diff --git a/documentation/secret_docs.md b/documentation/secret_docs.md
index 87389bce..dadfa277 100644
--- a/documentation/secret_docs.md
+++ b/documentation/secret_docs.md
@@ -20,9 +20,14 @@ A secrets file stores sensitive information. Unlike the repository configuration
 | `slack_access_token` | slack bot access token to enable message posting to the workspace | Yes | try to use webhooks defined in `slack_hooks` instead |
 | `slack_hooks` | list of channel names and their corresponding webhook endpoint | Yes | try to use token defined in `slack_access_token` instead |
 | `slack_signing_secret` | specify to verify incoming slack requests | Yes | - |
+| `slack_client_id` | slack client ID, used for [oauth](https://api.slack.com/authentication/oauth-v2) authentication | Yes | - |
+| `slack_client_secret` | slack client secret, used for [oauth](https://api.slack.com/authentication/oauth-v2) authentication | Yes | - |
+| `slack_oauth_state` | specify some unique value to maintain state b/w oauth request and callback and prevent CSRF (see [RFC6749](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6749#section-4.1.1)) | Yes | - |
 
 Note that either `slack_access_token` or `slack_hooks` must be defined.
 
+The fields `slack_client_id`, `slack_client_secret`, and `slack_oauth_state` only apply if you need to distribute the app to multiple users.
+
 ## `gh_token`
 
 Some operations, such as fetching a config file from a private repository, or the commit corresponding to a commit comment event, require a personal access token. Refer [here](https://docs.github.com/en/free-pro-team@latest/github/authenticating-to-github/creating-a-personal-access-token) for detailed instructions on token generation.
@@ -35,6 +40,8 @@ Refer [here](https://docs.github.com/en/free-pro-team@latest/developers/webhooks
 
 Refer [here](https://api.slack.com/authentication/oauth-v2) for obtaining an access token via OAuth.
 
+If automatic OAuth exchange is set up, the bot will configure this value at runtime.
+
 ## `slack_hooks`
 
 *Note: If `slack_access_token` is also defined, the bot will authenticate over Slack's Web API and this option will not be used.*
diff --git a/lib/action.ml b/lib/action.ml
index 07a5fe73..5ec0960a 100644
--- a/lib/action.ml
+++ b/lib/action.ml
@@ -280,4 +280,65 @@ module Action (Github_api : Api.Github) (Slack_api : Api.Slack) = struct
     | Ok () ->
     match notification.event with
     | Link_shared event -> process_link_shared_event ctx event
+
+  (**
+
+    If there is a need to distribute the app, automatic OAuth exchange must be enabled.
+
+    The fields `slack_client_id` and `slack_client_secret` must be configured in the
+    secrets file. The `slack_oauth_state` field can be optionally provided to avoid
+    forgery attacks during the OAuth exchange.
+    (see: https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6749#section-4.1.1)
+
+    All of these fields are retrievable from the Slack app dashboard.
+
+    Once the server has been configured and launched, it will listen on `/slack/oauth`
+    for incoming OAuth requests from Slack. Each user should then go to the following
+    address, replacing the appropriate values (the `state` argument is only needed
+    if `slack_oauth_state` is set).
+      
+    https://slack.com/oauth/v2/authorize?scope=chat:write&client_id=<slack_client_id>&redirect_uri=<server_domain>/slack/oauth&state=<slack_oauth_state>
+
+    A page should open asking the user permission to install the bot to their
+    workspace. Clicking `allow` will trigger the OAuth exchange.
+
+  *)
+  let process_slack_oauth (ctx : Context.t) args =
+    try%lwt
+      let secrets = Context.get_secrets_exn ctx in
+      match ctx.state.slack_access_token with
+      | Some _ -> Lwt.return "ok"
+      | None ->
+      match Slack.validate_state ?oauth_state:secrets.slack_oauth_state ~args with
+      | Error e -> action_error e
+      | Ok () ->
+      match List.Assoc.find args "code" ~equal:String.equal with
+      | None -> action_error "argument `code` not found in slack authorization request"
+      | Some code ->
+        ( match%lwt Slack_api.access_token_of_code ~ctx ~code with
+        | Error e -> action_error e
+        | Ok access_token ->
+          State.set_slack_access_token ctx.state access_token;
+          ( match ctx.state_filepath with
+          | None -> Lwt.return "ok"
+          | Some path ->
+            ( match%lwt State.save ctx.state path with
+            | Ok () -> Lwt.return "ok"
+            | Error e -> action_error e
+            )
+          )
+        )
+    with
+    | Yojson.Json_error msg ->
+      let e = Printf.sprintf "failed to parse file as valid JSON (%s)\naborting slack oauth exchange" msg in
+      log#error "%s" e;
+      Lwt.return e
+    | Action_error msg ->
+      let e = Printf.sprintf "%s\naborting slack oauth exchange" msg in
+      log#error "%s" e;
+      Lwt.return e
+    | Context.Context_error msg ->
+      let e = Printf.sprintf "%s\naborting slack oauth exchange" msg in
+      log#error "%s" e;
+      Lwt.return e
 end
diff --git a/lib/api.ml b/lib/api.ml
index 1296272f..fa914442 100644
--- a/lib/api.ml
+++ b/lib/api.ml
@@ -16,4 +16,6 @@ module type Slack = sig
   val send_notification : ctx:Context.t -> msg:post_message_req -> (unit, string) Result.t Lwt.t
 
