diff --git a/filters/f_lavfi.c b/filters/f_lavfi.c
index 66e045eb2c..23af326c9b 100644
--- a/filters/f_lavfi.c
+++ b/filters/f_lavfi.c
@@ -941,6 +941,12 @@ static bool is_usable(const AVFilter *filter, int media_type)
            is_single_media_only(filter->outputs, media_type);
 }
 
+bool mp_lavfi_is_usable(const char *name, int media_type)
+{
+    const AVFilter *f = avfilter_get_by_name(name);
+    return f && is_usable(f, media_type);
+}
+
 static void dump_list(struct mp_log *log, int media_type)
 {
     mp_info(log, "Available libavfilter filters:\n");
diff --git a/filters/f_lavfi.h b/filters/f_lavfi.h
index b43be284cd..c6cf86f500 100644
--- a/filters/f_lavfi.h
+++ b/filters/f_lavfi.h
@@ -34,3 +34,6 @@ void print_lavfi_help_list(struct mp_log *log, int media_type);
 
 // Print libavfilter help for the given filter
 void print_lavfi_help(struct mp_log *log, const char *name, int media_type);
+
+// Return whether the given filter exists and has the required media_type in/outs.
+bool mp_lavfi_is_usable(const char *name, int media_type);
diff --git a/filters/user_filters.c b/filters/user_filters.c
index 1a4cf3b122..5ca5b43090 100644
--- a/filters/user_filters.c
+++ b/filters/user_filters.c
@@ -48,11 +48,17 @@ static void print_af_lavfi_help(struct mp_log *log, const char *name)
     print_lavfi_help(log, name, AVMEDIA_TYPE_AUDIO);
 }
 
+static bool check_af_lavfi(const char *name)
+{
+    return mp_lavfi_is_usable(name, AVMEDIA_TYPE_AUDIO);
+}
+
 const struct m_obj_list af_obj_list = {
     .get_desc = get_af_desc,
     .description = "audio filters",
     .allow_disable_entries = true,
     .allow_unknown_entries = true,
+    .check_unknown_entry = check_af_lavfi,
     .print_help_list = print_af_help_list,
     .print_unknown_entry_help = print_af_lavfi_help,
 };
@@ -96,11 +102,17 @@ static void print_vf_lavfi_help(struct mp_log *log, const char *name)
     print_lavfi_help(log, name, AVMEDIA_TYPE_VIDEO);
 }
 
+static bool check_vf_lavfi(const char *name)
+{
+    return mp_lavfi_is_usable(name, AVMEDIA_TYPE_VIDEO);
+}
+
 const struct m_obj_list vf_obj_list = {
     .get_desc = get_vf_desc,
     .description = "video filters",
     .allow_disable_entries = true,
     .allow_unknown_entries = true,
+    .check_unknown_entry = check_vf_lavfi,
     .print_help_list = print_vf_help_list,
     .print_unknown_entry_help = print_vf_lavfi_help,
 };
diff --git a/options/m_option.c b/options/m_option.c
index 892016c935..d0f5e7a418 100644
--- a/options/m_option.c
+++ b/options/m_option.c
@@ -3021,7 +3021,11 @@ static int parse_obj_settings(struct mp_log *log, struct bstr opt, int op,
             mp_warn(log, "Driver '%s' has been replaced with '%s'!\n",
                    desc.replaced_name, desc.name);
     } else {
-        if (!list->allow_unknown_entries) {
+        char name[80];
+        snprintf(name, sizeof(name), "%.*s", BSTR_P(str));
+        if (!list->allow_unknown_entries ||
+            (list->check_unknown_entry && !list->check_unknown_entry(name)))
+        {
             mp_err(log, "Option %.*s: %.*s doesn't exist.\n",
                    BSTR_P(opt), BSTR_P(str));
             return M_OPT_INVALID;
diff --git a/options/m_option.h b/options/m_option.h
index 4289fa5a2e..a5f9618462 100644
--- a/options/m_option.h
+++ b/options/m_option.h
@@ -149,6 +149,9 @@ struct m_obj_list {
     // Allow unknown entries, for which a dummy entry is inserted, and whose
     // options are skipped and ignored.
     bool allow_unknown_entries;
+    // Callback to test whether an unknown entry should be allowed. (This can
+    // be useful if adding them as explicit entries is too much work.)
+    bool (*check_unknown_entry)(const char *name);
     // Allow syntax for disabling entries.
     bool allow_disable_entries;
     // This helps with confusing error messages if unknown flag options are used.