diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index 511f2438..7b943c81 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ Features
 * More complete and up-to-date set of MySQL reserved words for completions.
 * Place exact-leading completions first.
 * Allow history file location to be configured.
+* Make destructive-warning keywords configurable.
 
 
 Bug Fixes
diff --git a/mycli/main.py b/mycli/main.py
index a785146f..8c82bba9 100755
--- a/mycli/main.py
+++ b/mycli/main.py
@@ -220,6 +220,10 @@ def __init__(
         self.prompt_format = prompt or prompt_cnf or c["main"]["prompt"] or self.default_prompt
         self.multiline_continuation_char = c["main"]["prompt_continuation"]
         self.prompt_app = None
+        self.destructive_keywords = [
+            keyword for keyword in c["main"].get("destructive_keywords", "DROP SHUTDOWN DELETE TRUNCATE ALTER UPDATE").split(' ') if keyword
+        ]
+        special.set_destructive_keywords(self.destructive_keywords)
 
     def close(self) -> None:
         if self.sqlexecute is not None:
@@ -346,7 +350,7 @@ def execute_from_file(self, arg: str, **_) -> Iterable[SQLResult]:
         except IOError as e:
             return [SQLResult(status=str(e))]
 
-        if self.destructive_warning and confirm_destructive_query(query) is False:
+        if self.destructive_warning and confirm_destructive_query(self.destructive_keywords, query) is False:
             message = "Wise choice. Command execution stopped."
             return [SQLResult(status=message)]
 
@@ -977,7 +981,7 @@ def one_iteration(text: str | None = None) -> None:
                     return
 
             if self.destructive_warning:
-                destroy = confirm_destructive_query(text)
+                destroy = confirm_destructive_query(self.destructive_keywords, text)
                 if destroy is None:
                     pass  # Query was not destructive. Nothing to do here.
                 elif destroy is True:
@@ -1852,10 +1856,10 @@ def cli(
             click.secho("Sorry... :(", err=True, fg="red")
             sys.exit(1)
 
-        if mycli.destructive_warning and is_destructive(stdin_text):
+        if mycli.destructive_warning and is_destructive(mycli.destructive_keywords, stdin_text):
             try:
                 sys.stdin = open("/dev/tty")
-                warn_confirmed = confirm_destructive_query(stdin_text)
+                warn_confirmed = confirm_destructive_query(mycli.destructive_keywords, stdin_text)
             except (IOError, OSError):
                 mycli.logger.warning("Unable to open TTY as stdin.")
             if not warn_confirmed:
diff --git a/mycli/myclirc b/mycli/myclirc
index b49b81a6..62113850 100644
--- a/mycli/myclirc
+++ b/mycli/myclirc
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ multi_line = False
 # or "shutdown".
 destructive_warning = True
 
+# Queries starting with these keywords will activate the destructive warning.
+# UPDATE will not activate the warning if the statement includes a WHERE
+# clause.
+destructive_keywords = DROP SHUTDOWN DELETE TRUNCATE ALTER UPDATE
+
 # interactive query history location.
 history_file = ~/.mycli-history
 
diff --git a/mycli/packages/parseutils.py b/mycli/packages/parseutils.py
index b29e7cbd..051a9826 100644
--- a/mycli/packages/parseutils.py
+++ b/mycli/packages/parseutils.py
@@ -264,15 +264,19 @@ def query_has_where_clause(query: str) -> bool:
     return any(isinstance(token, sqlparse.sql.Where) for token_list in sqlparse.parse(query) for token in token_list)
 
 
-def is_destructive(queries: str) -> bool:
-    """Returns if any of the queries in *queries* is destructive."""
-    keywords = ("drop", "shutdown", "delete", "truncate", "alter")
+def is_destructive(keywords: list[str], queries: str) -> bool:
+    """Returns True if any of the queries in *queries* is destructive."""
     for query in sqlparse.split(queries):
-        if query:
-            if query_starts_with(query, list(keywords)) is True:
-                return True
-            elif query_starts_with(query, ["update"]) is True and not query_has_where_clause(query):
+        if not query:
+            continue
+        # subtle: if "UPDATE" is one of our keywords AND "query" starts with "UPDATE"
+        if query_starts_with(query, keywords) and query_starts_with(query, ["update"]):
+            if query_has_where_clause(query):
+                return False
+            else:
                 return True
+        if query_starts_with(query, keywords):
+            return True
 
     return False
 
diff --git a/mycli/packages/prompt_utils.py b/mycli/packages/prompt_utils.py
index 839fdcf6..68c468f6 100644
--- a/mycli/packages/prompt_utils.py
+++ b/mycli/packages/prompt_utils.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def __repr__(self):
 BOOLEAN_TYPE = ConfirmBoolParamType()
 
 
-def confirm_destructive_query(queries: str) -> bool | None:
+def confirm_destructive_query(keywords: list[str], queries: str) -> bool | None:
     """Check if the query is destructive and prompts the user to confirm.
 