   val send_chat_unfurl : ctx:Context.t -> chat_unfurl_req -> (unit, string) Result.t Lwt.t
+
+  val access_token_of_code : ctx:Context.t -> code:string -> (string, string) Result.t Lwt.t
 end
diff --git a/lib/api_local.ml b/lib/api_local.ml
index 915faa6d..7c24e2c6 100644
--- a/lib/api_local.ml
+++ b/lib/api_local.ml
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ module Slack_base : Api.Slack = struct
   let send_notification ~ctx:_ ~msg:_ = Lwt.return @@ Error "undefined for local setup"
 
   let send_chat_unfurl ~ctx:_ _ = Lwt.return @@ Error "undefined for local setup"
+
+  let access_token_of_code ~ctx:_ ~code:_ = Lwt.return @@ Error "undefined for local setup"
 end
 
 module Slack : Api.Slack = struct
@@ -38,6 +40,8 @@ module Slack : Api.Slack = struct
     Stdio.printf "will notify #%s\n" msg.channel;
     Stdio.printf "%s\n" json;
     Lwt.return @@ Ok ()
+
+  let access_token_of_code ~ctx:_ ~code = Lwt.return @@ Ok (Printf.sprintf "token of code %s" code)
 end
 
 module Slack_simple : Api.Slack = struct
diff --git a/lib/api_remote.ml b/lib/api_remote.ml
index 5fec99a7..7113b31d 100644
--- a/lib/api_remote.ml
+++ b/lib/api_remote.ml
@@ -120,4 +120,26 @@ module Slack : Api.Slack = struct
         )
       | Error e -> Lwt.return @@ fmt_error "error while querying %s: %s\nfailed to unfurl Slack links" url e
       )
+
+  let access_token_of_code ~(ctx : Context.t) ~code =
+    let secrets = Context.get_secrets_exn ctx in
+    let body = `Form [ "code", code ] in
+    match secrets.slack_client_id with
+    | None -> Lwt.return @@ Error "slack_client_id is undefined"
+    | Some client_id ->
+    match secrets.slack_client_secret with
+    | None -> Lwt.return @@ Error "slack_client_secret is undefined"
+    | Some client_secret ->
+      let auth_header = Base64.encode_string @@ sprintf "%s:%s" client_id client_secret in
+      let headers = [ Printf.sprintf "Authorization: Basic %s" auth_header ] in
+      ( match%lwt Common.http_request ~body ~headers `POST "https://slack.com/api/oauth.v2.access" with
+      | Error e -> Lwt.return @@ Error e
+      | Ok data ->
+        let response = Slack_j.oauth_access_res_of_string data in
+        ( match response.access_token, response.error with
+        | Some access_token, _ -> Lwt.return @@ Ok access_token
+        | None, Some e -> Lwt.return @@ Error e
+        | None, None -> Lwt.return @@ Error "an unknown error occurred while getting access token"
+        )
+      )
 end
diff --git a/lib/config.atd b/lib/config.atd
index d90b1828..0e7efed1 100644
--- a/lib/config.atd
+++ b/lib/config.atd
@@ -49,4 +49,11 @@ type secrets = {
   ?slack_access_token : string nullable;
  (* Slack uses this secret to sign requests; provide to verify incoming Slack requests *)
   ?slack_signing_secret : string nullable;
+  (* Client ID of the Slack bot; used for OAuth authentication  *)
+  ?slack_client_id : string nullable;
+  (* Client secret of the Slack bot; used for OAuth authentication  *)
+  ?slack_client_secret : string nullable;
+  (* if specified, maintains state b/w OAuth request and callback to prevent CSRF
+    see: https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6749#section-4.1.1 *)
+  ?slack_oauth_state : string nullable;
 }
diff --git a/lib/context.ml b/lib/context.ml
index 0c44f68c..4bd9771b 100644
--- a/lib/context.ml
+++ b/lib/context.ml
@@ -15,17 +15,18 @@ type t = {
   state : State_t.state;
 }
 
