diff --git a/src/components/settings_modal/tabs/style_tab/style_tab.js b/src/components/settings_modal/tabs/style_tab/style_tab.js
index ecddf9d5..cbd25dfc 100644
--- a/src/components/settings_modal/tabs/style_tab/style_tab.js
+++ b/src/components/settings_modal/tabs/style_tab/style_tab.js
@@ -219,9 +219,13 @@ export default {
       return selectors.map(x => x.substring(1)).join('')
     })
     const previewCss = computed(() => {
-      const scoped = getCssRules(previewRules)
-        .map(simulatePseudoSelectors)
-      return scoped.join('\n')
+      try {
+        const scoped = getCssRules(previewRules).map(simulatePseudoSelectors)
+        return scoped.join('\n')
+      } catch (e) {
+        console.error('Invalid ruleset', e)
+        return null
+      }
     })
 
     // ### Rules stuff aka meat and potatoes
@@ -415,17 +419,22 @@ export default {
     })
 
     const updatePreview = () => {
-      previewRules.splice(0, previewRules.length)
-      previewRules.push(...init({
-        inputRuleset: editorFriendlyToOriginal.value,
-        initialStaticVars: {
-          ...palette.value
-        },
-        ultimateBackgroundColor: '#000000',
-        rootComponentName: selectedComponentName.value,
-        editMode: true,
-        debug: true
-      }).eager)
+      try {
+        const rules = init({
+          inputRuleset: editorFriendlyToOriginal.value,
+          initialStaticVars: {
+            ...palette.value
+          },
+          ultimateBackgroundColor: '#000000',
+          rootComponentName: selectedComponentName.value,
+          editMode: true,
+          debug: true
+        }).eager
+        previewRules.splice(0, previewRules.length)
+        previewRules.push(...rules)
+      } catch (e) {
+        console.error('Could not compile preview theme', e)
+      }
     }
 
     const updateSelectedComponent = () => {
diff --git a/src/components/settings_modal/tabs/style_tab/style_tab.vue b/src/components/settings_modal/tabs/style_tab/style_tab.vue
index cd9d3e47..590624ff 100644
--- a/src/components/settings_modal/tabs/style_tab/style_tab.vue
+++ b/src/components/settings_modal/tabs/style_tab/style_tab.vue
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@
           :shadow-control="isShadowTabOpen"
           :preview-class="previewClass"
           :preview-style="editorHintStyle"
-          :disabled="!editedSubShadow"
+          :disabled="!editedSubShadow && typeof editedShadow !== 'string'"
           :shadow="editedSubShadow"
           @update:shadow="({ axis, value }) => updateSubShadow(axis, value)"
         />
diff --git a/src/components/shadow_control/shadow_control.js b/src/components/shadow_control/shadow_control.js
index 4521305e..2befb8ba 100644
--- a/src/components/shadow_control/shadow_control.js
+++ b/src/components/shadow_control/shadow_control.js
@@ -21,16 +21,22 @@ library.add(
   faPlus
 )
 
-const toModel = (object = {}) => ({
-  x: 0,
-  y: 0,
-  blur: 0,
-  spread: 0,
-  inset: false,
-  color: '#000000',
-  alpha: 1,
-  ...object
-})
+const toModel = (input) => {
+  if (typeof input === 'object') {
+    return {
+      x: 0,
+      y: 0,
+      blur: 0,
+      spread: 0,
+      inset: false,
+      color: '#000000',
+      alpha: 1,
+      ...input
+    }
+  } else if (typeof input === 'string') {
+    return input
+  }
+}
 
