diff --git a/dll/dll/settings.h b/dll/dll/settings.h
index 90c86964..fc3b7719 100644
--- a/dll/dll/settings.h
+++ b/dll/dll/settings.h
@@ -229,6 +229,9 @@ public:
     // can use GC token for generation
     bool use_gc_token = false;
 
+    // allow stats not defined by the user?
+    bool allow_unknown_stats = false;
+
     // bypass to make SetAchievement() always return true, prevent some games from breaking
     bool achievement_bypass = false;
 
@@ -352,7 +355,7 @@ public:
 
     //stats
     const std::map<std::string, Stat_config>& getStats() const;
-    void setStatDefiniton(const std::string &name, const struct Stat_config &stat_config);
+    std::map<std::string, Stat_config>::const_iterator setStatDefiniton(const std::string &name, const struct Stat_config &stat_config);
 
     //images
     int add_image(const std::string &data, uint32 width, uint32 height);
diff --git a/dll/settings.cpp b/dll/settings.cpp
index 90ab622e..2093c0d5 100644
--- a/dll/settings.cpp
+++ b/dll/settings.cpp
@@ -344,9 +344,10 @@ const std::map<std::string, Stat_config>& Settings::getStats() const
     return stats;
 }
 
-void Settings::setStatDefiniton(const std::string &name, const struct Stat_config &stat_config)
+std::map<std::string, Stat_config>::const_iterator Settings::setStatDefiniton(const std::string &name, const struct Stat_config &stat_config)
 {
-    stats[common_helpers::ascii_to_lowercase(name)] = stat_config;
+    auto ins_it = stats.insert_or_assign(common_helpers::ascii_to_lowercase(name), stat_config);
+    return ins_it.first;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/dll/settings_parser.cpp b/dll/settings_parser.cpp
index 8740242e..28c2dd89 100644
--- a/dll/settings_parser.cpp
+++ b/dll/settings_parser.cpp
@@ -1287,6 +1287,9 @@ static void parse_simple_features(class Settings *settings_client, class Setting
     settings_client->disable_leaderboards_create_unknown = ini.GetBoolValue("main::general", "disable_leaderboards_create_unknown", settings_client->disable_leaderboards_create_unknown);
     settings_server->disable_leaderboards_create_unknown = ini.GetBoolValue("main::general", "disable_leaderboards_create_unknown", settings_server->disable_leaderboards_create_unknown);
 
+    settings_client->allow_unknown_stats = ini.GetBoolValue("main::general", "allow_unknown_stats", settings_client->allow_unknown_stats);
+    settings_server->allow_unknown_stats = ini.GetBoolValue("main::general", "allow_unknown_stats", settings_server->allow_unknown_stats);
+
     settings_client->immediate_gameserver_stats = ini.GetBoolValue("main::general", "immediate_gameserver_stats", settings_client->immediate_gameserver_stats);
     settings_server->immediate_gameserver_stats = ini.GetBoolValue("main::general", "immediate_gameserver_stats", settings_server->immediate_gameserver_stats);
 
diff --git a/dll/steam_user_stats.cpp b/dll/steam_user_stats.cpp
index eaea5b8e..a629f632 100644
--- a/dll/steam_user_stats.cpp
+++ b/dll/steam_user_stats.cpp
@@ -433,6 +433,13 @@ Steam_User_Stats::InternalSetResult<int32> Steam_User_Stats::set_stat_internal(
 
     const auto &stats_config = settings->getStats();
     auto stats_data = stats_config.find(stat_name);
+    if (stats_config.end() == stats_data && settings->allow_unknown_stats) {
+        Stat_config cfg{};
+        cfg.type = GameServerStats_Messages::StatInfo::STAT_TYPE_INT;
+        cfg.default_value_int = 0;
+        stats_data = settings->setStatDefiniton(stat_name, cfg);
+    }
+
     if (stats_config.end() == stats_data) return result;
     if (stats_data->second.type != GameServerStats_Messages::StatInfo::STAT_TYPE_INT) return result;
 
