diff --git a/lib/robot.js b/lib/robot.js
index ba93797..3956e26 100644
--- a/lib/robot.js
+++ b/lib/robot.js
@@ -102,31 +102,37 @@ var Robot = module.exports = function Robot(opts) {
   }
 
   for (var n in opts) {
-    var opt = opts[n],
-        reserved = ['connection', 'connections', 'device', 'devices', 'work', 'commands'];
+    var opt = opts[n];
 
-    if (reserved.indexOf(n) < 0) {
-      this[n] = opt;
+    if (this[n] !== undefined) {
+      continue;
+    }
 
-      if (opts.commands == null && typeof(opt) === 'function') {
-        this.commands[n] = opt;
+    this[n] = opt;
+
+    if (typeof opt === 'function' && opts.commands == null) {
+      this.commands[n] = opt;
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (opts.commands) {
+    var cmds = opts.commands;
+
+    if (typeof cmds === 'object') {
+      this.commands = cmds;
+    }
+
+    if (typeof cmds === 'function') {
+      var result = cmds.call(this, this);
+
+      if (typeof result === 'object' && !Array.isArray(result)) {
+        this.commands = result;
+      } else {
+        throw new Error("#commands function must return an object");
       }
     }
   }
 
-  if (typeof opts.commands === 'function') {
-    var result = opts.commands.call(this, this);
-    if (typeof result === 'object' && !Array.isArray(result)) {
-      this.commands = result;
-    } else {
-      throw new Error("commands must be an object or a function that returns an object");
-    }
-  }
-
-  if (typeof opts.commands === 'object') {
-    this.commands = opts.commands;
-  }
-
   var mode = Utils.fetch(Config, 'mode', 'manual');
 
   if (mode === 'auto') {
diff --git a/spec/lib/robot.spec.js b/spec/lib/robot.spec.js
index 541f7d3..be93fd5 100644
--- a/spec/lib/robot.spec.js
+++ b/spec/lib/robot.spec.js
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ describe("Robot", function() {
         });
 
         it("throws an error", function() {
-          expect(fn).to.throw(Error, "commands must be an object or a function that returns an object");
+          expect(fn).to.throw(Error, "#commands function must return an object");
         });
       })
     });
@@ -165,6 +165,31 @@ describe("Robot", function() {
         expect(robot.commands.say_hello).to.be.a('function');
       });
     });
+
+    context("arbitrary arguments", function() {
+      beforeEach(function() {
+        robot = new Robot({
+          name: 'NewBot',
+
+          hiThere: 'hi there',
+
+          sayHi: function() {
+            return 'hi';
+          },
+
+          start: "start"
+        })
+      });
+
+      it("passes them through if they don't conflict with built-ins", function() {
+        expect(robot.hiThere).to.be.eql("hi there");
+        expect(robot.sayHi()).to.be.eql("hi");
+      });
+
+      it("doesn't work if they conflict with built-in properties", function() {
+        expect(robot.start).to.be.a('function');
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   describe("all work and no play", function() {