diff --git a/README.mdown b/README.mdown
index 951be5c..302cbef 100644
--- a/README.mdown
+++ b/README.mdown
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Hubot XMPP
 
-Connects Hubot to your XMPP network 
+Connects Hubot to your XMPP network
 
 [![Build Status](https://secure.travis-ci.org/markstory/hubot-xmpp.png?branch=master)](http://travis-ci.org/markstory/hubot-xmpp)
 
@@ -29,10 +29,11 @@ Optional:
   the host to be defined.
 * `HUBOT_XMPP_PREFERRED_SASL_MECHANISM` Used to change the encoding used for SASL.
 * `HUBOT_XMPP_DISALLOW_TLS` Prevent upgrading the connection to a secure one via TLS.
+* `HUBOT_XMPP_CLIENT_ROSTER` Will request and cache the client's roster after connecting
 
 `HUBOT_XMPP_ROOMS` can be a comma separated list of rooms to join.  If
 your rooms require passwords you should use the `jid:password` syntax.
-Room passwords cannot contain `,`. Room names must be the full jid of the 
+Room passwords cannot contain `,`. Room names must be the full jid of the
 room for example `dev@conference.jabber.example.org`.
 
 ## Installation
diff --git a/src/xmpp.coffee b/src/xmpp.coffee
index c0fdb44..d8b1d8d 100644
--- a/src/xmpp.coffee
+++ b/src/xmpp.coffee
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ class XmppBot extends Adapter
       legacySSL: process.env.HUBOT_XMPP_LEGACYSSL
       preferredSaslMechanism: process.env.HUBOT_XMPP_PREFERRED_SASL_MECHANISM
       disallowTLS: process.env.HUBOT_XMPP_DISALLOW_TLS
+      roster: process.env.HUBOT_XMPP_CLIENT_ROSTER
 
     @robot.logger.info util.inspect(options)
     options.password = process.env.HUBOT_XMPP_PASSWORD
@@ -81,6 +82,12 @@ class XmppBot extends Adapter
     @client.send presence
     @robot.logger.info 'Hubot XMPP sent initial presence'
 
+    # Request client roster if enabled
+    if @options.roster
+      @client.send do =>
+        el = new Xmpp.Element('iq', from: @options.username, type: 'get', id: 'roster_1')
+        q = el.c('query', xmlns: 'jabber:iq:roster')
+
     @joinRoom room for room in @options.rooms
 
     @emit if @connected then 'reconnected' else 'connected'
@@ -152,6 +159,18 @@ class XmppBot extends Adapter
 
       @robot.logger.debug "[sending pong] #{pong}"
       @client.send pong
+    # Keep a record of the client's primarty roster after connecting, so that
+    # scripts have the option of sending messages to all of the clients contacts
+    else if (stanza.attrs.id == 'roster_1' && stanza.children[0]['children'])
+      roster_items = stanza.children[0]['children']
+
+      @client.roster = []
+
+      for item in roster_items
+        jid = new Xmpp.JID(item.attrs.jid)
+        @client.roster.push(jid)
+
+      @robot.logger.debug "[setting roster] #{@client.roster}"
 
   readMessage: (stanza) =>
     # ignore non-messages