diff --git a/src/engine/mod.rs b/src/engine/mod.rs
index 74de2f8..ed0f268 100644
--- a/src/engine/mod.rs
+++ b/src/engine/mod.rs
@@ -1049,7 +1049,7 @@ impl Engine {
             // creation and on the uplink burst, so registered channels regain the
             // mode after emptying, and after a services relink.
             NetEvent::ChannelCreate { channel } => {
-                let from = self.chan_service.clone().unwrap_or_default();
+                let from = self.channel_mode_source(&channel);
                 match self.db.channel(&channel) {
                     Some(info) => {
                         let mut out = vec![NetAction::ChannelMode { from: from.clone(), channel: channel.clone(), modes: info.lock_modes() }];
@@ -1064,7 +1064,7 @@ impl Engine {
             }
             // Enforce the mode lock: revert any change that broke it.
             NetEvent::ChannelModeChange { channel, modes } => {
-                let from = self.chan_service.clone().unwrap_or_default();
+                let from = self.channel_mode_source(&channel);
                 match self.db.channel(&channel).and_then(|info| info.enforce(&modes)) {
                     Some(revert) => vec![NetAction::ChannelMode { from, channel, modes: revert }],
                     None => Vec::new(),
@@ -1083,7 +1083,7 @@ impl Engine {
                     return Vec::new();
                 }
                 let account = self.network.account_of(&uid).map(str::to_string);
-                let from = self.chan_service.clone().unwrap_or_default();
+                let from = self.channel_mode_source(&channel);
                 // Group-aware: a member of a group that holds channel access gets
                 // the group's status mode too.
                 let mode = account.as_deref().and_then(|a| self.db.channel_join_mode(&channel, a));
@@ -1382,6 +1382,18 @@ impl Engine {
     // The greet a channel's bot shows when a member logged into `account` joins:
     // only when greets are enabled for the channel, the member holds channel
     // access, and has set a non-empty personal greet.
+    // The uid a channel's own actions are sourced from: its assigned bot if one is
+    // live, else ChanServ — so in-channel actions (auto-op, mode lock, entry
+    // message) front as the bot when the channel has one, like Anope.
+    fn channel_mode_source(&self, channel: &str) -> String {
+        self.db.channel(channel)
+            .and_then(|c| c.assigned_bot.clone())
+            .map(|b| b.to_ascii_lowercase())
+            .and_then(|b| self.bot_uids.get(&b).cloned())
+            .or_else(|| self.chan_service.clone())
+            .unwrap_or_default()
+    }
+
     fn greet_on_join(&self, channel: &str, account: Option<&str>) -> Option<NetAction> {
         let acc = account?;
         let c = self.db.channel(channel)?;
diff --git a/src/engine/tests.rs b/src/engine/tests.rs
index 88e3235..350d540 100644
--- a/src/engine/tests.rs
+++ b/src/engine/tests.rs
@@ -486,6 +486,50 @@
         assert!(parted, "the assigned bot parts the released channel");
     }
 
+    // A channel with an assigned bot: the bot (not ChanServ) fronts the in-channel
+    // auto-op, so it reads as the bot setting the mode.
+    #[test]
+    fn assigned_bot_fronts_channel_auto_op() {
+        use echo_botserv::BotServ;
+        use echo_chanserv::ChanServ;
+        use echo_nickserv::NickServ;
+        let path = std::env::temp_dir().join("echo-botfront.jsonl");
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&path);
+        let mut db = Db::open(&path, "test");
+        db.scram_iterations = 4096;
+        db.register("alice", "sesame", None).unwrap();
+        db.register_channel("#room", "alice").unwrap();
+        let mut e = Engine::new(
+            vec![
+                Box::new(NickServ { uid: "42SAAAAAA".into(), guest_nick: "Guest".into(), guest_seq: 0 }),
+                Box::new(ChanServ { uid: "42SAAAAAB".into() }),
+                Box::new(BotServ { uid: "42SAAAAAD".into() }),
+            ],
+            db,
+        );
+        e.set_sid("42S".into());
+        let mut opers = std::collections::HashMap::new();
+        opers.insert("alice".to_string(), Privs::default().with(echo_api::Priv::Admin));
+        e.set_opers(opers);
+        e.handle(NetEvent::UserConnect { uid: "000AAAAAB".into(), nick: "alice".into(), host: "h".into(), ip: "0.0.0.0".into() });
+        e.handle(NetEvent::Privmsg { from: "000AAAAAB".into(), to: "42SAAAAAA".into(), text: "IDENTIFY sesame".into() });
+        e.handle(NetEvent::Privmsg { from: "000AAAAAB".into(), to: "42SAAAAAD".into(), text: "BOT ADD Bendy bot serv.host Helper".into() });
+        let out = e.handle(NetEvent::Privmsg { from: "000AAAAAB".into(), to: "42SAAAAAD".into(), text: "ASSIGN #room Bendy".into() });
+        let botuid = out.iter().find_map(|a| match a {
+            NetAction::ServiceJoin { uid, channel } if channel == "#room" => Some(uid.clone()),
+            _ => None,
+        }).expect("bot joins #room");
+
+        // Founder alice joins: the auto-op is sourced from the bot, not ChanServ.
+        let join = e.handle(NetEvent::Join { uid: "000AAAAAB".into(), channel: "#room".into(), op: false });
+        let src = join.iter().find_map(|a| match a {
+            NetAction::ChannelMode { from, modes, .. } if modes.contains("+o") => Some(from.clone()),
+            _ => None,
+        }).expect("alice auto-opped");
+        assert_eq!(src, botuid, "auto-op fronts as the assigned bot");
+        assert_ne!(src, "42SAAAAAB", "not sourced from ChanServ");
+    }
+
     // A server split (SQUIT) forgets exactly the users behind it (uids carrying
     // that SID), leaving users on other servers untouched.
     #[test]