@@ -480,6 +487,13 @@ Steam_User_Stats::InternalSetResult<std::pair<GameServerStats_Messages::StatInfo
 
     const auto &stats_config = settings->getStats();
     auto stats_data = stats_config.find(stat_name);
+    if (stats_config.end() == stats_data && settings->allow_unknown_stats) {
+        Stat_config cfg{};
+        cfg.type = GameServerStats_Messages::StatInfo::STAT_TYPE_FLOAT;
+        cfg.default_value_float = 0;
+        stats_data = settings->setStatDefiniton(stat_name, cfg);
+    }
+
     if (stats_config.end() == stats_data) return result;
     if (stats_data->second.type == GameServerStats_Messages::StatInfo::STAT_TYPE_INT) return result;
 
@@ -528,6 +542,13 @@ Steam_User_Stats::InternalSetResult<std::pair<GameServerStats_Messages::StatInfo
 
     const auto &stats_config = settings->getStats();
     auto stats_data = stats_config.find(stat_name);
+    if (stats_config.end() == stats_data && settings->allow_unknown_stats) {
+        Stat_config cfg{};
+        cfg.type = GameServerStats_Messages::StatInfo::STAT_TYPE_AVGRATE;
+        cfg.default_value_float = 0;
+        stats_data = settings->setStatDefiniton(stat_name, cfg);
+    }
+
     if (stats_config.end() == stats_data) return result;
     if (stats_data->second.type == GameServerStats_Messages::StatInfo::STAT_TYPE_INT) return result;
 
@@ -822,6 +843,13 @@ bool Steam_User_Stats::GetStat( const char *pchName, int32 *pData )
 
     const auto &stats_config = settings->getStats();
     auto stats_data = stats_config.find(stat_name);
+    if (stats_config.end() == stats_data && settings->allow_unknown_stats) {
+        Stat_config cfg{};
+        cfg.type = GameServerStats_Messages::StatInfo::STAT_TYPE_INT;
+        cfg.default_value_int = 0;
+        stats_data = settings->setStatDefiniton(stat_name, cfg);
+    }
+
     if (stats_config.end() == stats_data) return false;
     if (stats_data->second.type != GameServerStats_Messages::StatInfo::STAT_TYPE_INT) return false;
 
@@ -854,6 +882,13 @@ bool Steam_User_Stats::GetStat( const char *pchName, float *pData )
 
     const auto &stats_config = settings->getStats();
     auto stats_data = stats_config.find(stat_name);
+    if (stats_config.end() == stats_data && settings->allow_unknown_stats) {
+        Stat_config cfg{};
+        cfg.type = GameServerStats_Messages::StatInfo::STAT_TYPE_FLOAT;
+        cfg.default_value_float = 0;
+        stats_data = settings->setStatDefiniton(stat_name, cfg);
+    }
+
     if (stats_config.end() == stats_data) return false;
     if (stats_data->second.type == GameServerStats_Messages::StatInfo::STAT_TYPE_INT) return false;
 
diff --git a/post_build/steam_settings.EXAMPLE/configs.main.EXAMPLE.ini b/post_build/steam_settings.EXAMPLE/configs.main.EXAMPLE.ini
index 4c6164c3..f1f30b5b 100644
--- a/post_build/steam_settings.EXAMPLE/configs.main.EXAMPLE.ini
+++ b/post_build/steam_settings.EXAMPLE/configs.main.EXAMPLE.ini
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ enable_account_avatar=0
 # prevent Steam_User_Stats::FindLeaderboard() from always succeeding and creating the unknown leaderboard
 # not recommended to disable this
 disable_leaderboards_create_unknown=0
+# the emu will only save/update stats defined by the user, unknown stats requested or updated by the game will be rejected
+# set this to 1 to allow unknown stats
+# default=0
+allow_unknown_stats=0
 # synchronize user stats/achievements with game servers as soon as possible instead of caching them until the next call to `Steam_RunCallbacks()`
 # not recommended
 immediate_gameserver_stats=0