diff --git a/.pnp.js b/.pnp.js
index dbe8f2c..a377def 100755
--- a/.pnp.js
+++ b/.pnp.js
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ function $$SETUP_STATE(hydrateRuntimeState, basePath) {
             ["got", "npm:11.8.2"],
             ["jest", "npm:26.6.3"],
             ["jsdom", "virtual:defa486869c88441047200a53b3aa18d79743b272095f3ee31b5b7b80b2c93d87f722added867470dcb94104504489a1a89040ea8fd89dffb9cfb1864d4bf54e#npm:16.5.2"],
-            ["md5", "npm:2.3.0"]
+            ["md5", "npm:2.3.0"],
+            ["minimist", "npm:1.2.5"]
           ],
           "linkType": "SOFT",
         }]
@@ -4754,7 +4755,8 @@ function $$SETUP_STATE(hydrateRuntimeState, basePath) {
             ["got", "npm:11.8.2"],
             ["jest", "npm:26.6.3"],
             ["jsdom", "virtual:defa486869c88441047200a53b3aa18d79743b272095f3ee31b5b7b80b2c93d87f722added867470dcb94104504489a1a89040ea8fd89dffb9cfb1864d4bf54e#npm:16.5.2"],
-            ["md5", "npm:2.3.0"]
+            ["md5", "npm:2.3.0"],
+            ["minimist", "npm:1.2.5"]
           ],
           "linkType": "SOFT",
         }]
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ef02303..c7a05d2 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
     "form-data": "^4.0.0",
     "got": "^11.8.2",
     "jsdom": "^16.5.2",
-    "md5": "^2.3.0"
+    "md5": "^2.3.0",
+    "minimist": "^1.2.5"
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/chat.js b/src/chat.js
index a576d22..2244fb8 100644
--- a/src/chat.js
+++ b/src/chat.js
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 
+const args = require('minimist')(process.argv.slice(2));
+
 // the main juice
 
 const { buddies } = require('./config')
@@ -6,18 +8,44 @@ if(!buddies) throw "Did you seutp your config?"
 
 const { toot } = require('./toot');
 
-(async function() {
-	for await(buddyConfig of buddies) {
-		console.log(`bootstrapping chat for ${buddyConfig.name}...`)
-		const { chat } = require(`./buddies/${buddyConfig.name}/buddy`)
-		
-		// contains 'toot', and maybe 'attach' / 'attachDescription'
-		const message = await chat(buddyConfig)
-		console.log(`buddy ${buddyConfig.name} has this to say: ${JSON.stringify(message)}`)
+function assertBuddyConfigCorrect(buddyConfig) {
+	const errs = []
+	if(!buddyConfig.name) errs.push("No 'name' property found")
+	if(!buddyConfig.instance) errs.push("No 'instance' property found")
+	if(!buddyConfig.oauthToken) errs.push("No 'oauthToken' property found")
 
-		await toot(message, buddyConfig)
+	if(errs.length > 0) {
+		console.error(`Whoops, a buddy is misconfigured: ${errs.join(', ')}. Exiting.`)
+		process.exit(-1)
+	}
+}
+
+async function letBuddyChat(buddyConfig) {
+	//assertBuddyConfigCorrect(buddyConfig)
+	console.log(`bootstrapping chat for ${buddyConfig.name}...`)
+	const { chat } = require(`./buddies/${buddyConfig.name}/buddy`)
+	
+	// contains 'toot', and maybe 'attach' / 'attachDescription'
+	const message = await chat(buddyConfig)
+	console.log(`buddy ${buddyConfig.name} has this to say: ${JSON.stringify(message)}`)
+
+	//await toot(message, buddyConfig)
+}
+
+(async function() {
+	if(args.buddy) {
+		const config = buddies.find(b => b.name === args.buddy)
+		if(!config) {
+			console.error(`Whoops, you asked to let buddy "${args.buddy}" chat, but no config found? Exiting.`)
+			process.exit(-1)
+		}
+
+		await letBuddyChat(config)
+	} else {
+		for await(buddyConfig of buddies) {
+			await letBuddyChat(buddyConfig)
+		}
 	}
 
 	console.log('Done! for now... ')
 })()
-
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 0a300dd..c8f185c 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -4040,6 +4040,7 @@ fsevents@^2.1.2:
     jest: ^26.6.3
     jsdom: ^16.5.2
     md5: ^2.3.0
+    minimist: ^1.2.5
   languageName: unknown
   linkType: soft