diff --git a/files/helpers/const.py b/files/helpers/const.py
index 35cb61a71..eb82809fe 100644
--- a/files/helpers/const.py
+++ b/files/helpers/const.py
@@ -679,7 +679,7 @@ imgur_regex = re.compile('(https://i\.imgur\.com/([^_]*?))\.(jpg|png|jpeg|webp)(
 reddit_regex = re.compile('(^|\s|<p>)\/?((r|u)\/(\w|-){3,25})', flags=re.A)
 sub_regex = re.compile('(^|\s|<p>)\/?(s\/(\w|-){3,25})', flags=re.A)
 youtube_regex = re.compile('" target="_blank">(https://youtube\.com/watch\?v\=(.*?))</a>(?!</code>)', flags=re.A)
-strikethrough_regex = re.compile('~~(.*?)~~', flags=re.A)
+strikethrough_regex = re.compile('~{1,2}([^~]+)~{1,2}', flags=re.A)
 
 emoji_regex = re.compile("[^a]>\s*(:[!#]{0,2}\w+:\s*)+<\/", flags=re.A)
 emoji_regex2 = re.compile('(?<!"):([!#A-Za-z0-9]{1,30}?):', flags=re.A)
diff --git a/files/helpers/sanitize.py b/files/helpers/sanitize.py
index c20416a2a..e71be6a9e 100644
--- a/files/helpers/sanitize.py
+++ b/files/helpers/sanitize.py
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ def sanitize(sanitized, noimages=False, alert=False, comment=False, edit=False):
 	
 	sanitized = markdown(sanitized)
 
+	sanitized = strikethrough_regex.sub(r'<del>\1</del>', sanitized)
+
 	sanitized = sanitized.replace("\ufeff", "").replace("𒐪","").replace("<script","").replace("script>","").replace('‎','')
 
 	if alert:
diff --git a/files/routes/comments.py b/files/routes/comments.py
index 2f42a8d8c..22fc9802e 100644
--- a/files/routes/comments.py
+++ b/files/routes/comments.py
@@ -213,9 +213,11 @@ def api_comment(v):
 	if v.marseyawarded and parent_post.id not in (37696,37697,37749,37833,37838):
 		if not marsey_regex.fullmatch(body): return {"error":"You can only type marseys!"}, 403
 
-	if v.longpost and len(body) < 280 or ' [](' in body or body.startswith('[]('): return {"error":"You have to type more than 280 characters!"}, 403
-	elif v.bird and len(body) > 140 and parent_post.id not in (37696,37697,37749,37833,37838):
-		return {"error":"You have to type less than 140 characters!"}, 403
+	if parent_post.id not in (37696,37697,37749,37833,37838):
+		if v.longpost and (len(body) < 280 or ' [](' in body or body.startswith('[](')):
+			return {"error":"You have to type more than 280 characters!"}, 403
+		elif v.bird and len(body) > 140:
+			return {"error":"You have to type less than 140 characters!"}, 403
 
 	if not body and not request.files.get('file'): return {"error":"You need to actually write something!"}, 400
 	
@@ -339,13 +341,6 @@ def api_comment(v):
 
 	body_html = sanitize(body, comment=True)
 
-	if parent_post.id not in (37696,37697,37749,37833,37838):
-		if v.longpost:
-			if len(body) < 280 or ' [](' in body or body.startswith('[]('):
-				return {"error":"You have to type more than 280 characters!"}, 403
-		elif v.bird:
-			if len(body) > 140 : return {"error":"You have to type less than 140 characters!"}, 403
-
 	bans = filter_comment_html(body_html)
 
 	if bans:
@@ -725,8 +720,10 @@ def edit_comment(cid, v):
 		if v.marseyawarded and not marsey_regex.fullmatch(body):
 			return {"error":"You can only type marseys!"}, 403
 
-		if v.longpost and len(body) < 280 or ' [](' in body or body.startswith('[]('): return {"error":"You have to type more than 280 characters!"}, 403
-		elif v.bird and len(body) > 140: return {"error":"You have to type less than 140 characters!"}, 403
+		if v.longpost and (len(body) < 280 or ' [](' in body or body.startswith('[](')):
+			return {"error":"You have to type more than 280 characters!"}, 403
+		elif v.bird and len(body) > 140:
+			return {"error":"You have to type less than 140 characters!"}, 403
 
 		body = image_regex.sub(r'![](\1)', body)
 