 export default {
   props: [
@@ -56,12 +62,29 @@ export default {
     this.cValue = (this.modelValue ?? this.fallback ?? []).map(toModel)
   },
   computed: {
-    selected () {
-      const selected = this.cValue[this.selectedId]
-      if (selected) {
-        return { ...selected }
+    selectedType: {
+      get () {
+        return typeof this.selected
+      },
+      set (newType) {
+        this.selected = toModel(newType === 'object' ? {} : '')
+      }
+    },
+    selected: {
+      get () {
+        const selected = this.cValue[this.selectedId]
+        console.log('SELECTED', selected)
+        if (selected && typeof selected === 'object') {
+          return { ...selected }
+        } else if (typeof selected === 'string') {
+          return selected
+        }
+        return null
+      },
+      set (value) {
+        this.cValue[this.selectedId] = toModel(value)
+        this.$emit('update:modelValue', this.cValue)
       }
-      return null
     },
     present () {
       return this.selected != null && !this.usingFallback
@@ -82,14 +105,20 @@ export default {
       return this.modelValue == null
     },
     style () {
-      if (this.separateInset) {
-        return {
-          filter: getCssShadowFilter(this.cValue),
-          boxShadow: getCssShadow(this.cValue, true)
+      try {
+        if (this.separateInset) {
+          return {
+            filter: getCssShadowFilter(this.cValue),
+            boxShadow: getCssShadow(this.cValue, true)
+          }
+        }
+        return {
+          boxShadow: getCssShadow(this.cValue)
+        }
+      } catch (e) {
+        return {
+          border: '1px solid red'
         }
-      }
-      return {
-        boxShadow: getCssShadow(this.cValue)
       }
     }
   },
@@ -99,6 +128,13 @@ export default {
     }
   },
   methods: {
+    getSubshadowLabel (shadow, index) {
+      if (typeof shadow === 'object') {
+        return shadow?.name ?? this.$t('settings.style.shadows.shadow_id', { value: index })
+      } else if (typeof shadow === 'string') {
+        return shadow || this.$t('settings.style.shadows.empty_expression')
+      }
+    },
     updateProperty: throttle(function (prop, value) {
       this.cValue[this.selectedId][prop] = value
       if (prop === 'inset' && value === false && this.separateInset) {
diff --git a/src/components/shadow_control/shadow_control.scss b/src/components/shadow_control/shadow_control.scss
index dd049023..067895ee 100644
--- a/src/components/shadow_control/shadow_control.scss
+++ b/src/components/shadow_control/shadow_control.scss
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
   justify-content: stretch;
   grid-gap: 0.25em;
   margin-bottom: 1em;
+  width: 100%;
 
   .shadow-switcher {
     order: 1;
@@ -37,6 +38,9 @@
     min-width: 10em;
     margin-left: 0.125em;
     margin-right: 0.125em;
+    display: grid;
+    grid-template-rows: auto 1fr;
+    grid-gap: 0.25em;
 
     /* hack */
     .input-boolean {
@@ -52,6 +56,11 @@
       flex: 1 0 5em;
     }
 
+    .shadow-expression {
+      width: 100%;
+      height: 100%;
+    }
+
     .id-control {
       align-items: stretch;
 
