diff --git a/namecoin.py b/namecoin.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..795b59a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/namecoin.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python2
+
+import json
+from bitcoin.rpc import Proxy
+
+import httplib
+import os.path
+
+import platform
+
+def get_proxy(user, password, port=8336):
+     return Proxy(service_url="http://{0}:{1}@localhost:{2}".format(user, password, port))
+
+class NameTakenError(ValueError):
+    pass
+
+class Namecoin(object):
+    def __init__(self, proxy):
+        self.proxy = proxy
+
+    def get_secret(self, name):
+        dns_record = self.proxy._call('name_show', 'd/' + name) # throws if the name doesn't exist, iirc
+        name_info = json.loads(dns_record['value'])
+        return name_info['syncnet']['secret'] # of course this could throw a KeyError
+
+    def validate_address(self, name):
+        try:
+            self.clean_address(name)
+        except ValueError:
+            return False
+        else:
+            return True
+
+    def clean_address(self, address):
+        name, suffix = address.rsplit('.', 1)
+        if suffix != 'bit':
+            raise ValueError("Address {0} ends with suffix .{1} instead of .bit".format(address, suffix))
+        else:
+            return name
+
+    def name_exists(self, name):
+        dns_record = self.proxy._call('name_show', 'd/' + name) # throws if the name doesn't exist, iirc
+        try:
+            name_info = json.loads(dns_record['value'])
+        except ValueError:
+            return False
+        else:
+            return bool(name_info.get('syncnet', {}).get('secret')) # of course this could throw a KeyError
+
+    def register_name(self, name):
+        if self.name_exists(name):
+            raise NameTakenError("Name {0}.bit taken!".format(name)) # XXX: we might own this name though
+
+        txid, rnd = self.proxy._call("name_new", 'd/' + name)
+
+        # XXX: Store txid and/or rnd for name_firstupdate, poll at/around expected time
+
+    def test_connection(self):
+        try:
+            self.proxy._call('help')
+            return True
+        except:
+            return False
+
+    def _build_json_value(self, secret, existing=None):
+        existing = dict(existing) or {}
+        existing['syncnet'] = existing.get('syncnet', {})
+        existing['syncnet']['secret'] = secret
+        return existing
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 78a4607..cadb27c 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -8,12 +8,14 @@
     README = f.read()
 
 requires = [
+        'python-bitcoinlib',
         'atom',
         'enaml',
         'BTSync',
     ]
 
 dependency_links=[
+    "https://github.com/petertodd/python-bitcoinlib/archive/pythonize.zip#egg=python-bitcoinlib",
     "https://github.com/ademan/python-btsync/archive/packaging.zip#egg=BTSync",
     ]
 
@@ -25,9 +27,7 @@
       "Programming Language :: Python",
       ],
     packages=find_packages(),
-    package_data={
-        'syncnet': ['*.enaml'],
-    },
+    include_package_data=True,
     install_requires=requires,
     dependency_links=dependency_links,
-    )
+    )
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/syncnet/main.py b/syncnet/main.py
index 5d21b45..6ef2938 100644
--- a/syncnet/main.py
+++ b/syncnet/main.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 import enaml
 from enaml.qt.qt_application import QtApplication
 from PyQt4.QtCore import QFileSystemWatcher
-from atom.api import Atom, Unicode, observe, Typed, Property, Int
+from atom.api import Atom, Unicode, observe, Typed, Property, Int, Value
 
 from btsync import BTSync
 
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ class SyncNet(Atom):
     # Instance of the BTSync API wrapper.
     btsync = Typed(BTSync, ())
 
+    dns = Value()
+
     # The QUrl object referencing the currently displayed resource. It must be
     # replaced wholesale for the UI to react.
     url = Unicode()
@@ -139,9 +141,20 @@ def _address_changed(self, change):
         a valid secret. If so, attempt to load that secret.
 
         """
-        address = self.address.upper()
-        if self.is_valid_secret(address):
-            self.load_secret(address)
+        address = self.address.lower()
+
+        try:
+            name = self.dns.clean_address(address)
+        except ValueError:
+            secret = self.address.upper()
+        else:
+            try:
+                secret = self.dns.get_secret(name)
+            except (IndexError, KeyError, IOError):
+                secret = self.address.upper()
+
+        if self.is_valid_secret(secret):
+            self.load_secret(secret)
 
     def on_directory_changed(self, dirname):
         """ Slot connected to the `QFileSystemWatcher.directoryChanged` Signal.
@@ -232,12 +245,24 @@ def _update_address_bar(self, url):
     with enaml.imports():
         from syncnet_view import SyncNetView
     syncnet = SyncNet()
+
     if getattr(sys, 'frozen', False):
         HERE = os.path.dirname(sys.executable)
         btsync_path = os.path.join(
             HERE, 'BitTorrent\ Sync.app/Contents/MacOS/BitTorrent\ Sync')
         syncnet.btsync.btsync_path = btsync_path
     syncnet.btsync.start()
+
+
+    from namecoin import get_proxy, Namecoin
+    namecoin = Namecoin(get_proxy('asdf', 'asdf'))
+
+    if namecoin.test_connection():
+        syncnet.dns = namecoin
+    else:
+        logger.warn('Failed to initialize connection to local namecoin instance.')
+
+
     app = QtApplication()
     view = SyncNetView(model=syncnet)
     view.show()