diff --git a/server/welcomebot.go b/server/welcomebot.go
index 7f65ad45f..d66f4344b 100644
--- a/server/welcomebot.go
+++ b/server/welcomebot.go
@@ -228,12 +228,22 @@ func (p *Plugin) processActionMessage(messageTemplate MessageTemplate, action *A
 }
 
 func (p *Plugin) joinChannel(action *Action, channelName string) {
-	if channel, err := p.API.GetChannelByName(action.Context.TeamID, channelName, false); err == nil {
-		if _, err := p.API.AddChannelMember(channel.Id, action.Context.UserID); err != nil {
-			p.API.LogError("Couldn't add user to the channel, continuing to next channel", "user_id", action.Context.UserID, "channel_id", channel.Id)
+	user, err := p.client.User.Get(action.Context.UserID)
+	if err != nil {
+		p.client.Log.Error("Couldn't get user details", "user_id", action.Context.UserID, "error", err.Error())
+		return
+	}
+	if user.IsBot {
+		p.client.Log.Info("Skipping adding this user to the channel since it is a bot.", "user_id", action.Context.UserID)
+		return
+	}
+
+	if channel, err := p.client.Channel.GetByName(action.Context.TeamID, channelName, false); err == nil {
+		if _, err = p.client.Channel.AddMember(channel.Id, action.Context.UserID); err != nil {
+			p.client.Log.Error("Couldn't add user to the channel, continuing to the next channel", "user_id", action.Context.UserID, "channel_id", channel.Id, "error", err.Error())
 			return
 		}
 	} else {
-		p.API.LogError("failed to get channel, continuing to the next channel", "channel_name", channelName, "user_id", action.Context.UserID)
+		p.client.Log.Error("Failed to get the channel, continuing to the next channel.", "channel_name", channelName, "user_id", action.Context.UserID, "error", err.Error())
 	}
 }