diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 05171a8..5557adb 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func main() {
 			fields := strings.Fields(line)
 
 			if len(fields) == 2 {
-				server.operatorMap[fields[0]] = fields[1]
+				server.operatorMap[fields[0]] = []byte(fields[1])
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/rosella.go b/rosella.go
index a9c5d9e..5e5bec1 100644
--- a/rosella.go
+++ b/rosella.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ type Server struct {
 	name        string
 	clientMap   map[string]*Client  //Map of nicks → clients
 	channelMap  map[string]*Channel //Map of channel names → channels
-	operatorMap map[string]string   //Map of usernames → SHA1 hashed passwords
+	operatorMap map[string][]byte   //Map of usernames → bcrypt hashed passwords
 	motd        string
 }
 
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 0944b77..f91d4f9 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"crypto/sha1"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
+	"golang.org/x/crypto/bcrypt"
 	"log"
 	"net"
 	"regexp"
@@ -20,7 +19,7 @@ func NewServer() *Server {
 		name:        "rosella",
 		clientMap:   make(map[string]*Client),
 		channelMap:  make(map[string]*Channel),
-		operatorMap: make(map[string]string),
+		operatorMap: make(map[string][]byte),
 		motd:        "Welcome to IRC. Powered by Rosella."}
 }
 
@@ -315,10 +314,8 @@ func (s *Server) handleCommand(client *Client, command string, args []string) {
 		password := args[1]
 
 		if hashedPassword, exists := s.operatorMap[username]; exists {
-			h := sha1.New()
-			io.WriteString(h, password)
-			pass := fmt.Sprintf("%x", h.Sum(nil))
-			if hashedPassword == pass {
+			//nil means the passwords matched
+			if err := bcrypt.CompareHashAndPassword(hashedPassword, []byte(password)); err == nil {
 				client.operator = true
 				client.reply(rplOper)
 				return