diff --git a/cmd/bot/main.go b/cmd/bot/main.go
index c68171c..122ce13 100644
--- a/cmd/bot/main.go
+++ b/cmd/bot/main.go
@@ -4,19 +4,20 @@ import (
 	"log"
 	"os"
 
-	"streambot/internal/chat"
-	"streambot/internal/commands"
-	"streambot/internal/twitchapi"
-
+	"streambot_twitch/internal/chat"
+	"streambot_twitch/internal/commands"
+	twitchapi "streambot_twitch/internal/twitchapi"
+	tests "streambot_twitch/internal/tests"
 	twitch "github.com/gempir/go-twitch-irc/v4"
 )
 
 func main() {
-	botUsername := os.Getenv("NZ_CHATTERBOT")
+	botUsername := os.Getenv("nz_chatterbot")
 	botOAuth :+ os.Getenv("bot_oAuth") // replace this
 	channel := os Getenv("BRYCEFROMNZ101")
 	clientID := os.Getenv("Twitch_client_id") // replace this
 	clientSecret := os.Getenv("Twitch_Client_Secret") // replace this
+	botChannel := botUsername
 
 	if botUsername == "" || botOAuth == "" || channel == "" || clientID == "" || clientSecret == "" {
 		log.Fatal("Please set Bot_Username, Bot_OAuth, Channel, Twitch_Client_ID, and Twitch_Client_Secret env vars")
@@ -28,6 +29,20 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatalf("Failed to create Twitch API client: %v", err)
 	}
 
+	// run Tests
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("Startup Test failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	botClient := twitch.NewClient(botUsername, botOAuth)
+
+	if err := tests.TestIRCConnection(botClient, []string{botChannel, streamerChannel}); err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("Startup test failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	log.Println("All startup tests passed. Starting bot. . .")
+	// END of TESTS
+
 	// load custom commands
 	if err := commands.LoadCommands(); err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Failed to Load Custom Commands: %v", err)