diff --git a/.config/kak/autoload/email.kak b/.config/kak/autoload/email.kak
index 30cd3235..8b137891 100644
--- a/.config/kak/autoload/email.kak
+++ b/.config/kak/autoload/email.kak
@@ -1,15 +1 @@
-declare-option -docstring 'mail formatter' str mail_fmt '/home/fic/dev/utils/mail-utils/format.py'
 
-hook global WinSetOption filetype=mail %~
-    set-option window formatcmd %opt{mail_fmt}
-    set-option window comment_line '>'
-    hook -group mail-spell window ModeChange (push|pop):.*insert %{
-        try %{ spell-clear }
-    }
-    hook -group mail-spell window NormalIdle .* %{ try spell }
-    hook -group mail-auto-format window BufWritePre .* format
-    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=.* %{
-        unset-option window formatcmd
-        remove-hooks window mail-auto-format
-    }
-~
diff --git a/.config/kak/autoload/filetype.kak b/.config/kak/autoload/filetype.kak
index 1a579c23..90a26cba 100644
--- a/.config/kak/autoload/filetype.kak
+++ b/.config/kak/autoload/filetype.kak
@@ -71,3 +71,14 @@ hook global WinSetOption filetype=kdl %{
         remove-hooks window kdl-auto-format
     }
 }
+
+hook global WinSetOption filetype=mail %~
+    set-option window formatcmd '/home/fic/dev/utils/mail-utils/format.py'
+    set-option window comment_line '>'
+    try autospell-enable
+    hook -group mail-auto-format window BufWritePre .* format
+    hook -once -always window WinSetOption filetype=.* %{
+        unset-option window formatcmd
+        remove-hooks window mail-auto-format
+    }
+~
diff --git a/.config/kak/autoload/spell.kak b/.config/kak/autoload/spell.kak
index 3a42bbaa..b5ce4f63 100644
--- a/.config/kak/autoload/spell.kak
+++ b/.config/kak/autoload/spell.kak
@@ -1,10 +1,38 @@
 # spellcheck using aspell for now (maybe better options?)
 provide-module spell %~
-    define-command -hidden register-autospell %{
-        hook -group auto-spell window ModeChange (push|pop):.*insert %{
-            try %{ spell-clear }
+
+    define-command -override -hidden true nop
+    define-command -override -hidden false fail
+
+    declare-option -hidden bool autospell_enabled false
+    define-command -docstring %{
+        Enable autospell. Autospell refreshes spellchecks and hides spelling in insert mode.
+    } autospell-enable %{
+        try %{
+            spell
+            hook -group auto-spell window ModeChange (push|pop):.*insert %{
+                try %{ spell-clear }
+            }
+            hook -group auto-spell window NormalIdle .* %{ try spell }
+        } catch %{
+            fail "Couldn't enable autospell!"
+        }
+    }
+
+    define-command -docstring %{
+        Disable autospell. Autospell refreshes spellchecks and hides spelling in insert mode.
+    } autospell-disable %{
+        try spell-clear
+        remove-hooks window auto-spell
+    }
+
+    define-command autospell-toggle %{
+        try %{
+            %opt{autospell_enabled}
+            autospell-disable
+        } catch %{
+            autospell-enable
         }
-        hook -group auto-spell window NormalIdle .* %{ try spell }
     }
 
     # keybindings