diff --git a/docs/config.md b/docs/config.md
index a1fd8e3f4..ed253e906 100644
--- a/docs/config.md
+++ b/docs/config.md
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ This section is used to configure Pleroma-FE, unless ``:managed_config`` in ``:i
 * `allow_direct`: whether to allow direct messages
 
 ## :mrf_hellthread
-* `delist_threshold`: Number of mentioned users after which the message gets delisted. Set to 0 to disable.
+* `delist_threshold`: Number of mentioned users after which the message gets delisted (the message can still be seen, but it will not show up in public timelines and mentioned users won't get notifications about it). Set to 0 to disable.
 * `reject_threshold`: Number of mentioned users after which the messaged gets rejected. Set to 0 to disable.
 
 ## :media_proxy
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/config/deprecation_warnings.ex b/lib/pleroma/config/deprecation_warnings.ex
index dc50682ee..0eb1833aa 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/config/deprecation_warnings.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/config/deprecation_warnings.ex
@@ -12,6 +12,13 @@ def check_frontend_config_mechanism() do
       You are using the old configuration mechanism for the frontend. Please check config.md.
       """)
     end
+
+    if Pleroma.Config.get(:mrf_hellthread, :threshold) do
+      Logger.warn("""
+      !!!DEPRECATION WARNING!!!
+      You are using the old configuration mechanism for the hellthread filter. Please check config.md.
+      """)
+    end
   end
 
   def warn do
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/mrf/hellthread_policy.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/mrf/hellthread_policy.ex
index d95424493..cd9f9b1c4 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/mrf/hellthread_policy.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/mrf/hellthread_policy.ex
@@ -6,27 +6,34 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.MRF.HellthreadPolicy do
   alias Pleroma.User
   @behaviour Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.MRF
 
+  defp delist_message(object) do
+    follower_collection = User.get_by_ap_id(object["actor"].follower_address)
+
+    object
+    |> Kernel.update_in(["to"], [follower_collection])
+    |> Kernel.update_in(["cc"], ["https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public"])
+  end
+
   @impl true
   def filter(%{"type" => "Create"} = object) do
     delist_threshold = Pleroma.Config.get([:mrf_hellthread, :delist_threshold])
-    reject_threshold = Pleroma.Config.get([:mrf_hellthread, :reject_threshold])
+
+    reject_threshold =
+      Pleroma.Config.get(
+        [:mrf_hellthread, :reject_threshold],
+        Pleroma.Config.get([:mrf_hellthread, :threshold])
+      )
+
     recipients = (object["to"] || []) ++ (object["cc"] || [])
 
     cond do
-      length(recipients) > reject_threshold and reject_threshold != 0 ->
+      length(recipients) > reject_threshold and reject_threshold > 0 ->
         {:reject, nil}
 
-      length(recipients) > delist_threshold and delist_threshold != 0 ->
+      length(recipients) > delist_threshold and delist_threshold > 0 ->
         if Enum.member?(object["to"], "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public") or
-             Enum.member?(object["cc"], "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public") do
-          follower_collection = User.get_by_ap_id(object["actor"].follower_address)
-
-          object
-          |> Kernel.update_in(["object", "to"], [follower_collection])
-          |> Kernel.update_in(["object", "cc"], ["https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public"])
-          |> Kernel.update_in(["to"], [follower_collection])
-          |> Kernel.update_in(["cc"], ["https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public"])
-
+             Enum.member?(object["to"], "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public") do
+          delist_message(object)
           {:ok, object}
         else
           {:ok, object}