diff --git a/slack/__init__.py b/slack/__init__.py
index 03f7ae3..7bbb0a0 100644
--- a/slack/__init__.py
+++ b/slack/__init__.py
@@ -3,3 +3,20 @@
 #
 
 from . import api
+from . import auth
+import sys
+
+
+
+#
+# Verify connection and setup team information.
+#
+
+if api.test() == False:
+    print("Connection error, cannot continue.")
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+__auth = auth.test()
+if __auth == None:
+    sys.exit(1)
+__TEAM = __auth["team"]
diff --git a/slack/auth.py b/slack/auth.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..611c13d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/slack/auth.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#
+# Copyright 2015 (c) Anna Schumaker
+#
+from . import api
+
+# TODO: Move the token config file outside of code directory
+__TOKEN = ""
+with open("token") as f:
+    __TOKEN = f.read().strip()
+
+def test():
+    ret = api.call("auth.test", token = __TOKEN)
+    if ret["ok"] == False:
+        print("Authentication error: %s." % ret["error"])
+        return None
+    return ret
diff --git a/slackmail.py b/slackmail.py
index 40d4e85..0584fbf 100644
--- a/slackmail.py
+++ b/slackmail.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import slack
 import json
 import os
+import slack
 import sys
 from datetime import datetime
 from urllib import request
@@ -33,16 +34,6 @@ def call_method_auth(method, args = dict()):
 
 
 
-#
-# Test connection before doing anything else
-#
-if slack.api.test() == False:
-    print("Connection error!")
-    sys.exit(1)
-auth = call_method_auth("auth.test")
-if auth["ok"] == False:
-    sys.exit(1)
-team = auth["team"]