diff --git a/documentation/c08-language.sil b/documentation/c08-language.sil
index bf42557d0..0b40c6b3b 100644
--- a/documentation/c08-language.sil
+++ b/documentation/c08-language.sil
@@ -93,6 +93,18 @@ The command \autodoc:command{\nohyphenation{…}} is provided as a shortcut for
 The hyphenator uses the same algorithm as TeX and can use TeX hyphenation pattern files if they are converted to Lua format.
 To implement hyphenation for a new language, first check to see if TeX hyphenation dictionaries are available; if not, work through the resources at \url{http://tug.org/docs/liang/}.
 
+\em{Note on Unicode soft hyphens} — By default, soft hyphens (U+00AD) are interpreted as discretionary breaks, allowing line-breaking at that point (using the current font’s hyphen character).
+
+However, issues may arise when soft hyphens are used in ligatures, causing breaks between constituent characters and disrupting the ligature’s integrity.
+Rather than relying on soft hyphens, for instances requiring hyphenation in unknown words, consider adding an exception to the hyphenation rules instead, with \autodoc:command{\hyphenator:add-exceptions{<text>}} (where the text is a lowercase representation of the word, with dashes where hyphenation is allowed).
+
+Moreover, typists sometimes manually insert soft hyphens to rectify line-breaking issues in other typesetting systems.
+In SILE, leveraging language-specific hyphenation rules tends to be more reliable.
+Setting \autodoc:setting{typesetter.softHyphen} to \code{false} ignores soft hyphens entirely in the text, alleviating potential issues arising from their manual insertion.
+
+Soft hyphens can be inadvertently inserted by text editors or software, remaining invisible in the source text and causing unexpected output.
+Setting \autodoc:setting{typesetter.softHyphenWarning} to \code{true} triggers warnings upon encountering soft hyphens, aiding users in identifying and rectifying such instances, regardless of the previous setting.
+
 \section{Localization}
 
