diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index cb21865..f03ce4f 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -478,28 +478,6 @@ async fn watch(
         )
         .await;
     }
-    let bot_id = ctx.serenity_context().cache.current_user().id;
-    let member = guild.member(ctx.serenity_context(), bot_id).await?;
-    #[allow(deprecated)]
-    let permissions = if let Some(guild_cache) = ctx.guild() {
-        guild_cache.user_permissions_in(&channel, &member)
-    } else {
-        channel
-            .permissions_for_user(ctx.serenity_context(), bot_id)
-            .unwrap_or_else(|_| serenity::Permissions::all())
-    };
-    if !permissions.contains(
-        serenity::Permissions::VIEW_CHANNEL
-            | serenity::Permissions::SEND_MESSAGES
-            | serenity::Permissions::EMBED_LINKS,
-    ) {
-        return reply(
-            ctx,
-            embed("Missing bot permissions")
-                .description("Allow View Channel, Send Messages, and Embed Links here first."),
-        )
-        .await;
-    }
     let roles = guild.roles(ctx.serenity_context()).await?;
     let mut guard = ctx.data().store.lock().await;
     let mut sub = match patch_subscription(
@@ -517,14 +495,29 @@ async fn watch(
             .await;
         }
     };
-    if sub.ping_enabled
-        && !sub
+    if sub.ping_enabled {
+        let role_is_valid = sub
             .role_id
-            .and_then(|id| roles.get(&serenity::RoleId::new(id)))
-            .is_some_and(|role| valid_role(role, guild))
-    {
-        drop(guard);
-        return reply(ctx, embed("Invalid role").description("The configured role is missing. Set ping_role to a valid role or @everyone, or use ping_enabled:false or clear_role:true.")).await;
+            .map(|id| {
+                if id == guild.get() {
+                    true
+                } else {
+                    roles
+                        .get(&serenity::RoleId::new(id))
+                        .is_some_and(|role| valid_role(role, guild))
+                }
+            })
+            .unwrap_or(false);
+        if !role_is_valid {
+            drop(guard);
+            return reply(
+                ctx,
+                embed("Invalid role").description(
+                    "The configured role is missing. Set ping_role to a valid role or @everyone, or use ping_enabled:false or clear_role:true.",
+                ),
+            )
+            .await;
+        }
     }
 
     // Post or update the public live dashboard in the channel
@@ -543,8 +536,8 @@ async fn watch(
     {
         updated_msg_id = Some(existing_msg_id);
     }
-    if updated_msg_id.is_none()
-        && let Ok(sent) = channel
+    if updated_msg_id.is_none() {
+        match channel
             .id
             .send_message(
                 ctx.serenity_context(),
@@ -553,8 +546,22 @@ async fn watch(
                     .allowed_mentions(no_mentions()),
             )
             .await
-    {
-        updated_msg_id = Some(sent.id.get());
+        {
+            Ok(sent) => {
+                updated_msg_id = Some(sent.id.get());
+            }
+            Err(e) => {
+                drop(guard);
+                return reply(
+                    ctx,
+                    embed("Missing channel permissions").description(format!(
+                        "The bot could not post the live dashboard in <#{}>: {e}.\nMake sure the bot has **View Channel**, **Send Messages**, and **Embed Links** in that channel.",
+                        channel.id
+                    )),
+                )
+                .await;
+            }
+        }
     }
     sub.message_id = updated_msg_id;
 
@@ -743,12 +750,19 @@ async fn testping(ctx: Context<'_>) -> Result<(), Error> {
         .await;
     };
     let roles = guild.roles(ctx.serenity_context()).await?;
-    if !sub.ping_enabled
-        || !sub
-            .role_id
-            .and_then(|id| roles.get(&serenity::RoleId::new(id)))
-            .is_some_and(|role| valid_role(role, guild))
-    {
+    let role_is_valid = sub
+        .role_id
+        .map(|id| {
+            if id == guild.get() {
+                true
+            } else {
+                roles
+                    .get(&serenity::RoleId::new(id))
+                    .is_some_and(|role| valid_role(role, guild))
+            }
+        })
+        .unwrap_or(false);
+    if !sub.ping_enabled || !role_is_valid {
         return reply(
             ctx,
             embed("Pings unavailable").description(