diff --git a/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/README.md b/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/README.md
index 67637c0..4f59e6e 100644
--- a/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/README.md
+++ b/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/README.md
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 ```
 
 `--stream` is a Zulip stream.
+`--topic` is a Zulip topic, is optionally specified, defaults to "IRC".
 
 Specify your Zulip API credentials and server in a ~/.zuliprc file or using the options.
 
@@ -15,6 +16,8 @@ Note that "_zulip" will be automatically appended to the IRC nick provided
 ## Example
 
 ```
-./irc-mirror.py --irc-server=irc.freenode.net --channel='#python-mypy' --nick-prefix=irc_mirror --stream='test here' \
-                --site="https://chat.zulip.org" --user=<bot-email> --api-key=<bot-api-key>
+./irc-mirror.py --irc-server=irc.freenode.net --channel='#python-mypy' --nick-prefix=irc_mirror \
+--stream='test here' --topic='#mypy' \
+--site="https://chat.zulip.org" --user=<bot-email> \
+--api-key=<bot-api-key>
 ```
diff --git a/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/irc-mirror.py b/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/irc-mirror.py
index 91a1ce2..b8b3e75 100755
--- a/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/irc-mirror.py
+++ b/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/irc-mirror.py
@@ -17,9 +17,10 @@ usage = """./irc-mirror.py --irc-server=IRC_SERVER --channel=<CHANNEL> --nick-pr
 
 Example:
 
-./irc-mirror.py --irc-server=127.0.0.1 --channel='#test' --nick-prefix=username --stream='test'
+./irc-mirror.py --irc-server=127.0.0.1 --channel='#test' --nick-prefix=username --stream='test' --topic='#mypy'
 
 --stream is a Zulip stream.
+--topic is a Zulip topic, is optionally specified, defaults to "IRC".
 
 Specify your Zulip API credentials and server in a ~/.zuliprc file or using the options.
 
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     parser.add_argument('--nick-prefix', default=None)
     parser.add_argument('--channel', default=None)
     parser.add_argument('--stream', default="general")
+    parser.add_argument('--topic', default="IRC")
 
     options = parser.parse_args()
     # Setting the client to irc_mirror is critical for this to work
@@ -50,5 +52,5 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         parser.error("Missing required argument")
 
     nickname = options.nick_prefix + "_zulip"
-    bot = IRCBot(zulip_client, options.stream, options.channel, nickname, options.irc_server, options.port)
+    bot = IRCBot(zulip_client, options.stream, options.topic, options.channel, nickname, options.irc_server, options.port)
     bot.start()
diff --git a/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/irc_mirror_backend.py b/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/irc_mirror_backend.py
index 5e4c7cc..f4ef2b4 100644
--- a/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/irc_mirror_backend.py
+++ b/zulip/integrations/bridge_with_irc/irc_mirror_backend.py
@@ -9,12 +9,13 @@ from typing import Any, Dict
 class IRCBot(irc.bot.SingleServerIRCBot):
     reactor_class = AioReactor
 
-    def __init__(self, zulip_client, stream, channel, nickname, server, port=6667):
-        # type: (Any, str, irc.bot.Channel, str, str, int) -> None
+    def __init__(self, zulip_client, stream, topic, channel, nickname, server, port=6667):
+        # type: (Any, str, str, irc.bot.Channel, str, str, int) -> None
         irc.bot.SingleServerIRCBot.__init__(self, [(server, port)], nickname, nickname)
         self.channel = channel  # type: irc.bot.Channel
         self.zulip_client = zulip_client
         self.stream = stream
+        self.topic = topic
         self.IRC_DOMAIN = server
 
     def zulip_sender(self, sender_string):
@@ -77,7 +78,6 @@ class IRCBot(irc.bot.SingleServerIRCBot):
     def on_pubmsg(self, c, e):
         # type: (ServerConnection, Event) -> None
         content = e.arguments[0]
-        stream = self.stream
         sender = self.zulip_sender(e.source)
         if sender.endswith("_zulip@" + self.IRC_DOMAIN):
             return
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ class IRCBot(irc.bot.SingleServerIRCBot):
         # Forward the stream message to Zulip
         print(self.zulip_client.send_message({
             "type": "stream",
-            "to": stream,
-            "subject": "IRC",
+            "to": self.stream,
+            "subject": self.topic,
             "content": content,
             "content": "**{0}**: {1}".format(sender, content),
         }))