 A small handful of strings may be programmatically added to documents depending on language, context, and options.
diff --git a/tests/feat-unicode-softhyphen.expected b/tests/feat-unicode-softhyphen.expected
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..46c759d59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/feat-unicode-softhyphen.expected
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+Set paper size 	297.6377985	419.5275636
+Begin page
+Mx 	14.8819
+My 	28.5447
+Set font 	Gentium Plus;10;400;;normal;;;LTR
+T	47 82 85 72 80 w=26.4014	(Lorem)
+Mx 	44.6950
+T	76 83 w=8.0078	(ip)
+Mx 	52.7028
+T	86 88 80 w=17.1924	(sum)
+Mx 	69.8952
+T	71 82 w=10.2295	(do)
+Mx 	80.1247
+T	79 82 85 w=11.6992	(lor)
+Mx 	91.8239
+T	86 76 87 w=10.0146	(sit)
+Mx 	101.8385
+T	68 80 72 87 w=20.6836	(amet)
+Mx 	122.5221
+T	17 w=2.2900	(.)
+Mx 	128.2239
+T	47 82 85 72 80 w=26.4014	(Lorem)
+Mx 	158.0370
+T	76 83 w=8.0078	(ip)
+Mx 	166.0448
+T	86 88 80 w=17.1924	(sum)
+Mx 	183.2372
+T	71 82 w=10.2295	(do)
+Mx 	193.4667
+T	79 82 85 w=11.6992	(lor)
+Mx 	205.1659
+T	86 76 87 w=10.0146	(sit)
+Mx 	215.1805
+T	68 80 72 87 w=20.6836	(amet)
+Mx 	235.8641
+T	17 w=2.2900	(.)
+Mx 	241.5659
+T	47 82 85 72 80 w=26.4014	(Lorem)
+Mx 	271.3790
+T	76 83 w=8.0078	(ip)
+Mx 	279.3868
+T	16 w=3.3691	(-)
+Mx 	14.8819
+My 	40.5447
+T	86 88 80 w=17.1924	(sum)
+Mx 	32.0743
+T	71 82 w=10.2295	(do)
+Mx 	42.3038
+T	79 82 85 w=11.6992	(lor)
+Mx 	54.0030
+T	86 76 87 w=10.0146	(sit)
+Mx 	64.0176
+T	68 80 72 87 w=20.6836	(amet)
+Mx 	84.7012
+T	17 w=2.2900	(.)
+Mx 	88.8998
+T	47 82 85 72 80 w=26.4014	(Lorem)
+Mx 	117.2097
+T	76 83 86 88 80 71 82 79 82 85 86 76 87 68 80 72 87 w=77.8271	(ipsumdolorsitamet)
+Mx 	195.0368
+T	17 w=2.2900	(.)
+Mx 	199.2354
+T	47 82 85 72 80 w=26.4014	(Lorem)
+Mx 	227.5453
+T	76 83 86 88 80 71 82 79 82 85 86 76 87 68 80 72 87 w=77.8271	(ipsumdolorsitamet)
+Mx 	305.3724
+T	17 w=2.2900	(.)
+Mx 	14.8819
+My 	52.5447
+T	47 82 85 72 80 w=26.4014	(Lorem)
+Mx 	43.9433
+T	76 83 86 88 80 71 82 79 82 85 86 76 87 68 80 72 87 w=77.8271	(ipsumdolorsitamet)
+Mx 	121.7705
+T	17 w=2.2900	(.)
+End page
+Finish
diff --git a/tests/feat-unicode-softhyphen.sil b/tests/feat-unicode-softhyphen.sil
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1a34c76f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/feat-unicode-softhyphen.sil
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+\begin[papersize=a6]{document}
+\nofolios
+\neverindent
+% Language without hyphenation patterns
+% (so we are sure that the hyphenation comes from the soft hyphens)
+\set[parameter=document.language, value=und]
+% The text has soft hyphens U+00AD inside words.
+Lorem ip­sum­do­lor­sit­amet.
+Lorem ip­sum­do­lor­sit­amet.
+Lorem ip­sum­do­lor­sit­amet.% Should be hyphenated here as "ip-sum"
+
+\set[parameter=typesetter.softHyphen, value=false]
+Lorem ip­sum­do­lor­sit­amet.
+Lorem ip­sum­do­lor­sit­amet.
+Lorem ip­sum­do­lor­sit­amet.
+\end{document}
diff --git a/typesetters/base.lua b/typesetters/base.lua
index 7b44b96cf..6ab5293e7 100644
--- a/typesetters/base.lua
+++ b/typesetters/base.lua
@@ -132,6 +132,19 @@ function typesetter.declareSettings(_)
     help = "Width to break lines at"
   })
 
+  SILE.settings:declare({
+    parameter = "typesetter.softHyphen",
+    type = "boolean",
+    default = true,
+    help = "When true, soft hyphens are rendered as discretionary breaks, otherwise they are ignored"
+  })
+
+  SILE.settings:declare({
+    parameter = "typesetter.softHyphenWarning",
+    type = "boolean",
+    default = false,
+    help = "When true, a warning is issued when a soft hyphen is encountered"
+  })
 end
 
 function typesetter:initState ()
@@ -276,7 +289,29 @@ function typesetter:typeset (text)
     if token.separator then
       self:endline()
     else
-      self:setpar(token.string)
+      if SILE.settings:get("typesetter.softHyphen") then
+        local warnedshy = false
+        for token2 in SU.gtoke(token.string, luautf8.char(0x00AD)) do
+          if token2.separator then -- soft hyphen support
+            local discretionary = SILE.nodefactory.discretionary({})
+            local hbox = SILE.typesetter:makeHbox({ SILE.settings:get("font.hyphenchar") })
+            discretionary.prebreak = { hbox }
+            table.insert(SILE.typesetter.state.nodes, discretionary)
+            if not warnedshy and SILE.settings:get("typesetter.softHyphenWarning") then
+              SU.warn("Soft hyphen encountered and replaced with discretionary")
+            end
+            warnedshy = true
+          else
+            self:setpar(token2.string)
+          end
+        end
+      else
+        if SILE.settings:get("typesetter.softHyphenWarning") and luautf8.match(token.string, luautf8.char(0x00AD)) then
+          SU.warn("Soft hyphen encountered and ignored")
+        end
+        text = luautf8.gsub(token.string, luautf8.char(0x00AD), "")
+        self:setpar(text)
+      end
     end
   end
   SILE.traceStack:pop(pId)