diff --git a/modules/operserv/src/forbid.rs b/modules/operserv/src/forbid.rs
index 6377acd..0544247 100644
--- a/modules/operserv/src/forbid.rs
+++ b/modules/operserv/src/forbid.rs
@@ -20,10 +20,14 @@ pub fn handle(me: &str, from: &Sender, args: &[&str], ctx: &mut ServiceCtx, db:
             let reason = args[4..].join(" ");
             let setter = from.account.unwrap_or(from.nick);
             let label = kind.wire().to_lowercase();
-            match db.forbid_add(kind, mask, setter, &reason) {
-                Ok(true) => ctx.notice(me, from.uid, t!(ctx, "Forbade {label} \x02{mask}\x02.", label = label, mask = mask)),
-                Ok(false) => ctx.notice(me, from.uid, t!(ctx, "Updated the forbid on {label} \x02{mask}\x02.", label = label, mask = mask)),
-                Err(_) => ctx.notice(me, from.uid, "Sorry, that didn't work. Please try again in a moment."),
+            let ok = match db.forbid_add(kind, mask, setter, &reason) {
+                Ok(true) => { ctx.notice(me, from.uid, t!(ctx, "Forbade {label} \x02{mask}\x02.", label = label, mask = mask)); true }
+                Ok(false) => { ctx.notice(me, from.uid, t!(ctx, "Updated the forbid on {label} \x02{mask}\x02.", label = label, mask = mask)); true }
+                Err(_) => { ctx.notice(me, from.uid, "Sorry, that didn't work. Please try again in a moment."); false }
+            };
+            // A forbidden NICK is Q-lined so it can't even be USED, not only registered.
+            if ok && matches!(kind, ForbidKind::Nick) {
+                ctx.add_line(echo_api::XlineKind::Qline, mask, setter, 0, &reason);
             }
         }
         Some("DEL") | Some("REMOVE") => {
@@ -33,7 +37,12 @@ pub fn handle(me: &str, from: &Sender, args: &[&str], ctx: &mut ServiceCtx, db:
             };
             let label = kind.wire().to_lowercase();
             match db.forbid_del(kind, mask) {
-                Ok(true) => ctx.notice(me, from.uid, t!(ctx, "Removed the forbid on {label} \x02{mask}\x02.", label = label, mask = mask)),
+                Ok(true) => {
+                    ctx.notice(me, from.uid, t!(ctx, "Removed the forbid on {label} \x02{mask}\x02.", label = label, mask = mask));
+                    if matches!(kind, ForbidKind::Nick) {
+                        ctx.del_line(echo_api::XlineKind::Qline, mask);
+                    }
+                }
                 Ok(false) => ctx.notice(me, from.uid, t!(ctx, "No forbid on {label} \x02{mask}\x02.", label = label, mask = mask)),
                 Err(_) => ctx.notice(me, from.uid, "Sorry, that didn't work. Please try again in a moment."),
             }
diff --git a/src/engine/mod.rs b/src/engine/mod.rs
index 72d85fc..04bc42b 100644
--- a/src/engine/mod.rs
+++ b/src/engine/mod.rs
@@ -1245,6 +1245,13 @@ impl Engine {
             let duration = a.expires.map(|e| e.saturating_sub(now)).unwrap_or(0);
             out.push(NetAction::AddLine { kind: a.kind.wire().to_string(), mask: a.mask, setter: a.setter, duration, reason: a.reason });
         }
+        // Re-assert a Q-line for every forbidden nick, so a FORBID keeps the nick
+        // unusable across a relink (services X-lines don't survive the split).
+        for f in self.db.forbids() {
+            if matches!(f.kind, echo_api::ForbidKind::Nick) {
+                out.push(NetAction::AddLine { kind: echo_api::XlineKind::Qline.wire().to_string(), mask: f.mask, setter: f.setter, duration: 0, reason: f.reason });
+            }
+        }
         // Re-assert the spam filters so they survive an ircd restart (m_filter has
         // no s2s delete, so echo is the durable source of truth for them).
         for f in self.db.filters() {
diff --git a/src/engine/tests.rs b/src/engine/tests.rs
index ccc7e5f..27afc22 100644
--- a/src/engine/tests.rs
+++ b/src/engine/tests.rs
@@ -5372,6 +5372,37 @@
         assert!(e.db.is_verified("bob"), "bob is now active after the vouch");
     }
 
+    // FORBID NICK also Q-lines the nick so it can't be used, and the Q-line is
+    // removed on unforbid and re-asserted on a relink.
+    #[test]
+    fn forbid_nick_qlines_it() {
+        use echo_operserv::OperServ;
+        let path = std::env::temp_dir().join("echo-forbid-qline.jsonl");
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&path);
+        let mut db = Db::open(&path, "42S");
+        db.scram_iterations = 4096;
+        db.register("alice", "sesame", None).unwrap();
+        let ns = NickServ { uid: "42SAAAAAA".into(), guest_nick: "Guest".into(), guest_seq: 0 };
+        let os = OperServ { uid: "42SAAAAAH".into() };
+        let mut e = Engine::new(vec![Box::new(ns), Box::new(os)], 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() });
+        let to_os = |e: &mut Engine, text: &str| e.handle(NetEvent::Privmsg { from: "000AAAAAB".into(), to: "42SAAAAAH".into(), text: text.into() });
+
+        let out = to_os(&mut e, "FORBID ADD NICK badname reserved");
+        assert!(out.iter().any(|a| matches!(a, NetAction::AddLine { kind, mask, .. } if kind == "Q" && mask == "badname")), "qline set: {out:?}");
+
+        let burst = e.startup_actions();
+        assert!(burst.iter().any(|a| matches!(a, NetAction::AddLine { kind, mask, .. } if kind == "Q" && mask == "badname")), "qline re-asserted on relink: {burst:?}");
+
+        let out = to_os(&mut e, "FORBID DEL NICK badname");
+        assert!(out.iter().any(|a| matches!(a, NetAction::DelLine { kind, mask } if kind == "Q" && mask == "badname")), "qline removed: {out:?}");
+    }
+
     // ChanServ SET: description and founder transfer, founder-gated.
     #[test]
     fn chanserv_set() {