diff --git a/plugins/Karma/config.py b/plugins/Karma/config.py
index fd505c9cf..376348b20 100644
--- a/plugins/Karma/config.py
+++ b/plugins/Karma/config.py
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@ Karma = conf.registerPlugin('Karma')
 conf.registerChannelValue(Karma, 'simpleOutput',
     registry.Boolean(False, _("""Determines whether the bot will output shorter
     versions of the karma output when requesting a single thing's karma.""")))
+conf.registerChannelValue(Karma, 'incrementChars',
+    registry.SpaceSeparatedListOfStrings(['++'], _("""A space separated list of
+    characters to increase karma.""")))
+conf.registerChannelValue(Karma, 'decrementChars',
+    registry.SpaceSeparatedListOfStrings(['--'], _("""A space separated list of
+    characters to decrease karma.""")))
 conf.registerChannelValue(Karma, 'response',
     registry.Boolean(False, _("""Determines whether the bot will reply with a
     success message when something's karma is increased or decreased.""")))
diff --git a/plugins/Karma/locales/fi.po b/plugins/Karma/locales/fi.po
index ae0ad03d6..4b2e02588 100644
--- a/plugins/Karma/locales/fi.po
+++ b/plugins/Karma/locales/fi.po
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "%(thing)s's karma is now %(karma)i"
 msgstr "%(thing)in karma on nyt %(karma)i"
 
-#: plugin.py:248 plugin.py:257
+#: plugin.py:254 plugin.py:263
 msgid "You're not allowed to adjust your own karma."
 msgstr "Sinä et saa määrittää omaa karmaasi."
 
diff --git a/plugins/Karma/locales/fr.po b/plugins/Karma/locales/fr.po
index ff2952661..1f87ec5d5 100644
--- a/plugins/Karma/locales/fr.po
+++ b/plugins/Karma/locales/fr.po
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "%(thing)s's karma is now %(karma)i"
 msgstr "Le karma de %(thing)s est maintenant %(karma)i"
 
-#: plugin.py:245 plugin.py:254
+#: plugin.py:254 plugin.py:263
 msgid "You're not allowed to adjust your own karma."
 msgstr "Vous n'êtes pas autorisé à modifier votre propre karma."
 
diff --git a/plugins/Karma/locales/it.po b/plugins/Karma/locales/it.po
index 31cee4f9b..0ff5f1ba7 100644
--- a/plugins/Karma/locales/it.po
+++ b/plugins/Karma/locales/it.po
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ msgid ""
 msgstr ""
 "Determina se il bot aumenterà o diminuirà il karma senza essere richiamato."
 
-#: plugin.py:247 plugin.py:255
+#: plugin.py:254 plugin.py:263
 msgid "You're not allowed to adjust your own karma."
 msgstr "Non ti è permesso di modificare il tuo karma."
 
diff --git a/plugins/Karma/plugin.py b/plugins/Karma/plugin.py
index 6a50f5103..70f2cdc94 100644
--- a/plugins/Karma/plugin.py
+++ b/plugins/Karma/plugin.py
@@ -242,34 +242,35 @@ class Karma(callbacks.Plugin):
         else:
             irc.noReply()
 
-    def _doKarma(self, irc, channel, thing):
-        assert thing[-2:] in ('++', '--')
-        if thing.endswith('++'):
-            thing = thing[:-2]
-            if ircutils.strEqual(thing, irc.msg.nick) and \
-               not self.registryValue('allowSelfRating', channel):
-                irc.error(_('You\'re not allowed to adjust your own karma.'))
-            elif thing:
-                self.db.increment(channel, self._normalizeThing(thing))
-                karma = self.db.get(channel, self._normalizeThing(thing))
-                self._respond(irc, channel, thing, karma[0]-karma[1])
-        else:
-            thing = thing[:-2]
-            if ircutils.strEqual(thing, irc.msg.nick) and \
-               not self.registryValue('allowSelfRating', channel):
-                irc.error(_('You\'re not allowed to adjust your own karma.'))
-            elif thing:
-                self.db.decrement(channel, self._normalizeThing(thing))
-                karma = self.db.get(channel, self._normalizeThing(thing))
-                self._respond(irc, channel, thing, karma[0]-karma[1])
+    def _doKarma(self, irc, msg, channel, thing):
+        inc = self.registryValue('incrementChars', channel) 
+        dec = self.registryValue('decrementChars', channel)
+        if thing.endswith(tuple(inc + dec)):
+            for s in inc:
+                if thing.endswith(s):
+                    thing = thing[:-len(s)]
+                    if ircutils.strEqual(thing, msg.nick) and \
+                        not self.registryValue('allowSelfRating', channel):
+                        irc.error(_('You\'re not allowed to adjust your own karma.'))
+                        return
+                    self.db.increment(channel, self._normalizeThing(thing))
+                    karma = self.db.get(channel, self._normalizeThing(thing))
+            for s in dec:
+                if thing.endswith(s):
+                    thing = thing[:-len(s)]
+                    if ircutils.strEqual(thing, msg.nick) and \
+                        not self.registryValue('allowSelfRating', channel):
+                        irc.error(_('You\'re not allowed to adjust your own karma.'))
+                        return
+                    self.db.decrement(channel, self._normalizeThing(thing))
+                    karma = self.db.get(channel, self._normalizeThing(thing))
+            self._respond(irc, channel, thing, karma[0]-karma[1])
 
     def invalidCommand(self, irc, msg, tokens):
         channel = msg.args[0]
-        if not irc.isChannel(channel) or not tokens:
-            return
-        if tokens[-1][-2:] in ('++', '--'):
+        if irc.isChannel(channel) and tokens:
             thing = ' '.join(tokens)
-            self._doKarma(irc, channel, thing)
+            self._doKarma(irc, msg, channel, thing)
 
     def doPrivmsg(self, irc, msg):
         # We don't handle this if we've been addressed because invalidCommand
@@ -282,8 +283,7 @@ class Karma(callbacks.Plugin):
                self.registryValue('allowUnaddressedKarma', channel):
                 irc = callbacks.SimpleProxy(irc, msg)
                 thing = msg.args[1].rstrip()
-                if thing[-2:] in ('++', '--'):
-                    self._doKarma(irc, channel, thing)
+                self._doKarma(irc, msg, channel, thing)
 
     @internationalizeDocstring
     def karma(self, irc, msg, args, channel, things):