diff --git a/docs/hooks.pod b/docs/hooks.pod
index 3dd7b5a..3c7b6f6 100644
--- a/docs/hooks.pod
+++ b/docs/hooks.pod
@@ -732,6 +732,35 @@ is called. It's probably best not to try acessing it.
 
 Example plugin is F<http_config> from the qpsmtpd distribution.
 
+=head2 hook_user_config
+
+Called when a per-user configuration directive is requested, for example
+if someone calls C<my @cfg = $rcpt-E<gt>config($cfg_name);>. 
+Allowed return codes are
+
+=over 4
+
+=item DECLINED
+
+plugin didn't find the requested value
+
+=item OK
+
+requested values as C<@list>, example:
+
+  return (OK, @{$config{$value}}) 
+    if exists $config{$value};
+  return (DECLINED);
+
+=back
+
+Arguments:
+
+  my ($self,$transaction,$user,$value) = @_; 
+  # $value: the requested config item(s)
+
+Example plugin is F<user_config> from the qpsmtpd distribution.
+
 =head2 hook_unrecognized_command
 
 This is called if the client sent a command unknown to the core of qpsmtpd.
diff --git a/lib/Qpsmtpd.pm b/lib/Qpsmtpd.pm
index 9ef1056..2e8c675 100644
--- a/lib/Qpsmtpd.pm
+++ b/lib/Qpsmtpd.pm
@@ -148,14 +148,17 @@ sub config {
     # first try the cache
     # XXX - is this always the right thing to do? what if a config hook
     # can return different values on subsequent calls?
-    if ($_config_cache->{$c}) {
+    my $is_address = (ref $type and $type->can('address'));
+    if ($_config_cache->{$c} and ! $is_address) {
         $self->log(LOGDEBUG,
                    "config($c) returning (@{$_config_cache->{$c}}) from cache");
         return wantarray ? @{$_config_cache->{$c}} : $_config_cache->{$c}->[0];
     }
 
     # then run the hooks
-    my ($rc, @config) = $self->run_hooks_no_respond("config", $c);
+    my @args = $is_address ? ('user_config',$type,$c) : ('config',$c);
+    my ($rc, @config) = $self->run_hooks_no_respond(@args);
+    return wantarray ? @config : $config[0] if $is_address;
     $self->log(LOGDEBUG, "config($c): hook returned ($rc, @config) ");
     if ($rc == OK) {
         $self->log(LOGDEBUG,
diff --git a/lib/Qpsmtpd/Address.pm b/lib/Qpsmtpd/Address.pm
index a0f6b50..5e25813 100644
--- a/lib/Qpsmtpd/Address.pm
+++ b/lib/Qpsmtpd/Address.pm
@@ -338,6 +338,19 @@ sub notes {
     return $self->{_notes}->{$key} = shift;
 }
 
+=head2 config($value)
+
+Looks up a configuration directive based on this recipient, using any plugins that utilize
+hook_rcpt_config
+
+=cut
+
+sub config {
+    my ($self,$key) = @_;
+    my $qp = $self->notes('qp_obj') or return;
+    return $qp->config($key,$self);
+}
+
 sub _addr_cmp {
     require UNIVERSAL;
     my ($left, $right, $swap) = @_;
diff --git a/lib/Qpsmtpd/Plugin.pm b/lib/Qpsmtpd/Plugin.pm
index 5dde02c..7f1cc80 100644
--- a/lib/Qpsmtpd/Plugin.pm
+++ b/lib/Qpsmtpd/Plugin.pm
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use Qpsmtpd::Constants;
 
 # more or less in the order they will fire
 our @hooks = qw(
-  logging config post-fork pre-connection connect ehlo_parse ehlo
+  logging config user_config post-fork pre-connection connect ehlo_parse ehlo
   helo_parse helo auth_parse auth auth-plain auth-login auth-cram-md5
   rcpt_parse rcpt_pre rcpt mail_parse mail mail_pre
   data data_headers_end data_post queue_pre queue queue_post vrfy noop
diff --git a/lib/Qpsmtpd/SMTP.pm b/lib/Qpsmtpd/SMTP.pm
index c6db8a5..a53abec 100644
--- a/lib/Qpsmtpd/SMTP.pm
+++ b/lib/Qpsmtpd/SMTP.pm
@@ -396,6 +396,7 @@ sub mail_pre_respond {
     }
     return $self->respond(501, "could not parse your mail from command")
       unless $from;
+    $from->notes('qp_obj',$self);
 
     $self->run_hooks("mail", $from, %$param);
 }
@@ -485,6 +486,7 @@ sub rcpt_pre_respond {
     return $self->respond(501, "could not parse recipient")
       if (!$rcpt or ($rcpt->format eq '<>'));
 
+    $rcpt->notes('qp_obj',$self);
     $self->run_hooks("rcpt", $rcpt, %$param);
 }