@@ -100,6 +109,5 @@
 }
 
 .inset-tooltip {
-  padding: 0.5em;
   max-width: 30em;
 }
diff --git a/src/components/shadow_control/shadow_control.vue b/src/components/shadow_control/shadow_control.vue
index e1d20191..669de36e 100644
--- a/src/components/shadow_control/shadow_control.vue
+++ b/src/components/shadow_control/shadow_control.vue
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
       class="shadow-preview"
       :shadow-control="true"
       :shadow="selected"
-      :preview-style="style"
       :disabled="disabled || !present"
       @update:shadow="({ axis, value }) => updateProperty(axis, value)"
     />
@@ -18,7 +17,7 @@
         v-model="selectedId"
         class="shadow-list"
         size="10"
-        :disabled="shadowsAreNull"
+        :disabled="disabled || shadowsAreNull"
       >
         <option
           v-for="(shadow, index) in cValue"
@@ -26,7 +25,7 @@
           :value="index"
           :class="{ '-active': index === Number(selectedId) }"
         >
-          {{ shadow?.name ?? $t('settings.style.shadows.shadow_id', { value: index }) }}
+          {{ getSubshadowLabel(shadow, index) }}
         </option>
       </Select>
       <div
@@ -78,175 +77,197 @@
       </div>
     </div>
     <div class="shadow-tweak">
-      <div
-        :class="{ disabled: disabled || !present }"
-        class="name-control style-control"
+      <Select
+        v-model="selectedType"
+        :disabled="disabled || !present"
       >
-        <label
-          for="name"
-          class="label"
-          :class="{ faint: disabled || !present }"
+        <option value="object">
+          {{ $t('settings.style.shadows.raw') }}
+        </option>
+        <option value="string">
+          {{ $t('settings.style.shadows.expression') }}
+        </option>
+      </Select>
+      <template v-if="selectedType === 'string'">
+        <textarea
+          v-model="selected"
+          class="input shadow-expression"
+          :disabled="disabled || shadowsAreNull"
+          :class="{disabled: disabled || shadowsAreNull}"
         >
-          {{ $t('settings.style.shadows.name') }}
-        </label>
-        <input
-          id="name"
-          :value="selected?.name"
-          :disabled="disabled || !present"
+        </textarea>
+      </template>
+      <template v-else-if="selectedType === 'object'">
+        <div
           :class="{ disabled: disabled || !present }"
-          name="name"
-          class="input input-string"
-          @input="e => updateProperty('name', e.target.value)"
+          class="name-control style-control"
         >
-      </div>
-      <div
-        :disabled="disabled || !present"
-        class="inset-control style-control"
-      >
-        <Checkbox
-          id="inset"
-          :value="selected?.inset"
-          :disabled="disabled || !present"
-          name="inset"
-          class="input-inset input-boolean"
-          @input="e => updateProperty('inset', e.target.checked)"
-        >
-          <template #before>
-            {{ $t('settings.style.shadows.inset') }}
-          </template>
-        </Checkbox>
-      </div>
-      <div
-        :disabled="disabled || !present"
-        :class="{ disabled: disabled || !present }"
-        class="blur-control style-control"
-      >
-        <label
-          for="blur"
-          class="label"
-          :class="{ faint: disabled || !present }"
-        >
-          {{ $t('settings.style.shadows.blur') }}
-        </label>
-        <input
-          id="blur"
-          :value="selected?.blur"
-          :disabled="disabled || !present"
-          :class="{ disabled: disabled || !present }"
-          name="blur"
-          class="input input-range"
-          type="range"
-          max="20"
-          min="0"
-          @input="e => updateProperty('blur', e.target.value)"
-        >
-        <input
-          :value="selected?.blur"
-          class="input input-number -small"
-          :disabled="disabled || !present"
-          :class="{ disabled: disabled || !present }"
-          type="number"
-          min="0"
-          @input="e => updateProperty('blur', e.target.value)"
-        >
-      </div>
-      <div
-        class="spread-control style-control"
-        :class="{ disabled: disabled || !present || (separateInset && !selected?.inset) }"
-      >
-        <label
-          for="spread"
-          class="label"
-          :class="{ faint: disabled || !present || (separateInset && !selected?.inset) }"
-        >
-          {{ $t('settings.style.shadows.spread') }}
-        </label>
-        <input
-          id="spread"
-          :value="selected?.spread"
-          :disabled="disabled || !present || (separateInset && !selected?.inset)"
-          :class="{ disabled: disabled || !present || (separateInset && !selected?.inset) }"
-          name="spread"
-          class="input input-range"
-          type="range"
-          max="20"
