diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index caad11d..6aadd0d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ For end users, a `Makefile` is provided:
 For development, you can use `go run ./cmd/soju` as usual.
 
 To link with the system libsqlite3, set `GOFLAGS="-tags=libsqlite3"`. To disable
-SQLite support, set `GOFLAGS="-tags=nosqlite"`.
+SQLite support, set `GOFLAGS="-tags=nosqlite"`. To build with PAM authentication
+support, set `GOFLAGS="-tags=pam"`.
 
 To use an alternative SQLite library that does not require CGO, set `GOFLAGS="-tags=moderncsqlite"`.
 
diff --git a/auth/auth.go b/auth/auth.go
index 86137cd..e0f4608 100644
--- a/auth/auth.go
+++ b/auth/auth.go
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ func New(driver, source string) (Authenticator, error) {
 		return NewInternal(), nil
 	case "oauth2":
 		return newOAuth2(source)
+	case "pam":
+		return newPAM()
 	default:
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown auth driver %q", driver)
 	}
diff --git a/auth/pam.go b/auth/pam.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..21c14de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/auth/pam.go
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+//go:build pam
+
+package auth
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/msteinert/pam"
+
+	"git.sr.ht/~emersion/soju/database"
+)
+
+type pamAuth struct{}
+
+var (
+	_ PlainAuthenticator = (*pamAuth)(nil)
+)
+
+func newPAM() (Authenticator, error) {
+	return pamAuth{}, nil
+}
+
+func (pamAuth) AuthPlain(ctx context.Context, db database.Database, username, password string) error {
+	t, err := pam.StartFunc("login", username, func(s pam.Style, msg string) (string, error) {
+		switch s {
+		case pam.PromptEchoOff:
+			return password, nil
+		case pam.PromptEchoOn, pam.ErrorMsg, pam.TextInfo:
+			return "", nil
+		default:
+			return "", fmt.Errorf("unsupported PAM conversation style: %v", s)
+		}
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to start PAM conversation: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := t.Authenticate(0); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("PAM auth error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := t.AcctMgmt(0); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("PAM account unavailable: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	user, err := t.GetItem(pam.User)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to get PAM user: %v", err)
+	} else if user != username {
+		return fmt.Errorf("PAM user doesn't match supplied username")
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/auth/pam_stub.go b/auth/pam_stub.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..92b12cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/auth/pam_stub.go
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+//go:build !pam
+
+package auth
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+)
+
+func newPAM() (Authenticator, error) {
+	return nil, errors.New("PAM support is disabled")
+}
diff --git a/doc/soju.1.scd b/doc/soju.1.scd
index 02c7736..665dd55 100644
--- a/doc/soju.1.scd
+++ b/doc/soju.1.scd
@@ -201,6 +201,8 @@ The following directives are supported:
 		and password in the URL. The authorization server must support OAuth 2.0
 		Authorization Server Metadata (RFC 8414) and OAuth 2.0 Token
 		Introspection (RFC 7662).
+	*auth pam*
+		Use PAM authentication.
 
 # IRC SERVICE
 
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 551fe89..de29298 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/lib/pq v1.10.7
 	github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3 v1.14.16
 	github.com/matttproud/golang_protobuf_extensions v1.0.4 // indirect
+	github.com/msteinert/pam v1.1.0
 	github.com/pires/go-proxyproto v0.6.2
 	github.com/prometheus/client_golang v1.14.0
 	github.com/remyoudompheng/bigfft v0.0.0-20220927061507-ef77025ab5aa // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 175fd4f..bff3e20 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -212,6 +212,8 @@ github.com/modern-go/reflect2 v0.0.0-20180701023420-4b7aa43c6742/go.mod h1:bx2lN
 github.com/modern-go/reflect2 v1.0.1/go.mod h1:bx2lNnkwVCuqBIxFjflWJWanXIb3RllmbCylyMrvgv0=
 github.com/modern-go/reflect2 v1.0.2 h1:xBagoLtFs94CBntxluKeaWgTMpvLxC4ur3nMaC9Gz0M=
 github.com/modern-go/reflect2 v1.0.2/go.mod h1:yWuevngMOJpCy52FWWMvUC8ws7m/LJsjYzDa0/r8luk=
+github.com/msteinert/pam v1.1.0 h1:VhLun/0n0kQYxiRBJJvVpC2jR6d21SWJFjpvUVj20Kc=
+github.com/msteinert/pam v1.1.0/go.mod h1:M4FPeAW8g2ITO68W8gACDz13NDJyOQM9IQsQhrR6TOI=
 github.com/mwitkow/go-conntrack v0.0.0-20161129095857-cc309e4a2223/go.mod h1:qRWi+5nqEBWmkhHvq77mSJWrCKwh8bxhgT7d/eI7P4U=
 github.com/mwitkow/go-conntrack v0.0.0-20190716064945-2f068394615f/go.mod h1:qRWi+5nqEBWmkhHvq77mSJWrCKwh8bxhgT7d/eI7P4U=
 github.com/pires/go-proxyproto v0.6.2 h1:KAZ7UteSOt6urjme6ZldyFm4wDe/z0ZUP0Yv0Dos0d8=