diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4b7fb603d..feda41320 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 - NodeInfo: `pleroma:api/v1/notifications:include_types_filter` to the `features` list.
 - NodeInfo: `pleroma_emoji_reactions` to the `features` list.
 - Configuration: `:restrict_unauthenticated` setting, restrict access for unauthenticated users to timelines (public and federate), user profiles and statuses.
+- Configuration: Add `:database_config_whitelist` setting to whitelist settings which can be configured from AdminFE.
 - New HTTP adapter [gun](https://github.com/ninenines/gun). Gun adapter requires minimum OTP version of 22.2 otherwise Pleroma won’t start. For hackney OTP update is not required.
 - Mix task to create trusted OAuth App.
 - Notifications: Added `follow_request` notification type.
diff --git a/docs/configuration/cheatsheet.md b/docs/configuration/cheatsheet.md
index 707d7fdbd..1078c4e87 100644
--- a/docs/configuration/cheatsheet.md
+++ b/docs/configuration/cheatsheet.md
@@ -911,6 +911,21 @@ config :auto_linker,
 
 Boolean, enables/disables in-database configuration. Read [Transfering the config to/from the database](../administration/CLI_tasks/config.md) for more information.
 
+## :database_config_whitelist
+
+List of valid configuration sections which are allowed to be configured from the
+database. Settings stored in the database before the whitelist is configured are
+still applied, so it is suggested to only use the whitelist on instances that
+have not migrated the config to the database.
+
+Example:
+```elixir
+config :pleroma, :database_config_whitelist, [
+  {:pleroma, :instance},
+  {:pleroma, Pleroma.Web.Metadata},
+  {:auto_linker}
+]
+```
 
 ### Multi-factor authentication -  :two_factor_authentication
 * `totp` - a list containing TOTP configuration
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/docs/json.ex b/lib/pleroma/docs/json.ex
index 74f8b2615..d1cf1f487 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/docs/json.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/docs/json.ex
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ def compile do
     with config <- Pleroma.Config.Loader.read("config/description.exs") do
       config[:pleroma][:config_description]
       |> Pleroma.Docs.Generator.convert_to_strings()
-      |> Jason.encode!()
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/admin_api_controller.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/admin_api_controller.ex
index 9821173d0..451dc92d6 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/admin_api_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/admin_api_controller.ex
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AdminAPI.AdminAPIController do
 
   require Logger
 
-  @descriptions_json Pleroma.Docs.JSON.compile()
+  @descriptions Pleroma.Docs.JSON.compile()
   @users_page_size 50
 
   plug(
@@ -897,9 +897,9 @@ def list_log(conn, params) do
   end
 
   def config_descriptions(conn, _params) do
-    conn
-    |> Plug.Conn.put_resp_content_type("application/json")
-    |> Plug.Conn.send_resp(200, @descriptions_json)
+    descriptions = Enum.filter(@descriptions, &whitelisted_config?/1)
+
+    json(conn, descriptions)
   end
 
   def config_show(conn, %{"only_db" => true}) do
@@ -954,7 +954,9 @@ def config_show(conn, _params) do
   def config_update(conn, %{"configs" => configs}) do
     with :ok <- configurable_from_database(conn) do
       {_errors, results} =
-        Enum.map(configs, fn
+        configs
+        |> Enum.filter(&whitelisted_config?/1)
+        |> Enum.map(fn
           %{"group" => group, "key" => key, "delete" => true} = params ->
             ConfigDB.delete(%{group: group, key: key, subkeys: params["subkeys"]})
 
@@ -1016,6 +1018,28 @@ defp configurable_from_database(conn) do
     end
   end
 
+  defp whitelisted_config?(group, key) do
+    if whitelisted_configs = Config.get(:database_config_whitelist) do
+      Enum.any?(whitelisted_configs, fn
+        {whitelisted_group} ->
+          group == inspect(whitelisted_group)
+
+        {whitelisted_group, whitelisted_key} ->
+          group == inspect(whitelisted_group) && key == inspect(whitelisted_key)
+      end)
+    else
+      true
+    end
+  end
+
+  defp whitelisted_config?(%{"group" => group, "key" => key}) do
+    whitelisted_config?(group, key)
+  end
+
+  defp whitelisted_config?(%{:group => group} = config) do
+    whitelisted_config?(group, config[:key])
+  end
+
   def reload_emoji(conn, _params) do
     Pleroma.Emoji.reload()
 
