diff --git a/plugins/Topic/config.py b/plugins/Topic/config.py
index d18ac546d..f4d7a4344 100644
--- a/plugins/Topic/config.py
+++ b/plugins/Topic/config.py
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ conf.registerChannelValue(Topic, 'requireManageCapability',
     channel-level capabilities.
     Note that absence of an explicit anticapability means user has
     capability.""")))
+conf.registerChannelValue(Topic, 'allowSeparatorinTopics',
+    registry.Boolean(True, _("""Determines whether the bot will allow
+    topics containing the defined separator to be used. You may want
+    to disable this if you are signing all topics by nick (see the 'format'
+    option for ways to adjust this).""")))
 
 
 # vim:set shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4 expandtab textwidth=79:
diff --git a/plugins/Topic/plugin.py b/plugins/Topic/plugin.py
index 1419d3cc8..ab3400457 100644
--- a/plugins/Topic/plugin.py
+++ b/plugins/Topic/plugin.py
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ def canChangeTopic(irc, msg, args, state):
 
 def getTopic(irc, msg, args, state, format=True):
     separator = state.cb.registryValue('separator', state.channel)
-    if separator in args[0]:
+    if separator in args[0] and not \
+        state.cb.registryValue('allowSeparatorinTopics', state.channel):
         state.errorInvalid('topic', args[0],
                            format(_('The topic must not include %q.'),
                                   separator))