diff --git a/src/data/threads.js b/src/data/threads.js
index 9ed03a8..c4429d6 100644
--- a/src/data/threads.js
+++ b/src/data/threads.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-const {User, Member} = require("eris");
+const {User, Member, Message} = require("eris");
 
 const transliterate = require("transliteration");
 const moment = require("moment");
@@ -53,9 +53,12 @@ function getHeaderGuildInfo(member) {
 
 /**
  * @typedef CreateNewThreadForUserOpts
- * @property {boolean} quiet If true, doesn't ping mentionRole or reply with responseMessage
- * @property {boolean} ignoreRequirements If true, creates a new thread even if the account doesn't meet requiredAccountAge
- * @property {string} source A string identifying the source of the new thread
+ * @property {boolean} [quiet] If true, doesn't ping mentionRole or reply with responseMessage
+ * @property {boolean} [ignoreRequirements] If true, creates a new thread even if the account doesn't meet requiredAccountAge
+ * @property {boolean} [ignoreHooks] If true, doesn't call beforeNewThread hooks
+ * @property {Message} [message] Original DM message that is trying to start the thread, if there is one
+ * @property {string} [categoryId] Category where to open the thread
+ * @property {string} [source] A string identifying the source of the new thread
  */
 
 /**
@@ -68,6 +71,7 @@ function getHeaderGuildInfo(member) {
 async function createNewThreadForUser(user, opts = {}) {
   const quiet = opts.quiet != null ? opts.quiet : false;
   const ignoreRequirements = opts.ignoreRequirements != null ? opts.ignoreRequirements : false;
+  const ignoreHooks = opts.ignoreHooks != null ? opts.ignoreHooks : false;
 
   const existingThread = await findOpenThreadByUserId(user.id);
   if (existingThread) {
@@ -127,7 +131,7 @@ async function createNewThreadForUser(user, opts = {}) {
   }
 
   // Call any registered beforeNewThreadHooks
-  const hookResult = await callBeforeNewThreadHooks({ user, opts });
+  const hookResult = await callBeforeNewThreadHooks({ user, opts, message: opts.message });
   if (hookResult.cancelled) return;
 
   // Use the user's name+discrim for the thread channel's name
@@ -145,7 +149,7 @@ async function createNewThreadForUser(user, opts = {}) {
   console.log(`[NOTE] Creating new thread channel ${channelName}`);
 
   // Figure out which category we should place the thread channel in
-  let newThreadCategoryId = hookResult.categoryId || null;
+  let newThreadCategoryId = hookResult.categoryId || opts.categoryId || null;
 
   if (! newThreadCategoryId && config.categoryAutomation.newThreadFromServer) {
     // Categories for specific source guilds (in case of multiple main guilds)
diff --git a/src/hooks/beforeNewThread.js b/src/hooks/beforeNewThread.js
index bfde8bd..e581163 100644
--- a/src/hooks/beforeNewThread.js
+++ b/src/hooks/beforeNewThread.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ const Eris = require("eris");
 /**
  * @typedef BeforeNewThreadHookData
  * @property {Eris.User} user
+ * @property {Eris.Message} [message]
  * @property {CreateNewThreadForUserOpts} opts
  * @property {Function} cancel
  * @property {BeforeNewThreadHook_SetCategoryId} setCategoryId
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ beforeNewThread = (fn) => {
 /**
  * @param {{
  *   user: Eris.User,
+ *   message?: Eris.Message,
  *   opts: CreateNewThreadForUserOpts,
  * }} input
  * @return {Promise<BeforeNewThreadHookResult>}
diff --git a/src/main.js b/src/main.js
index 0a5b533..45ce593 100644
--- a/src/main.js
+++ b/src/main.js
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ function initBaseMessageHandlers() {
 
         thread = await threads.createNewThreadForUser(msg.author, {
           source: "dm",
+          message: msg,
         });
       }