diff --git a/doc/RELEASE-NOTES.md b/doc/RELEASE-NOTES.md
index 398cbe237..c3c15d436 100644
--- a/doc/RELEASE-NOTES.md
+++ b/doc/RELEASE-NOTES.md
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ in progress and may not be a stable version.
       works like a regular [except item](https://www.unrealircd.org/docs/Mask_item).
       If this matches, then the spamfilter will not run at all (no hit).
   * The `action` item now supports multiple actions:
+    * A new action `stop` to stop other spamfilters from processing
     * A new action `set` to set a TAG on a user, or increasing the value of one
     * A new action `report` to call a spamreport block, see next.
 * A new [spamreport { } block](https://www.unrealircd.org/docs/Spamreport_block):
diff --git a/include/h.h b/include/h.h
index 5b08ac483..f4fa74017 100644
--- a/include/h.h
+++ b/include/h.h
@@ -843,7 +843,7 @@ extern MODVAR TKL *(*find_tkline_match_zap)(Client *cptr);
 extern MODVAR void (*tkl_stats)(Client *cptr, int type, const char *para, int *cnt);
 extern MODVAR void (*tkl_sync)(Client *client);
 extern MODVAR void (*cmd_tkl)(Client *client, MessageTag *recv_mtags, int parc, const char *parv[]);
-extern MODVAR int (*take_action)(Client *client, BanAction *actions, const char *reason, long duration, int take_action_flags);
+extern MODVAR int (*take_action)(Client *client, BanAction *actions, const char *reason, long duration, int take_action_flags, int *stopped);
 extern MODVAR int (*match_spamfilter)(Client *client, const char *str_in, int type, const char *cmd, const char *target, int flags, TKL **rettk);
 extern MODVAR int (*match_spamfilter_mtags)(Client *client, MessageTag *mtags, const char *cmd);
 extern MODVAR int (*join_viruschan)(Client *client, TKL *tk, int type);
diff --git a/include/struct.h b/include/struct.h
index 8b6f6609a..48dc73db9 100644
--- a/include/struct.h
+++ b/include/struct.h
@@ -1179,6 +1179,7 @@ typedef enum BanActionValue {
 	BAN_ACT_REPORT		=  40,
 	// anything above BAN_ACT_SET will will cause a log message to be emitted
 	BAN_ACT_SET		=  30,
+	BAN_ACT_STOP		=   5,
 } BanActionValue;
 
 typedef enum VarActionValue {
diff --git a/src/api-efunctions.c b/src/api-efunctions.c
index 59fbbfb2f..ecd8c95f7 100644
--- a/src/api-efunctions.c
+++ b/src/api-efunctions.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ TKL *(*find_tkline_match_zap)(Client *client);
 void (*tkl_stats)(Client *client, int type, const char *para, int *cnt);
 void (*tkl_sync)(Client *client);
 void (*cmd_tkl)(Client *client, MessageTag *mtags, int parc, const char *parv[]);
-int (*take_action)(Client *client, BanAction *action, const char *reason, long duration, int take_action_flags);
+int (*take_action)(Client *client, BanAction *action, const char *reason, long duration, int take_action_flags, int *stopped);
 int (*match_spamfilter)(Client *client, const char *str_in, int type, const char *cmd, const char *target, int flags, TKL **rettk);
 int (*match_spamfilter_mtags)(Client *client, MessageTag *mtags, const char *cmd);
 int (*join_viruschan)(Client *client, TKL *tk, int type);
diff --git a/src/misc.c b/src/misc.c
index 9e312b36c..66a39f943 100644
--- a/src/misc.c
+++ b/src/misc.c
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ static BanActTable banacttable[] = {
 	{ BAN_ACT_SOFT_WARN,	'W',	"soft-warn" },
 	{ BAN_ACT_SET,		'1',	"set" },
 	{ BAN_ACT_REPORT,	'r',	"report" },
+	{ BAN_ACT_STOP,		'0',	"stop" },
 	{ 0, 0, 0 }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/modules/antimixedutf8.c b/src/modules/antimixedutf8.c
index 929facc57..da707c4bd 100644
--- a/src/modules/antimixedutf8.c
+++ b/src/modules/antimixedutf8.c
@@ -697,7 +697,7 @@ CMD_OVERRIDE_FUNC(override_msg)
 		           log_data_string("scripts", logbuf));
 
