diff --git a/src/db.py b/src/db.py
index 8c00935..49cd070 100644
--- a/src/db.py
+++ b/src/db.py
@@ -46,10 +46,50 @@ class DuckDB:
         channel = channel.strip()
         if not channel:
             return '__unknown__'
+        # Preserve internal buckets used by the bot/database.
+        # This allows explicit references like '__global__' without being remapped to '__pm__'.
+        if channel.startswith('__') and channel.endswith('__'):
+            return channel
         if channel.startswith('#') or channel.startswith('&'):
             return channel.lower()
         return '__pm__'
 
+    def is_ignored(self, nick: str, channel: str) -> bool:
+        """Return True if nick is ignored for this channel or globally."""
+        try:
+            if not isinstance(nick, str) or not nick.strip():
+                return False
+            nick_clean = sanitize_user_input(
+                nick,
+                max_length=50,
+                allowed_chars='abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789_-[]{}^`|\\'
+            )
+            nick_lower = nick_clean.lower().strip()
+            if not nick_lower:
+                return False
+
+            # Channel-scoped ignore
+            player = self.get_player_if_exists(nick_lower, channel)
+            if isinstance(player, dict) and bool(player.get('ignored', False)):
+                return True
+
+            # Global ignore bucket
+            global_player = self.get_player_if_exists(nick_lower, '__global__')
+            return bool(global_player and global_player.get('ignored', False))
+        except Exception:
+            return False
+
+    def set_global_ignored(self, nick: str, ignored: bool) -> bool:
+        """Set global ignored flag for nick (persisted)."""
+        try:
+            player = self.get_player(nick, '__global__')
+            if not isinstance(player, dict):
+                return False
+            player['ignored'] = bool(ignored)
+            return True
+        except Exception:
+            return False
+
     @property
     def players(self):
         """Backward-compatible flattened view of all players across channels."""
diff --git a/src/duckhuntbot.py b/src/duckhuntbot.py
index 5e5fb61..5866ab2 100644
--- a/src/duckhuntbot.py
+++ b/src/duckhuntbot.py
@@ -627,7 +627,7 @@ class DuckHuntBot:
                     self.logger.warning(f"Error updating player activity for {nick}: {e}")
             
             try:
-                if player.get('ignored', False) and not self.is_admin(user):
+                if self.db.is_ignored(nick, safe_channel) and not self.is_admin(user):
                     return
             except Exception as e:
                 self.logger.error(f"Error checking admin/ignore status: {e}")
@@ -1519,8 +1519,8 @@ class DuckHuntBot:
         
         target = args[0].lower()
         player = self.db.get_player(target, channel)
-        
-        action_func(player)
+
+        action_func(player, target)
         
         if is_private_msg:
             action_name = "Ignored" if message_key == 'admin_ignore' else "Unignored"
@@ -1538,7 +1538,7 @@ class DuckHuntBot:
             usage_command='usage_ignore',
             private_usage='!ignore <player>',
             message_key='admin_ignore',
-            action_func=lambda player: player.update({'ignored': True})
+            action_func=lambda player, target: (player.update({'ignored': True}), self.db.set_global_ignored(target, True))
         )
     
     async def handle_unignore(self, nick, channel, args):
@@ -1548,7 +1548,7 @@ class DuckHuntBot:
             usage_command='usage_unignore',
             private_usage='!unignore <player>',
             message_key='admin_unignore',
-            action_func=lambda player: player.update({'ignored': False})
+            action_func=lambda player, target: (player.update({'ignored': False}), self.db.set_global_ignored(target, False))
         )
 
     async def handle_ducklaunch(self, nick, channel, args):