diff --git a/CREDITS b/CREDITS
index 682cd18..f852099 100644
--- a/CREDITS
+++ b/CREDITS
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ check_badmailfrom and check_mailrcptto plugins.
 Devin Carraway <qpsmtpd@devin.com>: Patch to not accept half mails if
 the connection gets dropped at the wrong moment.  Support and enable
 taint checking. MAIL FROM host dns check configurable.  HELO hook.
+initial earlytalker plugin.
 
 Andrew Pam <xanni@glasswings.com.au>: fixing the maximum message size
 (databytes) stuff.
diff --git a/Changes b/Changes
index fb9191a..3144b11 100644
--- a/Changes
+++ b/Changes
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 0.26-dev
 
+  check_earlytalker plugin.  Deny the connection if the client talks
+  before we show our SMTP banner.  (From Devin Carraway)
+
+  Patch Qpsmtpd::SMTP to allow connect plugins to give DENY and
+  DENYSOFT return codes.  Based on patch from Devin Carraway.
+
   Support morercpthosts.cdb
 
   config now takes an extra "type" parameter.  If it's "map" then a
diff --git a/config.sample/plugins b/config.sample/plugins
index 63752fc..90a48d6 100644
--- a/config.sample/plugins
+++ b/config.sample/plugins
@@ -7,7 +7,10 @@
 #   http_config http://localhost/~smtpd/config/  http://www.example.com/smtp.pl?config=
 
 quit_fortune
+
+#check_earlytalker
 require_resolvable_fromhost
+
 rhsbl
 dnsbl
 check_badmailfrom
diff --git a/lib/Qpsmtpd/SMTP.pm b/lib/Qpsmtpd/SMTP.pm
index d9a3105..2fd1952 100644
--- a/lib/Qpsmtpd/SMTP.pm
+++ b/lib/Qpsmtpd/SMTP.pm
@@ -73,9 +73,21 @@ sub start_conversation {
     # this should maybe be called something else than "connect", see
     # lib/Qpsmtpd/TcpServer.pm for more confusion.
     my ($rc, $msg) = $self->run_hooks("connect");
-    if ($rc != DONE) {
+    if ($rc == DENY) {
+      $self->respond(550, ($msg || 'Connection from you denied, bye bye.'));
+      return $rc;
+    }
+    elsif ($rc == DENYSOFT) {
+      $self->respond(450, ($msg || 'Connection from you temporarily denied, bye bye.'));
+      return $rc;
+    }
+    elsif ($rc == DONE) {
+      return $rc;
+    }
+    elsif ($rc != DONE) {
       $self->respond(220, $self->config('me') ." ESMTP qpsmtpd "
 		     . $self->version ." ready; send us your mail, but not your spam.");
+      return DONE;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/Qpsmtpd/TcpServer.pm b/lib/Qpsmtpd/TcpServer.pm
index d1da3dd..9ff6eb8 100644
--- a/lib/Qpsmtpd/TcpServer.pm
+++ b/lib/Qpsmtpd/TcpServer.pm
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 package Qpsmtpd::TcpServer;
 use Qpsmtpd::SMTP;
+use Qpsmtpd::Constants;
+
 @ISA = qw(Qpsmtpd::SMTP);
 use strict;
 
@@ -25,7 +27,8 @@ sub run {
     # should be somewhere in Qpsmtpd.pm and not here...
     $self->load_plugins;
 
-    $self->start_conversation;
+    my $rc = $self->start_conversation;
+    return if $rc != DONE;
 
     # this should really be the loop and read_input should just get one line; I think