-          min="-20"
-          @input="e => updateProperty('spread', e.target.value)"
-        >
-        <input
-          :value="selected?.spread"
-          class="input input-number -small"
-          :class="{ disabled: disabled || !present || (separateInset && !selected?.inset) }"
-          :disabled="{ disabled: disabled || !present || (separateInset && !selected?.inset) }"
-          type="number"
-          @input="e => updateProperty('spread', e.target.value)"
-        >
-      </div>
-      <ColorInput
-        :model-value="selected?.color"
-        :disabled="disabled || !present"
-        :label="$t('settings.style.common.color')"
-        :fallback="currentFallback?.color"
-        :show-optional-tickbox="false"
-        name="shadow"
-        @update:modelValue="e => updateProperty('color', e)"
-      />
-      <OpacityInput
-        :model-value="selected?.alpha"
-        :disabled="disabled || !present"
-        @update:modelValue="e => updateProperty('alpha', e)"
-      />
-      <i18n-t
-        scope="global"
-        keypath="settings.style.shadows.hintV3"
-        :class="{ faint: disabled || !present }"
-        tag="p"
-      >
-        <code>--variable,mod</code>
-      </i18n-t>
-      <Popover
-        v-if="separateInset"
-        trigger="hover"
-      >
-        <template #trigger>
-          <div
-            class="inset-alert alert warning"
+          <label
+            for="name"
+            class="label"
+            :class="{ faint: disabled || !present }"
           >
-            <FAIcon icon="exclamation-triangle" />
-            &nbsp;
-            {{ $t('settings.style.shadows.filter_hint.avatar_inset_short') }}
-          </div>
-        </template>
-        <template #content>
-          <div class="inset-tooltip">
-            <i18n-t
-              scope="global"
-              keypath="settings.style.shadows.filter_hint.always_drop_shadow"
-              tag="p"
+            {{ $t('settings.style.shadows.name') }}
+          </label>
+          <input
+            id="name"
+            :value="selected?.name"
+            :disabled="disabled || !present"
+            :class="{ disabled: disabled || !present }"
+            name="name"
+            class="input input-string"
+            @input="e => updateProperty('name', e.target.value)"
+          >
+        </div>
+        <div
+          :disabled="disabled || !present"
+          class="inset-control style-control"
+        >
+          <Checkbox
+            id="inset"
+            :value="selected?.inset"
+            :disabled="disabled || !present"
+            name="inset"
+            class="input-inset input-boolean"
+            @input="e => updateProperty('inset', e.target.checked)"
+          >
+            <template #before>
+              {{ $t('settings.style.shadows.inset') }}
+            </template>
+          </Checkbox>
+        </div>
+        <div
+          :disabled="disabled || !present"
+          :class="{ disabled: disabled || !present }"
+          class="blur-control style-control"
+        >
+          <label
+            for="blur"
+            class="label"
+            :class="{ faint: disabled || !present }"
+          >
+            {{ $t('settings.style.shadows.blur') }}
+          </label>
+          <input
+            id="blur"
+            :value="selected?.blur"
+            :disabled="disabled || !present"
+            :class="{ disabled: disabled || !present }"
+            name="blur"
+            class="input input-range"
+            type="range"
+            max="20"
+            min="0"
+            @input="e => updateProperty('blur', e.target.value)"
+          >
+          <input
+            :value="selected?.blur"
+            class="input input-number -small"
+            :disabled="disabled || !present"
+            :class="{ disabled: disabled || !present }"
+            type="number"
+            min="0"
+            @input="e => updateProperty('blur', e.target.value)"
+          >
+        </div>
+        <div
+          class="spread-control style-control"
+          :class="{ disabled: disabled || !present || (separateInset && !selected?.inset) }"
+        >
+          <label
+            for="spread"
+            class="label"
+            :class="{ faint: disabled || !present || (separateInset && !selected?.inset) }"
+          >
+            {{ $t('settings.style.shadows.spread') }}
+          </label>
+          <input
+            id="spread"
+            :value="selected?.spread"
+            :disabled="disabled || !present || (separateInset && !selected?.inset)"
+            :class="{ disabled: disabled || !present || (separateInset && !selected?.inset) }"
+            name="spread"
+            class="input input-range"
+            type="range"
+            max="20"
+            min="-20"
+            @input="e => updateProperty('spread', e.target.value)"
+          >
+          <input
