diff --git a/plugins/Disqus/DisqusPlugin.php b/plugins/Disqus/DisqusPlugin.php
index ec5857dd74..10155c3381 100644
--- a/plugins/Disqus/DisqusPlugin.php
+++ b/plugins/Disqus/DisqusPlugin.php
@@ -52,16 +52,19 @@ if (!defined('STATUSNET')) {
  * );
  *
  * If you only want to allow commenting on a specific user's notices or
- * a specific set of user's notices, use the "nicknames" array, e.g.:
+ * a specific set of users' notices initialize the plugin with the "restricted"
+ * parameter and grant the "richedit" role to those users. E.g.:
  *
  * addPlugin(
  *     'Disqus', array(
- *         'shortname' => 'YOURSHORTNAME',
- *         'divStyle'  => 'width:675px; padding-top:10px; position:relative; float:left;',
- *         'nicknames' => array('spock', 'kirk', 'bones')
+ *         'shortname'  => 'YOURSHORTNAME',
+ *         'divStyle'   => 'width:675px; padding-top:10px; position:relative; float:left;',
+ *         'restricted' => true
  *     )
  * );
  *
+ * $ php userrole.php -s#### -nusername -rrichedit
+ *
  *
  * NOTE: the 'divStyle' in an optional parameter that passes in some
  * inline CSS when creating the Disqus widget. It's a shortcut to make
@@ -85,7 +88,11 @@ class DisqusPlugin extends Plugin
 {
     public $shortname; // Required 'shortname' for actually triggering Disqus
     public $divStyle;  // Optional CSS chunk for the main <div>
-    public $nicknames; // Optional array of nicks to restrict commenting to (default on for all users)
+
+    // By default, Disqus commenting will be available to all users.
+    // With restricted on, only users who have been granted the
+    // "richedit" role get it.
+    public $restricted = false;
 
     /**
      * Add a Disqus commenting section to the end of an individual
@@ -185,9 +192,9 @@ ENDOFSCRIPT;
 
         $profile = Profile::staticGet('id', $noticeListItem->notice->profile_id);
 
-        if ($this->hasCommenting($profile)) {
+        if ($this->isAllowedRichEdit($profile)) {
 
-            // @todo Refactor individual notice display to have it's own event hooks
+            // @todo Refactor individual notice display to have its own event hooks
 
             $noticeListItem->showNotice();
             $noticeListItem->showNoticeInfo();
@@ -196,7 +203,9 @@ ENDOFSCRIPT;
             $noticeUrl .= '#disqus_thread';
 
             $noticeListItem->out->element(
-                'a', array('href' => $noticeUrl, 'class' => 'disqus_count'), 'Comments'
+                'a',
+                array('href' => $noticeUrl, 'class' => 'disqus_count'),
+                _m('Comments')
             );
 
             $noticeListItem->showNoticeOptions();
@@ -209,28 +218,24 @@ ENDOFSCRIPT;
     }
 
     /**
-     * Helper to check whether commenting should be enabled
-     * for a given notice
+     * Does the current user have permission to use the Disqus plugin?
+     * Always true unless the plugin's "restricted" setting is on, in which
+     * case it's limited to users with the "richedit" role.
      *
-     * Assumes commenting should be enabled, unless the
-     * nicknames array is populated
+     * @fixme make that more sanely configurable :)
      *
      * @param Profile $profile the profile to check
      *
-     * @return boolean true if yes
+     * @return boolean
      */
-    private function hasCommenting($profile)
+    private function isAllowedRichEdit($profile)
     {
-        if (!empty($this->nicknames)) {
-            foreach ($this->nicknames as $nickname) {
-                if ($profile->nickname == $nickname) {
-                    return true;
-                }
-            }
-            return false;
+        if ($this->restricted) {
+            $user = User::staticGet($profile->id);
+            return !empty($user) && $user->hasRole('richedit');
+        } else {
+            return true;
         }
-
-        return true;
     }
 
     /**