     Returns:
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def confirm_destructive_query(queries: str) -> bool | None:
 
     """
     prompt_text = "You're about to run a destructive command.\nDo you want to proceed? (y/n)"
-    if is_destructive(queries) and sys.stdin.isatty():
+    if is_destructive(keywords, queries) and sys.stdin.isatty():
         return prompt(prompt_text, type=BOOLEAN_TYPE)
     else:
         return None
diff --git a/mycli/packages/special/__init__.py b/mycli/packages/special/__init__.py
index c96ffcb5..d3b60b7f 100644
--- a/mycli/packages/special/__init__.py
+++ b/mycli/packages/special/__init__.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
     is_timing_enabled,
     open_external_editor,
     set_delimiter,
+    set_destructive_keywords,
     set_expanded_output,
     set_favorite_queries,
     set_forced_horizontal_output,
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@
     'parse_special_command',
     'register_special_command',
     'set_delimiter',
+    'set_destructive_keywords',
     'set_expanded_output',
     'set_favorite_queries',
     'set_forced_horizontal_output',
diff --git a/mycli/packages/special/iocommands.py b/mycli/packages/special/iocommands.py
index f9d3a94b..14437b5d 100644
--- a/mycli/packages/special/iocommands.py
+++ b/mycli/packages/special/iocommands.py
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 }
 delimiter_command = DelimiterCommand()
 favoritequeries = FavoriteQueries(ConfigObj())
+DESTRUCTIVE_KEYWORDS: list[str] = []
 
 
 def set_favorite_queries(config):
@@ -72,6 +73,11 @@ def is_show_favorite_query() -> bool:
     return SHOW_FAVORITE_QUERY
 
 
+def set_destructive_keywords(val: list[str]) -> None:
+    global DESTRUCTIVE_KEYWORDS
+    DESTRUCTIVE_KEYWORDS = val
+
+
 @special_command(
     "pager",
     "\\P [command]",
@@ -562,7 +568,7 @@ def watch_query(arg: str, **kwargs) -> Generator[SQLResult, None, None]:
             clear_screen = True
             continue
         statement = f"{left_arg} {arg}"
-    destructive_prompt = confirm_destructive_query(statement)
+    destructive_prompt = confirm_destructive_query(DESTRUCTIVE_KEYWORDS, statement)
     if destructive_prompt is False:
         click.secho("Wise choice!")
         return
diff --git a/test/myclirc b/test/myclirc
index 5f3c5a01..d3cdd4e9 100644
--- a/test/myclirc
+++ b/test/myclirc
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ multi_line = False
 # or "shutdown".
 destructive_warning = True
 
+# Queries starting with these keywords will activate the destructive warning.
+# UPDATE will not activate the warning if the statement includes a WHERE
+# clause.
+destructive_keywords = DROP SHUTDOWN DELETE TRUNCATE ALTER UPDATE
+
 # interactive query history location.
 history_file = ~/.mycli-history
 
diff --git a/test/test_parseutils.py b/test/test_parseutils.py
index 4b06a07a..eb3972c1 100644
--- a/test/test_parseutils.py
+++ b/test/test_parseutils.py
@@ -149,17 +149,17 @@ def test_queries_start_with():
 
 def test_is_destructive():
     sql = "use test;\nshow databases;\ndrop database foo;"
-    assert is_destructive(sql) is True
+    assert is_destructive(["drop"], sql) is True
 
 
 def test_is_destructive_update_with_where_clause():
     sql = "use test;\nshow databases;\nUPDATE test SET x = 1 WHERE id = 1;"
-    assert is_destructive(sql) is False
+    assert is_destructive(["update"], sql) is False
 
 
 def test_is_destructive_update_without_where_clause():
     sql = "use test;\nshow databases;\nUPDATE test SET x = 1;"
-    assert is_destructive(sql) is True
+    assert is_destructive(["update"], sql) is True
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
diff --git a/test/test_prompt_utils.py b/test/test_prompt_utils.py
index 64e4ef31..236b7969 100644
--- a/test/test_prompt_utils.py
+++ b/test/test_prompt_utils.py
@@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ def test_confirm_destructive_query_notty() -> None:
     assert stdin.isatty() is False
 
     sql = "drop database foo;"
-    assert confirm_destructive_query(sql) is None
+    assert confirm_destructive_query(["drop"], sql) is None