-let default : t =
+let default () : t =
   {
     config_filename = "monorobot.json";
     secrets_filepath = "secrets.json";
     state_filepath = None;
     secrets = None;
     config = None;
-    state = State.empty;
+    state = State.empty ();
   }
 
 let make ?config_filename ?secrets_filepath ?state_filepath () =
+  let default = default () in
   let config_filename = Option.value config_filename ~default:default.config_filename in
   let secrets_filepath = Option.value secrets_filepath ~default:default.secrets_filepath in
   { default with config_filename; secrets_filepath; state_filepath }
@@ -86,6 +87,12 @@ let refresh_state ctx =
       | Error e -> fmt_error "error while getting local file: %s\nfailed to get state from file %s" e path
       | Ok file ->
         let state = State_j.state_of_string file in
+        let secrets = get_secrets_exn ctx in
+        begin
+          match secrets.slack_access_token with
+          | None -> ()
+          | Some token -> State.set_slack_access_token ctx.state token
+        end;
         Ok { ctx with state }
     end
     else Ok ctx
diff --git a/lib/slack.atd b/lib/slack.atd
index 85942218..692101cd 100644
--- a/lib/slack.atd
+++ b/lib/slack.atd
@@ -118,3 +118,10 @@ type chat_unfurl_res = {
   ok: bool;
   ?error: string option;
 }
+
+(* expected payload when exchanging oauth code for access token *)
+type oauth_access_res = {
+  ok: bool;
+  ?access_token: string option;
+  ?error: string option;
+}
diff --git a/lib/slack.ml b/lib/slack.ml
index 625c28c1..2522f0a6 100644
--- a/lib/slack.ml
+++ b/lib/slack.ml
@@ -373,3 +373,14 @@ let validate_signature ?(version = "v0") ?signing_key ~headers body =
     let basestring = Printf.sprintf "%s:%s:%s" version timestamp body in
     let expected_signature = Printf.sprintf "%s=%s" version (Common.sign_string_sha256 ~key ~basestring) in
     if String.equal expected_signature signature then Ok () else Error "signatures don't match"
+
+let validate_state ?oauth_state ~args =
+  match oauth_state with
+  | None -> Ok ()
+  | Some expected_state ->
+  match List.Assoc.find args "state" ~equal:String.equal with
+  | None -> Error "argument `state` not found in slack authorization request"
+  | Some state ->
+  match String.equal state expected_state with
+  | false -> Error "argument `state` is present in slack authorization request but does not match expected value"
+  | true -> Ok ()
diff --git a/lib/state.atd b/lib/state.atd
index 66338a56..b14e34a8 100644
--- a/lib/state.atd
+++ b/lib/state.atd
@@ -14,5 +14,6 @@ type pipeline_statuses = branch_statuses map_as_object
 
 (* The serializable runtime state of the bot *)
 type state = {
-  pipeline_statuses <ocaml mutable>: pipeline_statuses
+  pipeline_statuses <ocaml mutable>: pipeline_statuses;
+  ?slack_access_token <ocaml mutable>: string nullable;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/state.ml b/lib/state.ml
index dcc7afe6..b5498038 100644
--- a/lib/state.ml
+++ b/lib/state.ml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ open Base
 open Common
 open Devkit
 
