diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 59cb903..37ce2d8 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ add_library(tox MODULE
     src/tox-weechat-gui.c
     src/tox-weechat-utils.c
     src/tox-weechat-config.c
+    src/tox-weechat-json.c
 )
 
 set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -std=gnu99 -Wall -Wextra -Werror-implicit-function-declaration -Wno-unused-parameter")
diff --git a/src/tox-weechat-friend-requests.c b/src/tox-weechat-friend-requests.c
index 54240f1..aba2850 100644
--- a/src/tox-weechat-friend-requests.c
+++ b/src/tox-weechat-friend-requests.c
@@ -9,11 +9,12 @@
 #include "tox-weechat.h"
 #include "tox-weechat-identities.h"
 #include "tox-weechat-utils.h"
+#include "tox-weechat-json.h"
 
 #include "tox-weechat-friend-requests.h"
 
-void
-tox_weechat_friend_request_new(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity,
+int
+tox_weechat_friend_request_add(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity,
                                const uint8_t *client_id,
                                const char *message)
 {
@@ -21,12 +22,10 @@ tox_weechat_friend_request_new(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity,
     struct t_config_option *option =
         identity->options[TOX_WEECHAT_IDENTITY_OPTION_MAX_FRIEND_REQUESTS];
     unsigned int max_requests = weechat_config_integer(option);
+
     if (identity->friend_request_count >= max_requests)
     {
-        weechat_printf(identity->buffer,
-                       "%sReceived a friend request, but your friend request list is full!",
-                       weechat_prefix("warning"));
-        return;
+        return -1;
     }
 
     struct t_tox_weechat_friend_request *request = malloc(sizeof(*request));
@@ -34,14 +33,6 @@ tox_weechat_friend_request_new(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity,
     request->message = strdup(message);
     memcpy(request->address, client_id, TOX_CLIENT_ID_SIZE);
 
-    char hex_address[TOX_CLIENT_ID_SIZE * 2 + 1];
-    tox_weechat_bin2hex(request->address, TOX_CLIENT_ID_SIZE, hex_address);
-    weechat_printf(identity->buffer,
-                   "%sReceived a friend request from %s: \"%s\"",
-                   weechat_prefix("network"),
-                   hex_address,
-                   request->message);
-
     // add to list
     request->prev_request = identity->last_friend_request;
     request->next_request = NULL;
@@ -53,6 +44,8 @@ tox_weechat_friend_request_new(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity,
 
     identity->last_friend_request = request;
     ++(identity->friend_request_count);
+
+    return 0;
 }
 
 void
@@ -106,20 +99,77 @@ tox_weechat_friend_request_with_num(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity,
 void
 tox_weechat_friend_request_init_identity(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity)
 {
-    // TODO: load from file
     identity->friend_requests = identity->last_friend_request = NULL;
+
     identity->friend_request_count = 0;
 
+    json_t *identity_object = tox_weechat_json_get_identity_object(identity);
+    if (!identity_object) return;
+
+    json_t *friend_requests = json_object_get(identity_object,
+                                              tox_weechat_json_key_friend_requests);
+
+    size_t index;
+    json_t *json_request;
+
+    json_array_foreach(friend_requests, index, json_request)
+    {
+        char client_id[TOX_CLIENT_ID_SIZE];
+        const char *message;
+
+        json_t *json_id = json_object_get(json_request,
+                                          tox_weechat_json_friend_request_key_client_id);
+        json_t *json_message = json_object_get(json_request,
+                                               tox_weechat_json_friend_request_key_message);
+
+        tox_weechat_hex2bin(json_string_value(json_id), client_id);
+        message = json_string_value(json_message);
+
+        tox_weechat_friend_request_add(identity,
+                                       (uint8_t *)client_id,
+                                       message);
+    }
 }
 
 void
 tox_weechat_friend_request_save_identity(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity)
 {
+    json_t *identity_object = tox_weechat_json_get_identity_object(identity);
+    if (!identity_object) return;
+
+    json_t *friend_requests = json_array();
+
+    json_object_set(identity_object,
+                    tox_weechat_json_key_friend_requests,
+                    friend_requests);
+    json_decref(friend_requests);
+
     for (struct t_tox_weechat_friend_request *request = identity->friend_requests;
          request;
          request = request->next_request)
     {
+        json_t *json_request = json_object();
+        if (!json_request)
+            // TODO: proper error handling
+            return;
 
+        char hex_id[TOX_CLIENT_ID_SIZE * 2 + 1];
+        tox_weechat_bin2hex(request->address, TOX_CLIENT_ID_SIZE, hex_id);
+
+        json_t *json_id = json_string(hex_id);
+        json_t *json_message = json_string(request->message);
+
+        json_object_set(json_request,
+                        tox_weechat_json_friend_request_key_client_id,
+                        json_id);
+        json_decref(json_id);
+        json_object_set(json_request,
+                        tox_weechat_json_friend_request_key_message,
+                        json_message);
+        json_decref(json_message);
+
+        json_array_append(friend_requests, json_request);
+        json_decref(json_request);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/tox-weechat-friend-requests.h b/src/tox-weechat-friend-requests.h
index d590170..6391c5d 100644
--- a/src/tox-weechat-friend-requests.h
+++ b/src/tox-weechat-friend-requests.h
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ struct t_tox_weechat_friend_request
 void
 tox_weechat_friend_request_init_identity(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity);
 
