diff --git a/doc/sample-ngircd.conf.tmpl b/doc/sample-ngircd.conf.tmpl
index 31333ec2..99960e95 100644
--- a/doc/sample-ngircd.conf.tmpl
+++ b/doc/sample-ngircd.conf.tmpl
@@ -128,6 +128,12 @@
 	# behavior of ngIRCd. If you want to get started quickly, you most
 	# probably don't have to make changes here -- they are all optional.
 
+	# List of allowed channel types (channel prefixes) for newly created
+	# channels on the local server. By default, all supported channel
+	# types are allowed. Set this variable to the empty string to disallow
+	# creation of new channels by local clients at all.
+	;AllowedChannelTypes = #&+
+
 	# Are remote IRC operators allowed to control this server, e.g.
 	# use commands like CONNECT, SQUIT, DIE, ...?
 	;AllowRemoteOper = no
@@ -209,9 +215,6 @@
 	# character prepended to their respective user names!
 	;PAMIsOptional = no
 
-	# Allow Pre-Defined Channels only (see Section [Channels])
-	;PredefChannelsOnly = no
-
 	# Let ngIRCd send an "authentication PING" when a new client connects,
 	# and register this client only after receiving the corresponding
 	# "PONG" reply.
diff --git a/man/ngircd.conf.5.tmpl b/man/ngircd.conf.5.tmpl
index 64acd927..c9d7bf83 100644
--- a/man/ngircd.conf.5.tmpl
+++ b/man/ngircd.conf.5.tmpl
@@ -209,6 +209,12 @@ Optional features and configuration options to further tweak the behavior of
 ngIRCd. If you want to get started quickly, you most probably don't have to
 make changes here -- they are all optional.
 .TP
+\fBAllowedChannelTypes\fR (string)
+List of allowed channel types (channel prefixes) for newly created channels
+on the local server. By default, all supported channel types are allowed.
+Set this variable to the empty string to disallow creation of new channels
+by local clients at all. Default: #&+
+.TP
 \fBAllowRemoteOper\fR (boolean)
 Are IRC operators connected to remote servers allowed to control this server,
 e.g. are they allowed to use administrative commands like CONNECT, DIE,
@@ -319,12 +325,6 @@ able to distinguish between Ident'ified and PAM-authenticated users: both
 don't have a "~" character prepended to their respective user names!
 Default: no.
 .TP
-\fBPredefChannelsOnly\fR (boolean)
-If enabled, no new channels can be created. Useful if you do not want to have
-other channels than those defined in [Channel] sections in the configuration
-file on this server.
-Default: no.
-.TP
 \fBRequireAuthPing\fR (boolean)
 Let ngIRCd send an "authentication PING" when a new client connects, and
 register this client only after receiving the corresponding "PONG" reply.
diff --git a/src/ngircd/conf.c b/src/ngircd/conf.c
index bae5fa7a..70c96092 100644
--- a/src/ngircd/conf.c
+++ b/src/ngircd/conf.c
@@ -391,6 +391,7 @@ Conf_Test( void )
 	puts("");
 
 	puts("[OPTIONS]");
+	printf("  AllowedChannelTypes = %s\n", Conf_AllowedChannelTypes);
 	printf("  AllowRemoteOper = %s\n", yesno_to_str(Conf_AllowRemoteOper));
 	printf("  ChrootDir = %s\n", Conf_Chroot);
 	printf("  CloakHost = %s\n", Conf_CloakHost);
@@ -415,7 +416,6 @@ Conf_Test( void )
 	printf("  PAM = %s\n", yesno_to_str(Conf_PAM));
 	printf("  PAMIsOptional = %s\n", yesno_to_str(Conf_PAMIsOptional));
 #endif
-	printf("  PredefChannelsOnly = %s\n", yesno_to_str(Conf_PredefChannelsOnly));
 #ifndef STRICT_RFC
 	printf("  RequireAuthPing = %s\n", yesno_to_str(Conf_AuthPing));
 #endif
@@ -758,6 +758,8 @@ Set_Defaults(bool InitServers)
 	Conf_PongTimeout = 20;
 
