diff --git a/api/src/lib.rs b/api/src/lib.rs
index e42b155..81f76bc 100644
--- a/api/src/lib.rs
+++ b/api/src/lib.rs
@@ -425,6 +425,8 @@ pub enum Kicker {
     Repeat,
     // Kick lines matching a configured badword regex (patterns via BADWORDS).
     Badwords,
+    // Modifier: warn once before the first kick.
+    Warn,
     // Exemption, not a rule: never kick channel operators.
     DontKickOps,
 }
diff --git a/botserv/src/kick.rs b/botserv/src/kick.rs
index 02e983d..6199fb8 100644
--- a/botserv/src/kick.rs
+++ b/botserv/src/kick.rs
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ pub fn handle(me: &str, from: &Sender, args: &[&str], ctx: &mut ServiceCtx, db:
         "REVERSES" => Kicker::Reverses,
         "ITALICS" => Kicker::Italics,
         "BADWORDS" => Kicker::Badwords,
+        "WARN" => Kicker::Warn,
         "DONTKICKOPS" => Kicker::DontKickOps,
         other => {
             ctx.notice(me, from.uid, format!("Unknown kicker \x02{other}\x02. Try CAPS, FLOOD, REPEAT, BOLDS, COLORS, UNDERLINES, REVERSES, ITALICS or DONTKICKOPS."));
@@ -116,6 +117,7 @@ fn label(kicker: Kicker) -> &'static str {
         Kicker::Flood => "flood",
         Kicker::Repeat => "repeat",
         Kicker::Badwords => "badwords",
+        Kicker::Warn => "warn",
         Kicker::DontKickOps => "dontkickops",
     }
 }
@@ -124,6 +126,8 @@ fn toggle(me: &str, from: &Sender, chan: &str, kicker: Kicker, on: bool, ctx: &m
     match db.set_kicker(chan, kicker, on) {
         Ok(()) if kicker == Kicker::DontKickOps && on => ctx.notice(me, from.uid, format!("The bot will no longer kick channel operators in \x02{chan}\x02.")),
         Ok(()) if kicker == Kicker::DontKickOps => ctx.notice(me, from.uid, format!("The bot may again kick channel operators in \x02{chan}\x02.")),
+        Ok(()) if kicker == Kicker::Warn && on => ctx.notice(me, from.uid, format!("The bot will warn once before the first kick in \x02{chan}\x02.")),
+        Ok(()) if kicker == Kicker::Warn => ctx.notice(me, from.uid, format!("The bot will kick without warning in \x02{chan}\x02.")),
         Ok(()) if on => ctx.notice(me, from.uid, format!("The \x02{}\x02 kicker is now on in \x02{chan}\x02.", label(kicker))),
         Ok(()) => ctx.notice(me, from.uid, format!("The \x02{}\x02 kicker is now off in \x02{chan}\x02.", label(kicker))),
         Err(_) => reg_error(me, from, chan, ctx),
diff --git a/src/engine/db.rs b/src/engine/db.rs
index d4f3f08..1a7ee1d 100644
--- a/src/engine/db.rs
+++ b/src/engine/db.rs
@@ -355,6 +355,9 @@ pub struct KickerSettings {
     // How long such a ban lasts, in seconds. 0 = until manually removed.
     #[serde(default)]
     pub ban_expire: u32,
+    // Warn a user (once) before kicking them the first time.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub warn: bool,
     // Don't kick channel operators, whatever they send.
     #[serde(default)]
     pub dontkickops: bool,
@@ -1442,6 +1445,7 @@ impl Db {
             Kicker::Flood => k.flood = on,
             Kicker::Repeat => k.repeat = on,
             Kicker::Badwords => k.badwords = on,
+            Kicker::Warn => k.warn = on,
             Kicker::DontKickOps => k.dontkickops = on,
         })
     }
diff --git a/src/engine/mod.rs b/src/engine/mod.rs
index b77773b..394f935 100644
--- a/src/engine/mod.rs
+++ b/src/engine/mod.rs
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ struct ChatterState {
     last_hash: u64,   // case-insensitive hash of the previous line
     repeats: u16,     // consecutive identical lines seen so far (0 on the first)
     kicks: u16,       // times kicked so far (reset when it triggers a ban)
+    warned: bool,     // whether the one-time warning has been given
 }
 
 // A kicker ban awaiting automatic removal (BANEXPIRE).
@@ -1024,7 +1025,7 @@ impl Engine {
         // the counter map below.
         let (flood_lines, flood_secs) = k.flood_thresholds();
         let (flood, repeat, repeat_times) = (k.flood, k.repeat, k.repeat_threshold());
-        let (ttb, ban_expire) = (k.ttb, k.ban_expire);
+        let (ttb, ban_expire, warn) = (k.ttb, k.ban_expire, k.warn);
 
         // FLOOD/REPEAT (only if nothing has tripped yet), updating counters.
         if reason.is_none() && (flood || repeat) {
@@ -1056,6 +1057,20 @@ impl Engine {
 
         let Some(reason) = reason else { return Vec::new() };
 
+        // WARN: the first offence gets a private warning from the bot instead of a
+        // kick; the next one is kicked for real.
+        if warn {
+            let already = {
+                let state = self.chatter_entry(channel, from);
+                let w = state.warned;
+                state.warned = true;
+                w
+            };
+            if !already {
+                return vec![NetAction::Notice { from: botuid, to: from.to_string(), text: format!("Please mind the channel rules — {reason} Next time you'll be kicked.") }];
+            }
+        }
+
         // Times-to-ban: after `ttb` kicks the bot bans (an ideal host mask) before
         // kicking, and schedules the unban if BANEXPIRE is set.
         let mut out = Vec::new();
@@ -2393,6 +2408,24 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(says(&bs(&mut e, "KICK #d TEST i love frogs"), "would be kicked"), "badwords copied");
     }
 
+    // WARN gives a one-time warning before the first real kick.
+    #[test]
+    fn botserv_warn_before_kick() {
+        let (mut e, _p) = kicker_fixture("bswarn");
+        let bs = |e: &mut Engine, t: &str| e.handle(NetEvent::Privmsg { from: "000AAAAAB".into(), to: "42SAAAAAD".into(), text: t.into() });
+        let say = |e: &mut Engine, t: &str| e.handle(NetEvent::Privmsg { from: "000AAAAAS".into(), to: "#c".into(), text: t.into() });
+        bs(&mut e, "KICK #c CAPS ON");
+        bs(&mut e, "KICK #c WARN ON");
+        let kicked = |out: &[NetAction]| out.iter().any(|a| matches!(a, NetAction::Kick { uid, .. } if uid == "000AAAAAS"));
+
+        // First offence: a warning notice from the bot, no kick.
+        let out = say(&mut e, "SHOUTING THE FIRST TIME");
+        assert!(!kicked(&out), "no kick on first offence");
+        assert!(out.iter().any(|a| matches!(a, NetAction::Notice { from, to, text } if from.starts_with("42SB") && to == "000AAAAAS" && text.contains("Next time"))), "warned: {out:?}");
+        // Second offence: kicked for real.
+        assert!(kicked(&say(&mut e, "SHOUTING THE SECOND TIME")), "kicked on second offence");
+    }
+
     // KICK TEST dry-runs the content kickers against a line without kicking.
     #[test]
     fn botserv_kick_test_dry_run() {