diff --git a/Bantracker/plugin.py b/Bantracker/plugin.py
index 49f7360..2f38b9a 100644
--- a/Bantracker/plugin.py
+++ b/Bantracker/plugin.py
@@ -55,13 +55,21 @@ tz = 'UTC'
 def now():
     return cPickle.dumps(datetime.datetime.now(pytz.timezone(tz)))
 
+
 def capab(user, capability):
-    try:
-        if capability in list(user.capabilities):
+    capability = capability.lower()
+    capabilities = list(user.capabilities)
+    # Capability hierarchy #
+    if capability == "bantracker":
+        if capab(user.name, "admin"):
             return True
-        else:
-            return False
-    except:
+    if capability == "admin":
+        if capab(user.name, "owner"):
+            return True
+    # End #
+    if capability in capabilities:
+        return True
+    else:
         return False
 
 def hostmaskPatternEqual(pattern, hostmask):
@@ -531,7 +539,7 @@ class Bantracker(callbacks.Plugin):
 
         hostmask = self.nick_to_host(irc, target)
         data = self.sort_bans(channel)
-        if 'owner' in list(user.capabilities) or 'admin' in list(user.capabilities):
+        if capab(user, 'admin'):
             if len(queue.msgcache) > 0:
                 irc.reply("Warning: still syncing (%i)" % len(queue.msgcache))
 
@@ -560,7 +568,7 @@ class Bantracker(callbacks.Plugin):
 
         for i in ret:
             irc.reply("Match: %s by %s in %s on %s (ID: %s)" % (i[0] + (i[1],)))
-            if 'botmsg' in list(user.capabilities):
+            if capab(user, 'botmsg'):
                 if target.split('!', 1)[0] != '*':
                     irc.reply("%s/bans.cgi?log=%s&mark=%s" % (self.registryValue('bansite'), i[1], target.split('!')[0]), private=True)
                 else:
@@ -697,7 +705,7 @@ class Bantracker(callbacks.Plugin):
         user = self.check_auth(irc, msg, args)
         if not user:
             return
-        if 'botmsg' in list(user.capabilities):
+        if capab(user, 'botmsg'):
             user.removeCapability('botmsg')
             irc.reply("Disabled")
         else:
diff --git a/Encyclopedia/plugin.py b/Encyclopedia/plugin.py
index 1f8ab44..17eef56 100644
--- a/Encyclopedia/plugin.py
+++ b/Encyclopedia/plugin.py
@@ -64,17 +64,31 @@ def queue(irc, to, msg):
         irc.queueMsg(ircmsgs.privmsg(to, msg))
 
 def capab(prefix, capability):
+    capability = capability.lower()
     if prefix.find('!') > 0:
         user = prefix[:prefix.find('!')]
     else:
         user = prefix
     try:
-        if 'editfactoids' in list(ircdb.users.getUser(prefix).capabilities):
-            return True
-        else:
-            return False
+        user = ircdb.users.getUser(prefix)
+        capabilities = list(user.capabilities)
     except:
         return False
+    # Capability hierarchy #
+    if capability == "editfactoids":
+        if capab(user.name, "addeditors"):
+            return True
+    if capability == "addeditors":
+        if capab(user.name, "admin"):
+            return True
+    if capability == "admin":
+        if capab(user.name, "owner"):
+            return True
+    # End #
+    if capability in capabilities:
+        return True
+    else:
+        return False
 
 class Encyclopedia(callbacks.Plugin):
     """!factoid: show factoid"""
@@ -128,8 +142,7 @@ class Encyclopedia(callbacks.Plugin):
 
         Lists all the users who are in the list of editors.
         """
-        irc.reply(', '.join([ircdb.users.getUser(u).name for u in ircdb.users.users \
-                             if 'editfactoids' in ircdb.users.getUser(u).capabilities]), private=True)
+        irc.reply(', '.join([u.name for u in ircdb.users.users.values() if capab(u.name, "editfactoids")]), private=True)
     editors = wrap(editors)
 
     def moderators(self, irc, msg, args):
@@ -137,8 +150,7 @@ class Encyclopedia(callbacks.Plugin):
 
         Lists all the users who can add users to the list of editors.
         """
-        irc.reply(', '.join([ircdb.users.getUser(u).name for u in ircdb.users.users \
-                             if 'addeditors' in ircdb.users.getUser(u).capabilities]), private=True)
+        irc.reply(', '.join([u.name for u in ircdb.users.users.values() if capab(u.name, 'addeditors')]), private=True)
     moderators = wrap(moderators)
 
     def get_target(self, nick, text, orig_target):