 		/* Take the action */
-		retval = take_action(client, cfg.ban_action, cfg.ban_reason, cfg.ban_time, 0);
+		retval = take_action(client, cfg.ban_action, cfg.ban_reason, cfg.ban_time, 0, NULL);
 		if ((retval == BAN_ACT_WARN) || (retval == BAN_ACT_SOFT_WARN))
 		{
 			/* no action */
diff --git a/src/modules/antirandom.c b/src/modules/antirandom.c
index dce7b573e..add57c062 100644
--- a/src/modules/antirandom.c
+++ b/src/modules/antirandom.c
@@ -866,7 +866,7 @@ int antirandom_preconnect(Client *client)
 	score = get_spam_score(client);
 	if (score > cfg.threshold)
 	{
-		int n = take_action(client, cfg.ban_action, cfg.ban_reason, cfg.ban_time, 0);
+		int n = take_action(client, cfg.ban_action, cfg.ban_reason, cfg.ban_time, 0, NULL);
 		if ((n == BAN_ACT_WARN) || (n == BAN_ACT_SOFT_WARN))
 		{
 			unreal_log(ULOG_INFO, "antirandom", "ANTIRANDOM_DENIED_USER", client,
diff --git a/src/modules/blacklist.c b/src/modules/blacklist.c
index bdf0776c3..9a3ed6d0f 100644
--- a/src/modules/blacklist.c
+++ b/src/modules/blacklist.c
@@ -753,7 +753,7 @@ int blacklist_action(Client *client, char *opernotice, BanAction *ban_action, ch
 	               log_data_string("ban_action", ban_actions_to_string(ban_action)),
 	               log_data_string("ban_reason", ban_reason),
 	               log_data_integer("ban_time", ban_time));
-	return take_action(client, ban_action, ban_reason, ban_time, 0);
+	return take_action(client, ban_action, ban_reason, ban_time, 0, NULL);
 }
 
 void blacklist_hit(Client *client, Blacklist *bl, int reply)
diff --git a/src/modules/message.c b/src/modules/message.c
index b7e2237ce..7e1dc163c 100644
--- a/src/modules/message.c
+++ b/src/modules/message.c
@@ -619,7 +619,7 @@ int ban_version(Client *client, const char *text)
 		if (find_tkl_exception(TKL_BAN_VERSION, client))
 			return 0; /* we are exempt */
 
-		return take_action(client, ban->action, ban->reason, BAN_VERSION_TKL_TIME, 0);
+		return take_action(client, ban->action, ban->reason, BAN_VERSION_TKL_TIME, 0, NULL);
 	}
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/src/modules/tkl.c b/src/modules/tkl.c
index a6dd1de0c..2fe4a3951 100644
--- a/src/modules/tkl.c
+++ b/src/modules/tkl.c
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ TKL *_find_tkline_match_zap(Client *client);
 void _tkl_stats(Client *client, int type, const char *para, int *cnt);
 void _tkl_sync(Client *client);
 CMD_FUNC(_cmd_tkl);
-int _take_action(Client *client, BanAction *action, char *reason, long duration, int take_action_flags);
+int _take_action(Client *client, BanAction *action, char *reason, long duration, int take_action_flags, int *stopped);
 int _match_spamfilter(Client *client, const char *str_in, int type, const char *cmd, const char *target, int flags, TKL **rettk);
 int _match_spamfilter_mtags(Client *client, MessageTag *mtags, char *cmd);
 int check_mtag_spamfilters_present(void);
@@ -4804,11 +4804,19 @@ void ban_act_set(Client *client, BanAction *action)
 	           log_data_integer("value", tag->value));
 }
 
-void ban_action_run_all_sets(Client *client, BanAction *action)
+void ban_action_run_all_sets_and_stops(Client *client, BanAction *action, int *stopped)
 {
+	*stopped = 0;
 	for (; action; action = action->next)
+	{
 		if (action->action == BAN_ACT_SET)
 			ban_act_set(client, action);
+		if (action->action == BAN_ACT_STOP)
+		{
+			*stopped = 1;
+			break;
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 /** Take an action on the user, such as banning or killing.
@@ -4825,12 +4833,15 @@ void ban_action_run_all_sets(Client *client, BanAction *action)
  * @note Be sure to check IsDead(client) if return value is 1 and you are
  *       considering to continue processing.
  */
-int _take_action(Client *client, BanAction *actions, char *reason, long duration, int take_action_flags)
+int _take_action(Client *client, BanAction *actions, char *reason, long duration, int take_action_flags, int *stopped)
 {
 	BanAction *action;
 	int previous_highest = 0;
 	int highest = 0;
 
