diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index b355796fa7..a3c029c5ff 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 ### Enhancements
 
+* Added option to choose which variables can be filtered in the filter panel by using the `filterable` attributes for the per-dataset lists in the `filter` argument of `init`. 
 * `teal_module` having `data` argument in its arguments will receive a list of reactive filter data with `"code"` and `"join_keys"` attributes.
 * Updated the internals of `module_teal` to reflect changes in `teal.slice`.
 * `teal_module` having `filter_panel_api` argument in its arguments will receive a `FilterPanelAPI` object.
diff --git a/R/init.R b/R/init.R
index e36f1426f8..283218f23b 100644
--- a/R/init.R
+++ b/R/init.R
@@ -86,6 +86,9 @@
 #'     )
 #'   )
 #'   ```
+#'  By adding the `filterable` attribute it is possible to control which variables can be filtered for each
+#'  dataset. See the example below where `ADSL` can only be filtered by `AGE`, `SEX` or `RACE`.
+#'
 #' @param header (`character` or `shiny.tag`) \cr
 #'   the header of the app. Note shiny code placed here (and in the footer
 #'   argument) will be placed in the app's `ui` function so code which needs to be placed in the `ui` function
@@ -137,7 +140,7 @@
 #'     )
 #'   ),
 #'   title = "App title",
-#'   filter = list(ADSL = list(AGE = list())),
+#'   filter = list(ADSL = structure(list(AGE = list()), filterable = c("AGE", "SEX", "RACE"))),
 #'   header = tags$h1("Sample App"),
 #'   footer = tags$p("Copyright 2017 - 2020")
 #' )
diff --git a/R/module_tabs_with_filters.R b/R/module_tabs_with_filters.R
index 02ee21acba..6b8855f1a8 100644
--- a/R/module_tabs_with_filters.R
+++ b/R/module_tabs_with_filters.R
@@ -153,6 +153,12 @@ srv_tabs_with_filters <- function(id, datasets, modules, reporter = teal.reporte
     logger::log_trace(
       "srv_tabs_with_filters initializing the module with datasets { paste(datasets$datanames(), collapse = ' ') }."
     )
+
+    # set filterable variables for each dataset
+    for (filter_dataname in names(filter)) {
+      datasets$set_filterable_varnames(filter_dataname, attr(filter[[filter_dataname]], "filterable"))
+    }
+
     active_module <- srv_nested_tabs(id = "root", datasets = datasets, modules = modules, reporter = reporter)
 
     active_datanames <- eventReactive(
diff --git a/man/init.Rd b/man/init.Rd
index 8ae40b59d4..b3d191be5e 100644
--- a/man/init.Rd
+++ b/man/init.Rd
@@ -91,7 +91,10 @@ different way. Since it contains patient data with list of experiments,
     )
   )
 )
-}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}}
+}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
+
+By adding the \code{filterable} attribute it is possible to control which variables can be filtered for each
+dataset. See the example below where \code{ADSL} can only be filtered by \code{AGE}, \code{SEX} or \code{RACE}.}
 
 \item{header}{(\code{character} or \code{shiny.tag}) \cr
 the header of the app. Note shiny code placed here (and in the footer
@@ -152,7 +155,7 @@ app <- init(
     )
   ),
   title = "App title",
-  filter = list(ADSL = list(AGE = list())),
+  filter = list(ADSL = structure(list(AGE = list()), filterable = c("AGE", "SEX", "RACE"))),
   header = tags$h1("Sample App"),
   footer = tags$p("Copyright 2017 - 2020")
 )
diff --git a/man/srv_tabs_with_filters.Rd b/man/srv_tabs_with_filters.Rd
index a2b1cc1348..5a3695ef37 100644
--- a/man/srv_tabs_with_filters.Rd
+++ b/man/srv_tabs_with_filters.Rd
@@ -89,7 +89,10 @@ different way. Since it contains patient data with list of experiments,
     )
   )
 )
-}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}}
+}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
+
+By adding the \code{filterable} attribute it is possible to control which variables can be filtered for each
+dataset. See the example below where \code{ADSL} can only be filtered by \code{AGE}, \code{SEX} or \code{RACE}.}
 }
 \value{
 \code{reactive} currently selected active_module
diff --git a/man/srv_teal.Rd b/man/srv_teal.Rd
index 9cfd14ba0f..b1cd99094d 100644
--- a/man/srv_teal.Rd
+++ b/man/srv_teal.Rd
@@ -80,7 +80,10 @@ different way. Since it contains patient data with list of experiments,
     )
   )
 )
-}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}}
+}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
+
+By adding the \code{filterable} attribute it is possible to control which variables can be filtered for each
+dataset. See the example below where \code{ADSL} can only be filtered by \code{AGE}, \code{SEX} or \code{RACE}.}
 }
 \value{
 \code{reactive} which returns the currently active module
diff --git a/man/srv_teal_with_splash.Rd b/man/srv_teal_with_splash.Rd
index 81297b9c6e..ee726529f9 100644
--- a/man/srv_teal_with_splash.Rd
+++ b/man/srv_teal_with_splash.Rd
@@ -87,7 +87,10 @@ different way. Since it contains patient data with list of experiments,
     )
   )
 )
-}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}}
+}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
+
+By adding the \code{filterable} attribute it is possible to control which variables can be filtered for each
+dataset. See the example below where \code{ADSL} can only be filtered by \code{AGE}, \code{SEX} or \code{RACE}.}
 }
 \value{
 \code{reactive}, return value of \code{\link[=srv_teal]{srv_teal()}}