diff --git a/discord/commands/handler.go b/discord/commands/handler.go
index 3368269..315a5ef 100644
--- a/discord/commands/handler.go
+++ b/discord/commands/handler.go
@@ -83,6 +83,10 @@ func OnDiscordMessage(s *discordgo.Session, m *discordgo.MessageCreate) {
 		logger.SugarLogger.Errorf("Failed to persist discord message: %v", err)
 	}
 
+	if enforceVerificationChannel(s, m) {
+		return
+	}
+
 	if !strings.HasPrefix(m.Content, config.DiscordPrefix) {
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/discord/commands/verify.go b/discord/commands/verify.go
index 54ba5f3..fccaa7e 100644
--- a/discord/commands/verify.go
+++ b/discord/commands/verify.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package commands
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"net/url"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/bwmarrin/discordgo"
@@ -13,6 +14,25 @@ import (
 
 const verifyReplyTTL = 5 * time.Second
 
+// enforceVerificationChannel deletes non-verification messages in
+// DISCORD_VERIFICATION_CHANNEL and posts a disappearing reminder.
+func enforceVerificationChannel(s *discordgo.Session, m *discordgo.MessageCreate) bool {
+	if config.DiscordVerificationChannel == "" || m.ChannelID != config.DiscordVerificationChannel {
+		return false
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(m.Content, "!verify") {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	_ = s.ChannelMessageDelete(m.ChannelID, m.ID)
+	service.SendDisappearingMessage(
+		m.ChannelID,
+		fmt.Sprintf("<@%s> please run `%sverify` to verify.", m.Author.ID, config.DiscordPrefix),
+		verifyReplyTTL,
+	)
+	return true
+}
+
 func Verify(args []string, s *discordgo.Session, m *discordgo.MessageCreate) {
 	defer s.ChannelMessageDelete(m.ChannelID, m.ID)
 
diff --git a/discord/config/config.go b/discord/config/config.go
index 75c144f..af82079 100644
--- a/discord/config/config.go
+++ b/discord/config/config.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ var DatabaseName = os.Getenv("DATABASE_NAME")
 var DiscordToken = os.Getenv("DISCORD_TOKEN")
 var DiscordGuild = os.Getenv("DISCORD_GUILD")
 var DiscordPrefix = os.Getenv("DISCORD_PREFIX")
+var DiscordVerificationChannel = os.Getenv("DISCORD_VERIFICATION_CHANNEL")
 
 var WebBaseURL = os.Getenv("WEB_BASE_URL")
 
diff --git a/discord/config/verify.go b/discord/config/verify.go
index f3783f6..b2292d0 100644
--- a/discord/config/verify.go
+++ b/discord/config/verify.go
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ func Verify() {
 		DiscordPrefix = "d!"
 		logger.SugarLogger.Infof("DISCORD_PREFIX is not set, defaulting to %s", DiscordPrefix)
 	}
+	if DiscordVerificationChannel == "" {
+		logger.SugarLogger.Infoln("DISCORD_VERIFICATION_CHANNEL is not set — verification channel gate disabled")
+	} else {
+		logger.SugarLogger.Infof("DISCORD_VERIFICATION_CHANNEL set to %s", DiscordVerificationChannel)
+	}
 	if WebBaseURL == "" {
 		WebBaseURL = "http://localhost:10310"
 		logger.SugarLogger.Infof("WEB_BASE_URL is not set, defaulting to %s", WebBaseURL)