+	if (stopped)
+		*stopped = 0;
+
 	for (action = actions; action; action = action->next)
 	{
 		/* If this is a soft action and the user is logged in, then the ban does not apply. */
@@ -4938,6 +4949,10 @@ int _take_action(Client *client, BanAction *actions, char *reason, long duration
 				if (!(take_action_flags & TAKE_ACTION_SKIP_SET))
 					ban_act_set(client, action);
 				break;
+			case BAN_ACT_STOP:
+				if (stopped)
+					*stopped = 1;
+				break;
 			default:
 				/* (BAN_ACT_BLOCK, BAN_ACT_SOFT_BLOCK, BAN_ACT_WARN, etc...) */
 				/* We don't actively do something, up to caller */
@@ -5090,17 +5105,20 @@ static int spamfilter_hide_content(int target)
 /** Called when a spamfilter is hit. Helper for match_spamfilter().
  * @retval 1 to break processing other spamfilters, 0 to continue.
  */
-static int match_spamfilter_hit(Client *client, const char *str_in, const char *str, int target,
-                                const char *cmd, const char *destination, TKL *tkl, TKL **winner_tkl,
-                                char user_is_exempt_general, char user_is_exempt_central,
-                                int *content_revealed,
-                                char no_stop)
+static void match_spamfilter_hit(Client *client, const char *str_in, const char *str, int target,
+                                 const char *cmd, const char *destination, TKL *tkl, TKL **winner_tkl,
+                                 char user_is_exempt_general, char user_is_exempt_central,
+                                 int *stop_processing_general_spamfilters, int *stop_processing_central_spamfilters,
+                                 int *content_revealed,
+                                 char no_stop_first_match)
 {
 	int hide_content = spamfilter_hide_content(target);
+	int stopped;
+	int highest_action;
 
 	/* Perhaps it's on the exceptions list? */
 	if (!*winner_tkl && destination && target_is_spamexcept(destination))
-		return 0; /* No problem! */
+		return; /* No problem! */
 
 	if (match_spamfilter_exempt(tkl, user_is_exempt_general, user_is_exempt_central))
 	{
@@ -5108,7 +5126,8 @@ static int match_spamfilter_hit(Client *client, const char *str_in, const char *
 	} else
 	{
 		tkl->ptr.spamfilter->hits++;
-		if (highest_ban_action(tkl->ptr.spamfilter->action) > BAN_ACT_SET)
+		highest_action = highest_ban_action(tkl->ptr.spamfilter->action);
+		if (highest_action > BAN_ACT_SET)
 		{
 			if (hide_content)
 			{
@@ -5134,23 +5153,29 @@ static int match_spamfilter_hit(Client *client, const char *str_in, const char *
 	}
 
 	/* Run any SET actions */
-	ban_action_run_all_sets(client, tkl->ptr.spamfilter->action);
+	ban_action_run_all_sets_and_stops(client, tkl->ptr.spamfilter->action, &stopped);
 
-	/* If we should stop after the first match, we end here... */
-	if ((no_stop == 0) && SPAMFILTER_STOP_ON_FIRST_MATCH)
-	{
-		*winner_tkl = tkl;
-		return 1;
-	}
-
-	/* Otherwise.. we set 'winner_tkl' to the spamfilter with the strongest action. */
+	/* Set 'winner_tkl' to the spamfilter with the strongest action. */
 	if (!*winner_tkl)
 		*winner_tkl = tkl;
 	else
 		*winner_tkl = choose_winning_spamfilter(tkl, *winner_tkl);
 
-	/* and continue.. */
-	return 0;
+	/* If set::spamfilter::stop-on-first-match is enabled, then we also stop
+	 * (this is different than an ::action stop but the effect is the same...
+	 */
+	if ((no_stop_first_match == 0) && SPAMFILTER_STOP_ON_FIRST_MATCH)
+		stopped = 1;
+
+	/* Tell caller what actually should be stopped... */
+	if (stopped)
+	{
+		if (IsCentralSpamfilter(tkl))
+			*stop_processing_central_spamfilters = 1;
+		else
+			*stop_processing_general_spamfilters = 1;
+	}
+
 }
 
 /** match_spamfilter: executes the spamfilter on the input string.
@@ -5177,6 +5202,8 @@ int _match_spamfilter(Client *client, const char *str_in, int target, const char
 	int tags_serial = client->local ? client->local->tags_serial : 0;
 	char user_is_exempt_general = 0;
 	char user_is_exempt_central = 0;
+	int stop_processing_general_spamfilters = 0;
+	int stop_processing_central_spamfilters = 0;
 	int content_revealed = 0;
 
 	if (rettkl)
@@ -5210,6 +5237,20 @@ int _match_spamfilter(Client *client, const char *str_in, int target, const char
 		if (!(tkl->ptr.spamfilter->target & target))
 			continue;
 
+		/* Skip spamfilters due to a 'stop' action from an earlier spamfilter
+		 * or set::spamfilter::stop-on-first-match.
+		 * We treat such stops as separate for central & general spamfilters
+		 * so they don't affect each other.
+		 */
+		if (IsCentralSpamfilter(tkl))
+		{
+			if (stop_processing_central_spamfilters)
+				continue;
+		} else {
+			if (stop_processing_general_spamfilters)
+				continue;
+		}
+
 		if ((flags & SPAMFLAG_NOWARN) && only_actions_of_type(tkl->ptr.spamfilter->action, BAN_ACT_WARN))
 			continue;
 