-void
-tox_weechat_friend_request_new(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity,
+int
+tox_weechat_friend_request_add(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity,
                                const uint8_t *client_id,
                                const char *message);
 
diff --git a/src/tox-weechat-identities.c b/src/tox-weechat-identities.c
index f5e42ea..a9d6bf3 100644
--- a/src/tox-weechat-identities.c
+++ b/src/tox-weechat-identities.c
@@ -174,9 +174,7 @@ tox_weechat_identity_new(const char *name)
     identity->buffer = NULL;
     identity->tox_do_timer = NULL;
     identity->chats = identity->last_chat = NULL;
-
-    // initialize friend requests
-    tox_weechat_friend_request_init_identity(identity);;
+    identity->friend_requests = identity->last_friend_request = NULL;
 
     // set up config
     tox_weechat_config_init_identity(identity);
@@ -223,6 +221,13 @@ tox_weechat_identity_connect(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity)
                      (uint8_t *)name, strlen(name));
     }
 
+    // initialize friend requests
+    tox_weechat_friend_request_init_identity(identity);
+    weechat_printf(identity->buffer,
+                   "%sYou have %d pending friend requests.",
+                   weechat_prefix("network"),
+                   identity->friend_request_count);
+
     // bootstrap DHT
     int max_bootstrap_nodes = 5;
     int bootstrap_nodes = max_bootstrap_nodes > tox_weechat_bootstrap_count ?
@@ -322,6 +327,10 @@ tox_weechat_identity_for_buffer(struct t_gui_buffer *buffer)
 void
 tox_weechat_identity_free(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity)
 {
+    // save friend requests
+    tox_weechat_friend_request_save_identity(identity);
+    tox_weechat_friend_request_free_identity(identity);
+
     // disconnect
     tox_weechat_identity_disconnect(identity);
 
@@ -337,10 +346,7 @@ tox_weechat_identity_free(struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity)
     if (identity->next_identity)
         identity->next_identity->prev_identity = identity->prev_identity;
 
-    // save friend requests
-    tox_weechat_friend_request_save_identity(identity);
-    tox_weechat_friend_request_free_identity(identity);
-
+    // free remaining vars
     free(identity->name);
     free(identity);
 }
diff --git a/src/tox-weechat-tox-callbacks.c b/src/tox-weechat-tox-callbacks.c
index 7d1b1e1..67527fa 100644
--- a/src/tox-weechat-tox-callbacks.c
+++ b/src/tox-weechat-tox-callbacks.c
@@ -170,8 +170,27 @@ tox_weechat_callback_friend_request(Tox *tox,
                                     void *data)
 {
     struct t_tox_weechat_identity *identity = data;
+
     char *message_nt = tox_weechat_null_terminate(message, length);
-    tox_weechat_friend_request_new(identity, public_key, message_nt);
+    int rc = tox_weechat_friend_request_add(identity, public_key, message_nt);
     free(message_nt);
+
+    if (rc == 0)
+    {
+        char hex_address[TOX_CLIENT_ID_SIZE * 2 + 1];
+        tox_weechat_bin2hex(public_key, TOX_CLIENT_ID_SIZE, hex_address);
+        weechat_printf(identity->buffer,
+                       "%sReceived a friend request from %s: \"%s\"",
+                       weechat_prefix("network"),
+                       hex_address,
+                       message_nt);
+    }
+    if (rc == -1)
+    {
+        weechat_printf(identity->buffer,
+                       "%sReceived a friend request, but your friend request list is full!",
+                       weechat_prefix("warning"));
+    }
+
 }
 
diff --git a/src/tox-weechat.c b/src/tox-weechat.c
index 631f2ce..576f314 100644
--- a/src/tox-weechat.c
+++ b/src/tox-weechat.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include "tox-weechat-gui.h"
 #include "tox-weechat-friend-requests.h"
 #include "tox-weechat-config.h"
+#include "tox-weechat-json.h"
 
 #include "tox-weechat.h"
 
@@ -25,6 +26,8 @@ weechat_plugin_init(struct t_weechat_plugin *plugin, int argc, char *argv[])
 {
     weechat_plugin = plugin;
 
+    tox_weechat_json_init();
+
     tox_weechat_config_init();
     tox_weechat_config_read();
     tox_weechat_commands_init();
@@ -40,6 +43,7 @@ weechat_plugin_end(struct t_weechat_plugin *plugin)
 {
     tox_weechat_config_write();
     tox_weechat_identity_free_all();
+    tox_weechat_json_save();
 
     return WEECHAT_RC_OK;
 }