diff --git a/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/ISettings.java b/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/ISettings.java
index ae7814153c8..7bd7352896c 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/ISettings.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/ISettings.java
@@ -406,6 +406,8 @@ public interface ISettings extends IConf {
 
     boolean showZeroBaltop();
 
+    String getNickRegex();
+
     int getMaxItemLore();
 
     enum KeepInvPolicy {
diff --git a/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/Settings.java b/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/Settings.java
index 628271bc969..db857b0d083 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/Settings.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/Settings.java
@@ -1944,6 +1944,11 @@ public boolean showZeroBaltop() {
         return config.getBoolean("show-zero-baltop", true);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public String getNickRegex() {
+        return config.getString("nick-regex", "^[a-zA-Z_0-9§]+$");
+    }
+  
     @Override
     public int getMaxItemLore() {
         return config.getInt("max-itemlore-lines", 10);
diff --git a/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandnick.java b/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandnick.java
index 699fef7130d..dfbcd2c110c 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandnick.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandnick.java
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ protected void updatePlayer(final Server server, final CommandSource sender, fin
 
     private String formatNickname(final User user, final String nick) throws Exception {
         final String newNick = user == null ? FormatUtil.replaceFormat(nick) : FormatUtil.formatString(user, "essentials.nick", nick);
-        if (!newNick.matches("^[a-zA-Z_0-9" + ChatColor.COLOR_CHAR + "]+$") && user != null && !user.isAuthorized("essentials.nick.allowunsafe")) {
+        if (!newNick.matches(ess.getSettings().getNickRegex()) && user != null && !user.isAuthorized("essentials.nick.allowunsafe")) {
             throw new Exception(tl("nickNamesAlpha"));
         } else if (getNickLength(newNick) > ess.getSettings().getMaxNickLength()) {
             throw new Exception(tl("nickTooLong"));
diff --git a/Essentials/src/main/resources/config.yml b/Essentials/src/main/resources/config.yml
index 9ce30622d36..f5fc0224959 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/main/resources/config.yml
+++ b/Essentials/src/main/resources/config.yml
@@ -33,6 +33,11 @@ nickname-prefix: '~'
 # The maximum length allowed in nicknames. The nickname prefix is not included in this.
 max-nick-length: 15
 
+# The regex pattern to use when checking the nickname change.
+# If the pattern is not matched, the nickname will be rejected.
+# To bypass this check, users need the essentials.nick.allowunsafe permission.
+nick-regex: '^[a-zA-Z_0-9§]+$'
+
 # A list of phrases that cannot be used in nicknames. You can include regular expressions here.
 # Users with essentials.nick.blacklist.bypass will be able to bypass this filter.
 nick-blacklist: