diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2edf671..4f9b853 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 
 * Config option `prefix` renamed to `messageCommandPrefix`
 * Config option `game` renamed to `activity`
+* Config option `role` renamed to `userRoleIds`. Changed from string to array of strings.
 * Docker internal volume path moved from `/usr/src/markbot/config` to `/usr/app/config`
 * Database changed from JSON files to a SQLite database. You'll need to retrain the bot to use it again.
 * The bot must be explicitly granted permission to listen to a list of channels before using it. Configure it with `/listen`.
diff --git a/src/config/classes.ts b/src/config/classes.ts
index 60a6008..4b93cfb 100644
--- a/src/config/classes.ts
+++ b/src/config/classes.ts
@@ -84,6 +84,21 @@ export class AppConfig {
   @IsOptional()
   ownerIds = process.env.OWNER_IDS ? process.env.OWNER_IDS.split(',').map((id) => id.trim()) : [];
 
+  /**
+   * If provided, the standard "generate response" command will only work for a user in this list of role IDs.
+   * Moderators and owners configured in `ownerIds` do not bypass this check, so make sure to add them to a valid role as well.
+   * @example ["734548250895319070"]
+   * @default []
+   * @env USER_ROLE_IDS (comma separated)
+   */
+  @IsArray()
+  @IsString({ each: true })
+  @Type(() => String)
+  @IsOptional()
+  userRoleIds = process.env.USER_ROLE_IDS
+    ? process.env.USER_ROLE_IDS.split(',').map((id) => id.trim())
+    : [];
+
   /**
    * TZ name from this list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones#List
    * @example America/Chicago
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index ca29730..3adf757 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ async function removeValidChannels(
 }
 
 /**
- * Checks if the author of a message as moderator-like permissions.
+ * Checks if the author of a command has moderator-like permissions.
  * @param {GuildMember} member Sender of the message
  * @return {Boolean} True if the sender is a moderator.
  *
@@ -154,6 +154,23 @@ function isModerator(member: Discord.GuildMember | APIInteractionGuildMember | n
   return true;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Checks if the author of a command has a role in the `userRoleIds` config option (if present).
+ * @param {GuildMember} member Sender of the message
+ * @return {Boolean} True if the sender is a moderator.
+ *
+ */
+function isAllowedUser(member: Discord.GuildMember | APIInteractionGuildMember | null): boolean {
+  if (!config.userRoleIds.length) return true;
+  if (!member) return false;
+  if (member instanceof Discord.GuildMember) {
+    return config.userRoleIds.some((p) => member.roles.cache.has(p));
+  }
+  // TODO: How to parse API permissions?
+  L.debug({ permissions: member.permissions });
+  return true;
+}
+
 type MessageCommands = 'respond' | 'train' | 'help' | 'invite' | 'debug' | 'tts' | null;
 
 /**
@@ -359,11 +376,15 @@ async function generateResponse(
   const { tts = false, debug = false, startSeed } = options || {};
   if (!interaction.guildId) {
     L.warn('Received an interaction without a guildId');
-    return { message: { content: INVALID_GUILD_MESSAGE } };
+    return { error: { content: INVALID_GUILD_MESSAGE } };
   }
   if (!interaction.channelId) {
     L.warn('Received an interaction without a channelId');
-    return { message: { content: 'This action must be performed within a text channel.' } };
+    return { error: { content: 'This action must be performed within a text channel.' } };
+  }
+  if (!isAllowedUser(interaction.member)) {
+    L.info('Member does not have permissions to generate a response');
+    return { error: { content: INVALID_PERMISSIONS_MESSAGE } };
   }
   const markov = await getMarkovByGuildId(interaction.guildId);