diff --git a/config/config.hjson b/config/config.hjson
index 7c73aaafa..8d2ae84c7 100644
--- a/config/config.hjson
+++ b/config/config.hjson
@@ -5,4 +5,8 @@
   federation: {
     enabled: true
   }
+  slur_filter:
+    '''
+    (fag(g|got|tard)?\b|cock\s?sucker(s|ing)?|ni((g{2,}|q)+|[gq]{2,})[e3r]+(s|z)?|mudslime?s?|kikes?|\bspi(c|k)s?\b|\bchinks?|gooks?|bitch(es|ing|y)?|whor(es?|ing)|\btr(a|@)nn?(y|ies?)|\b(b|re|r)tard(ed)?s?)
+    '''
 }
diff --git a/config/defaults.hjson b/config/defaults.hjson
index 6907c36ff..ff6df36da 100644
--- a/config/defaults.hjson
+++ b/config/defaults.hjson
@@ -104,8 +104,7 @@
   tls_enabled: true
   # Address where pictrs is available (for image hosting)
   pictrs_url: "http:#localhost:8080"
-  # Regex for slurs which are prohibited. Example: `(\bThis\b)|(\bis\b)|(\bsample\b)`
-  additional_slurs: "string"
+  slur_filter: "(\bThis\b)|(\bis\b)|(\bsample\b)"
   # Maximum length of local community and user names
   actor_name_max_length: 20
 }
diff --git a/crates/utils/src/settings/mod.rs b/crates/utils/src/settings/mod.rs
index 40dd91664..e7bd5eb0e 100644
--- a/crates/utils/src/settings/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/utils/src/settings/mod.rs
@@ -113,15 +113,12 @@ impl Settings {
     WEBFINGER_USER_REGEX.to_owned()
   }
 
-  pub fn slur_regex(&self) -> Regex {
-    let mut slurs = r"(fag(g|got|tard)?\b|cock\s?sucker(s|ing)?|ni((g{2,}|q)+|[gq]{2,})[e3r]+(s|z)?|mudslime?s?|kikes?|\bspi(c|k)s?\b|\bchinks?|gooks?|bitch(es|ing|y)?|whor(es?|ing)|\btr(a|@)nn?(y|ies?)|\b(b|re|r)tard(ed)?s?)".to_string();
-    if let Some(additional_slurs) = &self.additional_slurs {
-      slurs.push('|');
-      slurs.push_str(additional_slurs);
-    };
-    RegexBuilder::new(&slurs)
-      .case_insensitive(true)
-      .build()
-      .expect("compile regex")
+  pub fn slur_regex(&self) -> Option<Regex> {
+    self.slur_filter.as_ref().map(|slurs| {
+      RegexBuilder::new(slurs)
+        .case_insensitive(true)
+        .build()
+        .expect("compile regex")
+    })
   }
 }
diff --git a/crates/utils/src/settings/structs.rs b/crates/utils/src/settings/structs.rs
index 4ec17906b..300030816 100644
--- a/crates/utils/src/settings/structs.rs
+++ b/crates/utils/src/settings/structs.rs
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@ pub struct Settings {
   #[default(None)]
   #[doku(example = "http://localhost:8080")]
   pub pictrs_url: Option<String>,
-  /// Regex for slurs which are prohibited. Example: `(\bThis\b)|(\bis\b)|(\bsample\b)`
   #[default(None)]
-  pub additional_slurs: Option<String>,
+  #[doku(example = "(\\bThis\\b)|(\\bis\\b)|(\\bsample\\b)")]
+  pub slur_filter: Option<String>,
   /// Maximum length of local community and user names
   #[default(20)]
   pub actor_name_max_length: usize,
diff --git a/crates/utils/src/utils.rs b/crates/utils/src/utils.rs
index 96dc340e4..3039a1cd4 100644
--- a/crates/utils/src/utils.rs
+++ b/crates/utils/src/utils.rs
@@ -28,30 +28,44 @@ pub fn convert_datetime(datetime: NaiveDateTime) -> DateTime<FixedOffset> {
   DateTime::<FixedOffset>::from_utc(datetime, FixedOffset::east(0))
 }
 
-pub fn remove_slurs(test: &str, slur_regex: &Regex) -> String {
-  slur_regex.replace_all(test, "*removed*").to_string()
-}
-
-pub(crate) fn slur_check<'a>(test: &'a str, slur_regex: &'a Regex) -> Result<(), Vec<&'a str>> {
-  let mut matches: Vec<&str> = slur_regex.find_iter(test).map(|mat| mat.as_str()).collect();
-
-  // Unique
-  matches.sort_unstable();
-  matches.dedup();
-
-  if matches.is_empty() {
-    Ok(())
+pub fn remove_slurs(test: &str, slur_regex: &Option<Regex>) -> String {
+  if let Some(slur_regex) = slur_regex {
+    slur_regex.replace_all(test, "*removed*").to_string()
   } else {
-    Err(matches)
+    test.to_string()
   }
 }
 
-pub fn check_slurs(text: &str, slur_regex: &Regex) -> Result<(), ApiError> {
-  slur_check(text, slur_regex)
-    .map_err(|slurs| ApiError::err_plain(&slurs_vec_to_str(slurs.clone())))
+pub(crate) fn slur_check<'a>(
+  test: &'a str,
+  slur_regex: &'a Option<Regex>,
+) -> Result<(), Vec<&'a str>> {
+  if let Some(slur_regex) = slur_regex {
+    let mut matches: Vec<&str> = slur_regex.find_iter(test).map(|mat| mat.as_str()).collect();
+
+    // Unique
+    matches.sort_unstable();
+    matches.dedup();
+
+    if matches.is_empty() {
+      Ok(())
+    } else {
+      Err(matches)
+    }
+  } else {
+    Ok(())
+  }
 }
 
-pub fn check_slurs_opt(text: &Option<String>, slur_regex: &Regex) -> Result<(), ApiError> {
+pub fn check_slurs(text: &str, slur_regex: &Option<Regex>) -> Result<(), ApiError> {
+  if let Err(slurs) = slur_check(text, slur_regex) {
+    Err(ApiError::err_plain(&slurs_vec_to_str(slurs)))
+  } else {
+    Ok(())
+  }
+}
+
+pub fn check_slurs_opt(text: &Option<String>, slur_regex: &Option<Regex>) -> Result<(), ApiError> {
   match text {
     Some(t) => check_slurs(t, slur_regex),
     None => Ok(()),
diff --git a/docker/lemmy.hjson b/docker/lemmy.hjson
index 4c42d8aea..54975feca 100644
--- a/docker/lemmy.hjson
+++ b/docker/lemmy.hjson
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@
     # maximum number of active sql connections
     pool_size: 5
   }
+  slur_filter:
+    '''
+    (fag(g|got|tard)?\b|cock\s?sucker(s|ing)?|ni((g{2,}|q)+|[gq]{2,})[e3r]+(s|z)?|mudslime?s?|kikes?|\bspi(c|k)s?\b|\bchinks?|gooks?|bitch(es|ing|y)?|whor(es?|ing)|\btr(a|@)nn?(y|ies?)|\b(b|re|r)tard(ed)?s?)
+    '''
 #  # optional: email sending configuration
 #  email: {
 #    # hostname and port of the smtp server