@@ -5277,15 +5318,12 @@ int _match_spamfilter(Client *client, const char *str_in, int target, const char
 
 		if (ret)
 		{
-			if (match_spamfilter_hit(client, str_in, str, target, cmd, destination,
-			                           tkl, &winner_tkl,
-			                           user_is_exempt_general, user_is_exempt_central,
-			                           &content_revealed,
-			                           0))
-			{
-				break;
-			}
-			/* otherwise continue.. */
+			match_spamfilter_hit(client, str_in, str, target, cmd, destination,
+			                     tkl, &winner_tkl,
+			                     user_is_exempt_general, user_is_exempt_central,
+			                     &stop_processing_general_spamfilters, &stop_processing_general_spamfilters,
+			                     &content_revealed,
+			                     0);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -5296,9 +5334,11 @@ int _match_spamfilter(Client *client, const char *str_in, int target, const char
 		 * these are special in the sense that they only run
 		 * whenever a tag is changed.
 		 */
+		stop_processing_general_spamfilters = stop_processing_central_spamfilters = 0; /* reset this */
 		for (tkl = tklines[tkl_hash('F')]; tkl; tkl = tkl->next)
 		{
 			crule_context context;
+
 			if (tkl->ptr.spamfilter->target ||
 			    (tkl->ptr.spamfilter->match->type != MATCH_NONE) ||
 			    !tkl->ptr.spamfilter->rule)
@@ -5306,6 +5346,21 @@ int _match_spamfilter(Client *client, const char *str_in, int target, const char
 				continue;
 			}
 
+			/* Skip spamfilters due to a 'stop' action from an earlier spamfilter
+			 * or set::spamfilter::stop-on-first-match.
+			 * We treat such stops as separate for central & general spamfilters
+			 * so they don't affect each other.
+			 */
+			if (IsCentralSpamfilter(tkl))
+			{
+				if (stop_processing_central_spamfilters)
+					continue;
+			} else {
+				if (stop_processing_general_spamfilters)
+					continue;
+			}
+
+
 			if ((flags & SPAMFLAG_NOWARN) && only_actions_of_type(tkl->ptr.spamfilter->action, BAN_ACT_WARN))
 				continue;
 
@@ -5323,6 +5378,7 @@ int _match_spamfilter(Client *client, const char *str_in, int target, const char
 			match_spamfilter_hit(client, str_in, str, target, cmd, destination,
 			                       tkl, &winner_tkl,
 			                       user_is_exempt_general, user_is_exempt_central,
+			                       &stop_processing_general_spamfilters, &stop_processing_general_spamfilters,
 			                       &content_revealed,
 			                       1);
 			/* and continue (yes, always, no stopping on first match) */
@@ -5338,7 +5394,7 @@ int _match_spamfilter(Client *client, const char *str_in, int target, const char
 
 	/* Spamfilter matched */
 	reason = unreal_decodespace(tkl->ptr.spamfilter->tkl_reason);
-	ret = take_action(client, tkl->ptr.spamfilter->action, reason, tkl->ptr.spamfilter->tkl_duration, TAKE_ACTION_SKIP_SET);
+	ret = take_action(client, tkl->ptr.spamfilter->action, reason, tkl->ptr.spamfilter->tkl_duration, TAKE_ACTION_SKIP_SET, NULL);
 	if (!IsDead(client))
 	{
 		if ((ret == BAN_ACT_BLOCK) || (ret == BAN_ACT_SOFT_BLOCK))
diff --git a/src/modules/tkldb.c b/src/modules/tkldb.c
index 46ed35567..5f6141076 100644
--- a/src/modules/tkldb.c
+++ b/src/modules/tkldb.c
@@ -340,6 +340,8 @@ int write_tkldb(void)
 			{
 				if (tkl->flags & TKL_FLAG_CONFIG)
 					continue; /* config entry */
+				if (IsCentralSpamfilter(tkl))
+					continue;
 				if (!write_tkline(db, tmpfname, tkl)) // write_tkline() closes the db on errors itself
 					return 0;
 			}
diff --git a/src/parse.c b/src/parse.c
index d0f991f62..02e7fe3cb 100644
--- a/src/parse.c
+++ b/src/parse.c
@@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ static void ban_handshake_data_flooder(Client *client)
 	else
 	{
 		/* take_action also takes care of removing any other clients with same host/ip */
-		take_action(client, iConf.handshake_data_flood_ban_action, "Handshake data flood detected", iConf.handshake_data_flood_ban_time, 0);
+		take_action(client, iConf.handshake_data_flood_ban_action, "Handshake data flood detected", iConf.handshake_data_flood_ban_time, 0, NULL);
 	}
 }