 	/* Options */
+	strlcpy(Conf_AllowedChannelTypes, CHANTYPES,
+		sizeof(Conf_AllowedChannelTypes));
 	Conf_AllowRemoteOper = false;
 #ifndef STRICT_RFC
 	Conf_AuthPing = false;
@@ -792,7 +794,6 @@ Set_Defaults(bool InitServers)
 	Conf_PAM = false;
 #endif
 	Conf_PAMIsOptional = false;
-	Conf_PredefChannelsOnly = false;
 #ifdef SYSLOG
 	Conf_ScrubCTCP = false;
 #ifdef LOG_LOCAL5
@@ -1633,12 +1634,37 @@ static void
 Handle_OPTIONS(const char *File, int Line, char *Var, char *Arg)
 {
 	size_t len;
+	char *p;
 
 	assert(File != NULL);
 	assert(Line > 0);
 	assert(Var != NULL);
 	assert(Arg != NULL);
 
+	if (strcasecmp(Var, "AllowedChannelTypes") == 0) {
+		p = Arg;
+		Conf_AllowedChannelTypes[0] = '\0';
+		while (*p) {
+			if (strchr(Conf_AllowedChannelTypes, *p)) {
+				/* Prefix is already included; ignore it */
+				p++;
+				continue;
+			}
+
+			if (strchr(CHANTYPES, *p)) {
+				len = strlen(Conf_AllowedChannelTypes) + 1;
+				assert(len < sizeof(Conf_AllowedChannelTypes));
+				Conf_AllowedChannelTypes[len - 1] = *p;
+				Conf_AllowedChannelTypes[len] = '\0';
+			} else {
+				Config_Error(LOG_WARNING,
+					     "%s, line %d: Unknown channel prefix \"%c\" in \"AllowedChannelTypes\"!",
+					     File, Line, *p);
+			}
+			p++;
+		}
+		return;
+	}
 	if (strcasecmp(Var, "AllowRemoteOper") == 0) {
 		Conf_AllowRemoteOper = Check_ArgIsTrue(Arg);
 		return;
@@ -1731,7 +1757,19 @@ Handle_OPTIONS(const char *File, int Line, char *Var, char *Arg)
 		return;
 	}
 	if (strcasecmp(Var, "PredefChannelsOnly") == 0) {
-		Conf_PredefChannelsOnly = Check_ArgIsTrue(Arg);
+		/*
+		 * TODO: This section and support for "PredefChannelsOnly"
+		 * could be removed starting with ngIRCd release 22 (one
+		 * release after marking it "deprecated") ...
+		 */
+		Config_Error(LOG_WARNING,
+			     "%s, line %d (section \"Options\"): \"%s\" is deprecated, please use \"AllowedChannelTypes\"!",
+			     File, Line, Var);
+		if (Check_ArgIsTrue(Arg))
+			Conf_AllowedChannelTypes[0] = '\0';
+		else
+			strlcpy(Conf_AllowedChannelTypes, CHANTYPES,
+				sizeof(Conf_AllowedChannelTypes));
 		return;
 	}
 #ifndef STRICT_RFC
diff --git a/src/ngircd/conf.h b/src/ngircd/conf.h
index bbf4f36c..93d6785f 100644
--- a/src/ngircd/conf.h
+++ b/src/ngircd/conf.h
@@ -148,8 +148,8 @@ GLOBAL CONF_SERVER Conf_Server[MAX_SERVERS];
 /** Array of pre-defined channels */
 GLOBAL array Conf_Channels;
 
-/** Flag indicating if only pre-defined channels are allowed (true) or not */
-GLOBAL bool Conf_PredefChannelsOnly;
+/** String containing all locally allowed channel prefixes for new channels */
+GLOBAL char Conf_AllowedChannelTypes[8];
 
 /** Flag indicating if IRC operators are allowed to always use MODE (true) */
 GLOBAL bool Conf_OperCanMode;
diff --git a/src/ngircd/irc-channel.c b/src/ngircd/irc-channel.c
index c6836401..16501bec 100644
--- a/src/ngircd/irc-channel.c
+++ b/src/ngircd/irc-channel.c
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ IRC_JOIN( CLIENT *Client, REQUEST *Req )
 		}
 
 		chan = Channel_Search(channame);
-		if (!chan && Conf_PredefChannelsOnly) {
+		if (!chan && !strchr(Conf_AllowedChannelTypes, channame[0])) {
 			 /* channel must be created, but forbidden by config */
 			IRC_WriteStrClient(Client, ERR_NOSUCHCHANNEL_MSG,
 					   Client_ID(Client), channame);