-let empty : State_t.state = { pipeline_statuses = StringMap.empty }
+let empty () : State_t.state = { pipeline_statuses = StringMap.empty; slack_access_token = None }
 
 let refresh_pipeline_status (state : State_t.state) ~pipeline ~(branches : Github_t.branch list) ~status =
   let update_pipeline_status branch_statuses =
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ let refresh_pipeline_status (state : State_t.state) ~pipeline ~(branches : Githu
   in
   state.pipeline_statuses <- Map.update state.pipeline_statuses pipeline ~f:update_pipeline_status
 
+let set_slack_access_token (state : State_t.state) access_token = state.slack_access_token <- Some access_token
+
 let log = Log.from "state"
 
 let save state path =
diff --git a/src/request_handler.ml b/src/request_handler.ml
index d89a9b3a..53af0eca 100644
--- a/src/request_handler.ml
+++ b/src/request_handler.ml
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ let setup_http ~ctx ~signature ~port ~ip =
         | _, [ "slack"; "events" ] ->
           log#info "%s" request.body;
           ret @@ Action.process_slack_event ctx request.headers request.body
+        | _, [ "slack"; "oauth" ] ->
+          log#info "slack oauth authorization request received";
+          ret @@ Action.process_slack_oauth ctx request.args
         | _, _ ->
           log#error "unknown path : %s" (Httpev.show_request request);
           ret_err `Not_found "not found"
diff --git a/test/dune b/test/dune
index 71cdc617..28325de3 100644
--- a/test/dune
+++ b/test/dune
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 (executables
- (names test github_link_test)
+ (names test github_link_test slack_oauth_test)
  (libraries lib base base.caml devkit devkit.core extlib lwt.unix stdio
    yojson)
  (preprocess
@@ -26,3 +26,8 @@
  (alias runtest)
  (action
    (run ./github_link_test.exe)))
+
+(rule
+ (alias runtest)
+ (action
+   (run ./slack_oauth_test.exe)))
diff --git a/test/slack_oauth_test.ml b/test/slack_oauth_test.ml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f13f8996
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/slack_oauth_test.ml
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+open Base
+open Printf
+open Lib
+module Action = Action.Action (Api_local.Github) (Api_local.Slack)
+
+let arg_code = "code", "1591663521684.1613458437648.4a18cf683e541ff9d8fd75075181cac49c7acae9431d7e4ffd424ce1ca8d2543"
+
+let arg_state = "state", "foo"
+
+let arg_state_bad = "state", "bar"
+
+let secrets_default () : Config_t.secrets =
+  {
+    gh_token = None;
+    gh_hook_token = None;
+    slack_hooks = [];
+    slack_access_token = None;
+    slack_client_id = Some "";
+    slack_client_secret = Some "";
+    slack_signing_secret = None;
+    slack_oauth_state = None;
+  }
+
+let secrets_with_state = { (secrets_default ()) with slack_oauth_state = Some "foo" }
+
+let secrets_with_token = { (secrets_default ()) with slack_access_token = Some "original token" }
+
+let tests =
+  [
+    "success, valid params", [ arg_code ], secrets_default (), Some (sprintf "token of code %s" (snd arg_code));
+    "success, with state", [ arg_code; arg_state ], secrets_with_state, Some (sprintf "token of code %s" (snd arg_code));
+    "no-op, token exists", [ arg_code ], secrets_with_token, Some "original token";
+    "failure, no state arg", [ arg_code ], secrets_with_state, None;
+    "failure, bad state arg", [ arg_code; arg_state_bad ], secrets_with_state, None;
+    "failure, no code arg", [], secrets_default (), None;
+  ]
+
+let process (name, args, secrets, expected_token) =
+  let ctx = Context.make () in
+  ctx.secrets <- Some secrets;
+  Option.iter secrets.slack_access_token ~f:(fun t -> ctx.state.slack_access_token <- Some t);
+  let%lwt _msg = Action.process_slack_oauth ctx args in
+  match assert ((Option.equal String.equal) ctx.state.slack_access_token expected_token) with
+  | exception Assert_failure _ -> Lwt.return @@ Error (sprintf "test failed: %s" name)
+  | () -> Lwt.return @@ Ok ()
+
+let () =
+  Lwt_main.run
+    ( match%lwt Lwt_list.map_s process tests |> Lwt.map Result.combine_errors_unit with
+    | Ok () -> Lwt.return_unit
+    | Error e ->
+      List.iter e ~f:Stdio.print_endline;
+      Caml.exit 1
+    )