diff --git a/test/web/admin_api/admin_api_controller_test.exs b/test/web/admin_api/admin_api_controller_test.exs
index e4b0dd627..9b7120712 100644
--- a/test/web/admin_api/admin_api_controller_test.exs
+++ b/test/web/admin_api/admin_api_controller_test.exs
@@ -2940,6 +2940,33 @@ test "proxy tuple ip", %{conn: conn} do
       assert %{"tuple" => [":proxy_url", %{"tuple" => [":socks5", "127.0.0.1", 1234]}]} in value
       assert ":proxy_url" in db
     end
+
+    test "doesn't set keys not in the whitelist", %{conn: conn} do
+      clear_config(:database_config_whitelist, [
+        {:pleroma, :key1},
+        {:pleroma, :key2},
+        {:pleroma, Pleroma.Captcha.NotReal},
+        {:not_real}
+      ])
+
+      post(conn, "/api/pleroma/admin/config", %{
+        configs: [
+          %{group: ":pleroma", key: ":key1", value: "value1"},
+          %{group: ":pleroma", key: ":key2", value: "value2"},
+          %{group: ":pleroma", key: ":key3", value: "value3"},
+          %{group: ":pleroma", key: "Pleroma.Web.Endpoint.NotReal", value: "value4"},
+          %{group: ":pleroma", key: "Pleroma.Captcha.NotReal", value: "value5"},
+          %{group: ":not_real", key: ":anything", value: "value6"}
+        ]
+      })
+
+      assert Application.get_env(:pleroma, :key1) == "value1"
+      assert Application.get_env(:pleroma, :key2) == "value2"
+      assert Application.get_env(:pleroma, :key3) == nil
+      assert Application.get_env(:pleroma, Pleroma.Web.Endpoint.NotReal) == nil
+      assert Application.get_env(:pleroma, Pleroma.Captcha.NotReal) == "value5"
+      assert Application.get_env(:not_real, :anything) == "value6"
+    end
   end
 
   describe "GET /api/pleroma/admin/restart" do
@@ -3571,19 +3598,54 @@ test "it deletes the note", %{conn: conn, report_id: report_id} do
     end
   end
 
-  test "GET /api/pleroma/admin/config/descriptions", %{conn: conn} do
-    admin = insert(:user, is_admin: true)
+  describe "GET /api/pleroma/admin/config/descriptions" do
+    test "structure", %{conn: conn} do
+      admin = insert(:user, is_admin: true)
 
-    conn =
-      assign(conn, :user, admin)
-      |> get("/api/pleroma/admin/config/descriptions")
+      conn =
+        assign(conn, :user, admin)
+        |> get("/api/pleroma/admin/config/descriptions")
 
-    assert [child | _others] = json_response(conn, 200)
+      assert [child | _others] = json_response(conn, 200)
 
-    assert child["children"]
-    assert child["key"]
-    assert String.starts_with?(child["group"], ":")
-    assert child["description"]
+      assert child["children"]
+      assert child["key"]
+      assert String.starts_with?(child["group"], ":")
+      assert child["description"]
+    end
+
+    test "filters by database configuration whitelist", %{conn: conn} do
+      clear_config(:database_config_whitelist, [
+        {:pleroma, :instance},
+        {:pleroma, :activitypub},
+        {:pleroma, Pleroma.Upload},
+        {:esshd}
+      ])
+
+      admin = insert(:user, is_admin: true)
+
+      conn =
+        assign(conn, :user, admin)
+        |> get("/api/pleroma/admin/config/descriptions")
+
+      children = json_response(conn, 200)
+
+      assert length(children) == 4
+
+      assert Enum.count(children, fn c -> c["group"] == ":pleroma" end) == 3
+
+      instance = Enum.find(children, fn c -> c["key"] == ":instance" end)
+      assert instance["children"]
+
+      activitypub = Enum.find(children, fn c -> c["key"] == ":activitypub" end)
+      assert activitypub["children"]
+
+      web_endpoint = Enum.find(children, fn c -> c["key"] == "Pleroma.Upload" end)
+      assert web_endpoint["children"]
+
+      esshd = Enum.find(children, fn c -> c["group"] == ":esshd" end)
+      assert esshd["children"]
+    end
   end
 
   describe "/api/pleroma/admin/stats" do