowbot b/rowbot
index 893819a..c4e68e2 100755
--- a/rowbot
+++ b/rowbot
@@ -6,26 +6,6 @@
 
 shopt -s dotglob extglob lastpipe nullglob
 
-###
-# utility and helper functions
-###
-
-has() {
-  if (( $# )); then
-    hash "$1" 2>/dev/null
-  else
-    return 1
-  fi
-}
-
-is_parent() {
-  (( BASHPID == $$ ))
-}
-
-is_reloaded() {
-  [[ $RELOADED = yes ]] || (( LORE_LIVES > 1 ))
-}
-
 ###
 # configure rowbot
 ###
@@ -78,9 +58,13 @@ done
 # apply custom configuration files
 
 for file do
-  # These files (if any) are provided dynamically at run-time.
-  # shellcheck disable=SC1090
-  . "$file" # ha, dot file
+  if [[ -f $file ]]; then
+    # These files (if any) are provided dynamically at run-time.
+    # shellcheck disable=SC1090
+    . "$file" # ha, dot file
+  else
+    die "could not locate config file %s" "$file"
+  fi
 done
 
 for setting in "${!config[@]}"; do
@@ -110,10 +94,78 @@ if [[ -z ${config[port]} ]]; then
   fi
 fi
 
+# apply any reloaded values
+
+for setting in "${!config[@]}"; do
+  env_name=${setting//-/_} env_name=${env_name^^}
+  declare -n env_var=$env_name
+
+  if [[ -v $env_name ]]; then
+    # This variable is only used for assignment.
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2034
+    config[$setting]=$env_var
+  fi
+done
+
 # cleanup
 
-unset key file setting setting_var
+unset key file setting setting_var env_name env_var
+
+###
+# utility and helper functions
+###
+
+die() {
+  # error "$@"
+  exit "${STATUS:-42}"
+}
+
+is_reloaded() {
+  [[ $RELOADED = yes ]] || (( LORE_LIVES > 1 ))
+}
+
+run_callbacks() {
+  if (( ! $# )); then
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+  local filter=$1
+  shift
+
+  while IFS= read -r; do
+    "$REPLY" "$@"
+  done < <(compgen -A function "$filter")
+
+  return 0
+}
+
+###
+# live code reloader
+###
+
+reload() {
+  run_callbacks on_before_reload_
+  exec "${cmd_line[@]}"
+}
+
+hup_reload() {
+  reload
+}
+
+trap hup_reload HUP
+
+on_init_debug() {
+  declare -p config
+}
 
 ###
 # initialization sequence
 ###
+
+run_callbacks on_init_
+
+if is_reloaded; then
+  run_callbacks on_after_reload_
+else
+  run_callbacks on_first_
+fi