diff --git a/global-config.rsc b/global-config.rsc
index df26ef9..5df7b34 100644
--- a/global-config.rsc
+++ b/global-config.rsc
@@ -119,17 +119,17 @@
 :global FwAddrListTimeOut 1d;
 
 # This defines what log messages to filter or include by topic or message
-# text. Regular expressions are supported. Do *NOT* set an empty string,
-# that will filter or include everything!
+# text. Regular expressions are supported. An empty string has a special
+# meaning not to filter or include anything.
 # These are filters, so excluding messages from forwarding.
 :global LogForwardFilter "(debug|info|packet|raw)";
-:global LogForwardFilterMessage [];
+:global LogForwardFilterMessage "";
 #:global LogForwardFilterMessage "message text";
 #:global LogForwardFilterMessage "(message text|another text|...)";
 # ... and another setting with reverse logic. This includes messages even
 # if filtered above.
-:global LogForwardInclude [];
-:global LogForwardIncludeMessage [];
+:global LogForwardInclude "";
+:global LogForwardIncludeMessage "";
 #:global LogForwardInclude "account";
 #:global LogForwardIncludeMessage "message text";
 
diff --git a/log-forward.rsc b/log-forward.rsc
index 58ec956..afeb3f2 100644
--- a/log-forward.rsc
+++ b/log-forward.rsc
@@ -57,6 +57,11 @@
   :local MessageVal;
   :local MessageDups ({});
 
+  :set LogForwardFilter [ $EitherOr $LogForwardFilter [] ];
+  :set LogForwardFilterMessage [ $EitherOr $LogForwardFilterMessage [] ];
+  :set LogForwardInclude [ $EitherOr $LogForwardInclude [] ];
+  :set LogForwardIncludeMessage [ $EitherOr $LogForwardIncludeMessage [] ];
+
   :local LogForwardFilterLogForwardingCached [ $EitherOr [ $LogForwardFilterLogForwarding ] ("\$^") ];
   :foreach Message in=[ /log/find where (!(message="") and \
       !(message~$LogForwardFilterLogForwardingCached) and \