@@ -761,11 +758,6 @@ def edit_comment(cid, v):
 
 		body_html = sanitize(body, edit=True)
 
-		if v.longpost:
-			if len(body) < 280 or ' [](' in body or body.startswith('[]('): return {"error":"You have to type more than 280 characters!"}, 403
-		elif v.bird:
-			if len(body) > 140 : return {"error":"You have to type less than 140 characters!"}, 403
-
 		bans = filter_comment_html(body_html)
 
 		if bans:
diff --git a/files/routes/posts.py b/files/routes/posts.py
index 82c9a5af3..2573dd675 100644
--- a/files/routes/posts.py
+++ b/files/routes/posts.py
@@ -467,8 +467,10 @@ def edit_post(pid, v):
 	if v.marseyawarded and (not marsey_regex.fullmatch(title) or body and not marsey_regex.fullmatch(body)):
 		return {"error":"You can only type marseys!"}, 403
 
-	if v.longpost and len(body) < 280 or ' [](' in body or body.startswith('[]('): return {"error":"You have to type more than 280 characters!"}, 403
-	elif v.bird and len(body) > 140: return {"error":"You have to type less than 140 characters!"}, 403
+	if v.longpost and (len(body) < 280 or ' [](' in body or body.startswith('[](')):
+		return {"error":"You have to type more than 280 characters!"}, 403
+	elif v.bird and len(body) > 140:
+		return {"error":"You have to type less than 140 characters!"}, 403
 
 	if title != p.title:
 		if v.agendaposter and not v.marseyawarded: title = torture_ap(title, v.username)
@@ -536,11 +538,6 @@ def edit_post(pid, v):
 
 		p.body = body
 
-		if v.longpost:
-			if len(body) < 280 or ' [](' in body or body.startswith('[]('): return {"error":"You have to type more than 280 characters!"}, 403
-		elif v.bird:
-			if len(body) > 140 : return {"error":"You have to type less than 140 characters!"}, 403
-
 		if len(body_html) > 40000: return {"error":"Submission body too long!"}, 400
 
 		p.body_html = body_html
@@ -849,10 +846,10 @@ def submit_post(v, sub=None):
 	title_html = filter_emojis_only(title, graceful=True)
 	if len(title_html) > 1500: return error("Rendered title is too big!")
 
-	if v.longpost:
-		if len(body) < 280 or ' [](' in body or body.startswith('[]('): return error("You have to type more than 280 characters!")
-	elif v.bird:
-		if len(body) > 140 : return error("You have to type less than 140 characters!")
+	if v.longpost and (len(body) < 280 or ' [](' in body or body.startswith('[](')):
+		return {"error":"You have to type more than 280 characters!"}, 403
+	elif v.bird and len(body) > 140:
+		return {"error":"You have to type less than 140 characters!"}, 403
 
 
 	embed = None
@@ -946,9 +943,6 @@ def submit_post(v, sub=None):
 	if v.marseyawarded and (not marsey_regex.fullmatch(title) or body and not marsey_regex.fullmatch(body)):
 			return error("You can only type marseys!")
 
-	if v.longpost and len(body) < 280 or ' [](' in body or body.startswith('[]('): return error("You have to type more than 280 characters!")
-	elif v.bird and len(body) > 140: return error("You have to type less than 140 characters!")
-
 	dup = g.db.query(Submission).filter(
 		Submission.author_id == v.id,
 		Submission.deleted_utc == 0,
@@ -1052,11 +1046,6 @@ def submit_post(v, sub=None):
 
 	body_html = sanitize(body)
 
-	if v.longpost:
-		if len(body) < 280 or ' [](' in body or body.startswith('[]('): return error("You have to type more than 280 characters!")
-	elif v.bird:
-		if len(body) > 140 : return error("You have to type less than 140 characters!")
-
 	if len(body_html) > 40000: return error("Submission body too long!")
 
 	bans = filter_comment_html(body_html)