diff --git a/code/__DEFINES/chat_filter.dm b/code/__DEFINES/chat_filter.dm
index 6b39b253937..c3dded5e1ed 100644
--- a/code/__DEFINES/chat_filter.dm
+++ b/code/__DEFINES/chat_filter.dm
@@ -7,3 +7,6 @@
 /// Given a chat filter result, will send a to_chat to the user telling them about why their message was blocked
 #define REPORT_CHAT_FILTER_TO_USER(user, filter_result) \
 	to_chat(user, span_warning("The word <b>[html_encode(filter_result[CHAT_FILTER_INDEX_WORD])]</b> is prohibited: [html_encode(filter_result[CHAT_FILTER_INDEX_REASON])]"))
+
+/// Given a user, returns TRUE if they are allowed to bypass the filter.
+#define CAN_BYPASS_FILTER(user) (!isnull(user?.client?.holder))
diff --git a/code/game/objects/items/devices/PDA/PDA.dm b/code/game/objects/items/devices/PDA/PDA.dm
index 6f8e9884203..9dedd04fc66 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/items/devices/PDA/PDA.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/items/devices/PDA/PDA.dm
@@ -766,12 +766,12 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(PDAs)
 	if((last_text && world.time < last_text + 10) || (everyone && last_everyone && world.time < last_everyone + PDA_SPAM_DELAY))
 		return FALSE
 
-	var/list/filter_result = is_ic_filtered_for_pdas(message)
+	var/list/filter_result = CAN_BYPASS_FILTER(user) ? null : is_ic_filtered_for_pdas(message)
 	if (filter_result)
 		REPORT_CHAT_FILTER_TO_USER(user, filter_result)
 		return FALSE
 
-	var/list/soft_filter_result = is_soft_ic_filtered_for_pdas(message)
+	var/list/soft_filter_result = CAN_BYPASS_FILTER(user) ? null : is_soft_ic_filtered_for_pdas(message)
 	if (soft_filter_result)
 		if(tgui_alert(usr,"Your message contains \"[soft_filter_result[CHAT_FILTER_INDEX_WORD]]\". \"[soft_filter_result[CHAT_FILTER_INDEX_REASON]]\", Are you sure you want to send it?", "Soft Blocked Word", list("Yes", "No")) != "Yes")
 			return FALSE
diff --git a/code/modules/antagonists/cult/cult_comms.dm b/code/modules/antagonists/cult/cult_comms.dm
index b29a140570d..e0ddc7b66d9 100644
--- a/code/modules/antagonists/cult/cult_comms.dm
+++ b/code/modules/antagonists/cult/cult_comms.dm
@@ -21,12 +21,12 @@
 	if(!input || !IsAvailable())
 		return
 
-	var/list/filter_result = is_ic_filtered(input)
+	var/list/filter_result = CAN_BYPASS_FILTER(usr) ? null : is_ic_filtered(input)
 	if(filter_result)
 		REPORT_CHAT_FILTER_TO_USER(usr, filter_result)
 		return
 
-	var/list/soft_filter_result = is_soft_ic_filtered(input)
+	var/list/soft_filter_result = CAN_BYPASS_FILTER(usr) ? null : is_soft_ic_filtered(input)
 	if(soft_filter_result)
 		if(tgui_alert(usr,"Your message contains \"[soft_filter_result[CHAT_FILTER_INDEX_WORD]]\". \"[soft_filter_result[CHAT_FILTER_INDEX_REASON]]\", Are you sure you want to say it?", "Soft Blocked Word", list("Yes", "No")) != "Yes")
 			return
diff --git a/code/modules/client/verbs/ooc.dm b/code/modules/client/verbs/ooc.dm
index 07b5233f103..c49881756d2 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/verbs/ooc.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/verbs/ooc.dm
@@ -32,11 +32,14 @@ GLOBAL_VAR_INIT(normal_ooc_colour, "#002eb8")
 	var/raw_msg = msg
 
 	var/list/filter_result = is_ooc_filtered(msg)
-	if (filter_result)
+	if (!CAN_BYPASS_FILTER(usr) && filter_result)
 		REPORT_CHAT_FILTER_TO_USER(usr, filter_result)
 		return
 
-	var/list/soft_filter_result = is_soft_ooc_filtered(msg)
+	// Protect filter bypassers from themselves.
+	// Demote hard filter results to soft filter results if necessary due to the danger of accidentally speaking in OOC.
+	var/list/soft_filter_result = filter_result || is_soft_ooc_filtered(msg)
+
 	if (soft_filter_result)
 		if(tgui_alert(usr,"Your message contains \"[soft_filter_result[CHAT_FILTER_INDEX_WORD]]\". \"[soft_filter_result[CHAT_FILTER_INDEX_REASON]]\", Are you sure you want to say it?", "Soft Blocked Word", list("Yes", "No")) != "Yes")
 			return
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/dead/observer/observer_say.dm b/code/modules/mob/dead/observer/observer_say.dm
index dff0145de2c..38fcdb494cf 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/dead/observer/observer_say.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/dead/observer/observer_say.dm
@@ -12,12 +12,12 @@
 /mob/dead/observer/say(message, bubble_type, list/spans = list(), sanitize = TRUE, datum/language/language = null, ignore_spam = FALSE, forced = null, filterproof = null)
 	message = trim(message) //trim now and sanitize after checking for special admin radio keys
 
-	var/list/filter_result = is_ooc_filtered(message)
+	var/list/filter_result = CAN_BYPASS_FILTER(src) ? null : is_ooc_filtered(message)
 	if (filter_result)
 		REPORT_CHAT_FILTER_TO_USER(usr, filter_result)
 		return
 
-	var/list/soft_filter_result = is_soft_ooc_filtered(message)
+	var/list/soft_filter_result = CAN_BYPASS_FILTER(src) ? null : is_soft_ooc_filtered(message)
 	if (soft_filter_result)
 		if(tgui_alert(usr,"Your message contains \"[soft_filter_result[CHAT_FILTER_INDEX_WORD]]\". \"[soft_filter_result[CHAT_FILTER_INDEX_REASON]]\", Are you sure you want to say it?", "Soft Blocked Word", list("Yes", "No")) != "Yes")
 			return
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/living_say.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/living_say.dm
index 7fe192f279c..64dc71643db 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/living_say.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/living_say.dm
@@ -97,9 +97,9 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_INIT(message_modes_stat_limits, list(
 	var/list/soft_filter_result
 	if(client && !forced && !filterproof)
 		//The filter doesn't act on the sanitized message, but the raw message.
-		filter_result = is_ic_filtered(message)
+		filter_result = CAN_BYPASS_FILTER(src) ? null : is_ic_filtered(message)
 		if(!filter_result)
-			soft_filter_result = is_soft_ic_filtered(message)
+			soft_filter_result = CAN_BYPASS_FILTER(src) ? null : is_soft_ic_filtered(message)
 
 	if(sanitize)
 		message = trim(copytext_char(sanitize(message), 1, MAX_MESSAGE_LEN))