diff --git a/lib/discourse_chat/helper.rb b/lib/discourse_chat/helper.rb
index 9356c37..82c76d1 100644
--- a/lib/discourse_chat/helper.rb
+++ b/lib/discourse_chat/helper.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 module DiscourseChat
   module Helper
 	
+    # Produce a string with a list of all rules associated with a channel
   	def self.status_for_channel(provider, channel)
   		rules = DiscourseChat::Rule.all_for_channel(provider, channel)
 
@@ -40,6 +41,61 @@ module DiscourseChat
       return text
   	end
 
+    # Create a rule for a specific channel
+    # Designed to be used by provider's "Slash commands" 
+    # Will intelligently adjust existing rules to avoid duplicates 
+    # Returns
+    #     :updated if an existing rule has been updated
+    #     :created if a new rule has been created
+    #     false if there was an error
+    def self.smart_create_rule(provider:, channel:, filter:, category_id:, tags:)
+      existing_rules = DiscourseChat::Rule.all_for_channel(provider, channel)
+
+      # Select the ones that have the same category
+      same_category = existing_rules.select { |rule| rule.category_id == category_id }
+
+      same_category_and_tags = same_category.select{ |rule| (rule.tags.nil? ? [] : rule.tags.sort) == (tags.nil? ? [] : tags.sort) }
+
+      if same_category_and_tags.size > 0 
+        # These rules have exactly the same criteria as what we're trying to create
+        the_rule = same_category_and_tags.shift # Take out the first one
+
+        same_category_and_tags.each do |rule| # Destroy all the others - they're duplicates
+          rule.destroy 
+        end
+
+        return :updated if the_rule.update(filter:filter) # Update the filter
+        return false # Error, probably validation
+      end
+
+      same_category_and_filters = same_category.select { |rule| rule.filter == filter }
+      
+      if same_category_and_filters.size > 0 
+        # These rules are exactly the same, except for tags. Let's combine the tags together
+        tags = [] if tags.nil?
+        same_category_and_filters.each do |rule|
+          tags = tags | rule.tags unless rule.tags.nil? # Append the tags together, avoiding duplicates by magic
+        end
+
+        the_rule = same_category_and_filters.shift # Take out the first one
+
+        if the_rule.update(tags: tags) # Update the tags 
+          same_category_and_filters.each do |rule| # Destroy all the others - they're duplicates
+            rule.destroy
+          end
+          return :updated
+        end
+
+        return false # Error
+      end
+
+      # This rule is unique! Create a new one:
+      return :created if Rule.new({provider: provider, channel: channel, filter: filter, category_id: category_id, tags: tags}).save
+
+      return false # Error
+
+    end
+
   end
 end
 
diff --git a/spec/lib/discourse_chat/helper_spec.rb b/spec/lib/discourse_chat/helper_spec.rb
index 447162e..f3c721f 100644
--- a/spec/lib/discourse_chat/helper_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/discourse_chat/helper_spec.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ RSpec.describe DiscourseChat::Manager do
 
   let(:category) {Fabricate(:category)}
   let(:tag1){Fabricate(:tag)}
+  let(:tag2){Fabricate(:tag)}
+  let(:tag3){Fabricate(:tag)}
 
   describe '.status_for_channel' do
     
@@ -54,4 +56,93 @@ RSpec.describe DiscourseChat::Manager do
 
   end
 
+  describe '.smart_create_rule' do
+
+    it 'creates a rule when there are none' do
+      val = DiscourseChat::Helper.smart_create_rule(provider: 'slack',
+                                                    channel: '#general',
+                                                    filter: 'watch',
+                                                    category_id: category.id,
+                                                    tags: [tag1.name]
+                                                    )
+      expect(val).to eq(:created)
+
+      record = DiscourseChat::Rule.all.first
+      expect(record.provider).to eq('slack')
+      expect(record.channel).to eq('#general')
+      expect(record.filter).to eq('watch')
+      expect(record.category_id).to eq(category.id)
+      expect(record.tags).to eq([tag1.name])
+    end
+
+    it 'updates a rule when it has the same category and tags' do
+      existing = DiscourseChat::Rule.new({provider: 'slack',
+                                          channel: '#general',
+                                          filter: 'watch',
+                                          category_id: category.id,
+                                          tags: [tag2.name, tag1.name]
+                                        }).save!
+
+      val = DiscourseChat::Helper.smart_create_rule(provider: 'slack',
+                                                    channel: '#general',
+                                                    filter: 'mute',
+                                                    category_id: category.id,
+                                                    tags: [tag1.name, tag2.name]
+                                                    )
+
+      expect(val).to eq(:updated)
+
+      expect(DiscourseChat::Rule.all.size).to eq(1)
+      expect(DiscourseChat::Rule.all.first.filter).to eq('mute')
+    end
+
+    it 'updates a rule when it has the same category and filter' do
+      existing = DiscourseChat::Rule.new({provider: 'slack',
+                                          channel: '#general',
+                                          filter: 'watch',
+                                          category_id: category.id,
+                                          tags: [tag1.name, tag2.name]
+                                        }).save!
+
+      val = DiscourseChat::Helper.smart_create_rule(provider: 'slack',
+                                                    channel: '#general',
+                                                    filter: 'watch',
+                                                    category_id: category.id,
+                                                    tags: [tag1.name, tag3.name]
+                                                    )
+
+      expect(val).to eq(:updated)
+
+      expect(DiscourseChat::Rule.all.size).to eq(1)
+      expect(DiscourseChat::Rule.all.first.tags).to contain_exactly(tag1.name, tag2.name, tag3.name)
+    end
+
+    it 'destroys duplicate rules on save' do
+      DiscourseChat::Rule.new({provider: 'slack', channel: '#general', filter: 'watch'}).save!
+      DiscourseChat::Rule.new({provider: 'slack', channel: '#general', filter: 'watch'}).save!
+      expect(DiscourseChat::Rule.all.size).to eq(2)
+      val = DiscourseChat::Helper.smart_create_rule(provider: 'slack',
+                                                    channel: '#general',
+                                                    filter: 'watch',
+                                                    category_id: nil,
+                                                    tags: nil
+                                                    )
+      expect(val).to eq(:updated)
+      expect(DiscourseChat::Rule.all.size).to eq(1)
+    end
+
+    it 'returns false on error' do
+      val = DiscourseChat::Helper.smart_create_rule(provider: 'nonexistantprovider',
+                                                    channel: '#general',
+                                                    filter: 'watch',
+                                                    category_id: nil,
+                                                    tags: nil
+                                                    )
+
+      expect(val).to eq(false)
+    end
+
+
+  end
+
 end
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