diff --git a/earwigbot/commands/chanops.py b/earwigbot/commands/chanops.py
index 83399fc..ea54500 100644
--- a/earwigbot/commands/chanops.py
+++ b/earwigbot/commands/chanops.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class ChanOps(Command):
         de_escalate = data.command in ["devoice", "deop"]
         if de_escalate and (not data.args or data.args[0] == data.nick):
             target = data.nick
-        elif data.host not in self.config.irc["permissions"]["admins"]:
+        elif not self.config.irc["permissions"].is_admin(data):
             self.reply(data, "You must be a bot admin to use this command.")
             return
 
diff --git a/earwigbot/commands/git_command.py b/earwigbot/commands/git_command.py
index 645ed04..b57ee05 100644
--- a/earwigbot/commands/git_command.py
+++ b/earwigbot/commands/git_command.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class Git(Command):
 
     def process(self, data):
         self.data = data
-        if data.host not in self.config.irc["permissions"]["owners"]:
+        if not self.config.irc["permissions"].is_owner(data):
             msg = "You must be a bot owner to use this command."
             self.reply(data, msg)
             return
diff --git a/earwigbot/commands/quit.py b/earwigbot/commands/quit.py
index 5d8a1b2..0331d08 100644
--- a/earwigbot/commands/quit.py
+++ b/earwigbot/commands/quit.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class Quit(Command):
     commands = ["quit", "restart", "reload"]
 
     def process(self, data):
-        if data.host not in self.config.irc["permissions"]["owners"]:
+        if not self.config.irc["permissions"].is_owner(data):
             self.reply(data, "You must be a bot owner to use this command.")
             return
         if data.command == "quit":
diff --git a/earwigbot/commands/threads.py b/earwigbot/commands/threads.py
index 385ac1c..e878d09 100644
--- a/earwigbot/commands/threads.py
+++ b/earwigbot/commands/threads.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class Threads(Command):
 
     def process(self, data):
         self.data = data
-        if data.host not in self.config.irc["permissions"]["owners"]:
+        if not self.config.irc["permissions"].is_owner(data):
             msg = "You must be a bot owner to use this command."
             self.reply(data, msg)
             return
diff --git a/earwigbot/config/permissions.py b/earwigbot/config/permissions.py
index 4860cba..b05f215 100644
--- a/earwigbot/config/permissions.py
+++ b/earwigbot/config/permissions.py
@@ -83,13 +83,15 @@ class PermissionsDB(object):
             except sqlite.OperationalError:
                 self._create(conn)
 
-    def is_admin(self, nick="*", ident="*", host="*"):
+    def is_admin(self, data):
         """Return ``True`` if the given user is a bot admin, else ``False``."""
-        return self._is_rank(_User(nick, ident, host), rank=self.ADMIN)
+        user = _User(data.nick, data.ident, data.host)
+        return self._is_rank(user, rank=self.ADMIN)
 
-    def is_owner(self, nick="*", ident="*", host="*"):
+    def is_owner(self, data):
         """Return ``True`` if the given user is a bot owner, else ``False``."""
-        return self._is_rank(_User(nick, ident, host), rank=self.OWNER)
+        user = _User(data.nick, data.ident, data.host)
+        return self._is_rank(user, rank=self.OWNER)
 
     def add_admin(self, nick="*", ident="*", host="*"):
         """Add an nick/ident/host combo to the bot admins list."""