+            :value="selected?.spread"
+            class="input input-number -small"
+            :class="{ disabled: disabled || !present || (separateInset && !selected?.inset) }"
+            :disabled="{ disabled: disabled || !present || (separateInset && !selected?.inset) }"
+            type="number"
+            @input="e => updateProperty('spread', e.target.value)"
+          >
+        </div>
+        <ColorInput
+          :model-value="selected?.color"
+          :disabled="disabled || !present"
+          :label="$t('settings.style.common.color')"
+          :fallback="currentFallback?.color"
+          :show-optional-tickbox="false"
+          name="shadow"
+          @update:modelValue="e => updateProperty('color', e)"
+        />
+        <OpacityInput
+          :model-value="selected?.alpha"
+          :disabled="disabled || !present"
+          @update:modelValue="e => updateProperty('alpha', e)"
+        />
+        <i18n-t
+          scope="global"
+          keypath="settings.style.shadows.hintV3"
+          :class="{ faint: disabled || !present }"
+          tag="p"
+        >
+          <code>--variable,mod</code>
+        </i18n-t>
+        <Popover
+          v-if="separateInset"
+          trigger="hover"
+        >
+          <template #trigger>
+            <div
+              class="inset-alert alert warning"
             >
-              <code>filter: drop-shadow()</code>
-            </i18n-t>
-            <p>{{ $t('settings.style.shadows.filter_hint.avatar_inset') }}</p>
-            <i18n-t
-              scope="global"
-              keypath="settings.style.shadows.filter_hint.drop_shadow_syntax"
-              tag="p"
-            >
-              <code>drop-shadow</code>
-              <code>spread-radius</code>
-              <code>inset</code>
-            </i18n-t>
-            <i18n-t
-              scope="global"
-              keypath="settings.style.shadows.filter_hint.inset_classic"
-              tag="p"
-            >
-              <code>box-shadow</code>
-            </i18n-t>
-            <p>{{ $t('settings.style.shadows.filter_hint.spread_zero') }}</p>
-          </div>
-        </template>
-      </Popover>
+              <FAIcon icon="exclamation-triangle" />
+              &nbsp;
+              {{ $t('settings.style.shadows.filter_hint.avatar_inset_short') }}
+            </div>
+          </template>
+          <template #content>
+            <div class="inset-tooltip tooltip">
+              <i18n-t
+                scope="global"
+                keypath="settings.style.shadows.filter_hint.always_drop_shadow"
+                tag="p"
+              >
+                <code>filter: drop-shadow()</code>
+              </i18n-t>
+              <p>{{ $t('settings.style.shadows.filter_hint.avatar_inset') }}</p>
+              <i18n-t
+                scope="global"
+                keypath="settings.style.shadows.filter_hint.drop_shadow_syntax"
+                tag="p"
+              >
+                <code>drop-shadow</code>
+                <code>spread-radius</code>
+                <code>inset</code>
+              </i18n-t>
+              <i18n-t
+                scope="global"
+                keypath="settings.style.shadows.filter_hint.inset_classic"
+                tag="p"
+              >
+                <code>box-shadow</code>
+              </i18n-t>
+              <p>{{ $t('settings.style.shadows.filter_hint.spread_zero') }}</p>
+            </div>
+          </template>
+        </Popover>
+      </template>
     </div>
   </div>
 </template>
diff --git a/src/i18n/en.json b/src/i18n/en.json
index 64d6201d..df0f8d6d 100644
--- a/src/i18n/en.json
+++ b/src/i18n/en.json
@@ -966,6 +966,9 @@
         "blur": "Blur",
         "spread": "Spread",
         "inset": "Inset",
+        "raw": "Plain shadow",
+        "expression": "Expression (advanced)",
+        "empty_expression": "Empty expression",
         "hintV3": "For shadows you can also use the {0} notation to use other color slot.",
         "filter_hint": {
           "always_drop_shadow": "Warning, this shadow always uses {0} when browser supports it.",
diff --git a/src/services/theme_data/theme_data_3.service.js b/src/services/theme_data/theme_data_3.service.js
index 4765a773..e45d2cef 100644
--- a/src/services/theme_data/theme_data_3.service.js
+++ b/src/services/theme_data/theme_data_3.service.js
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ const findShadow = (shadows, { dynamicVars, staticVars }) => {
       if (shadow.startsWith('$')) {
         targetShadow = process(shadow, shadowFunctions, { findColor, findShadow }, { dynamicVars, staticVars })
       } else if (shadow.startsWith('--')) {
-        const [variable] = shadow.split(/,/g).map(str => str.trim()) // discarding modifier since it's not supported
-        const variableSlot = variable.substring(2)
+        // modifiers are completely unsupported here
+        const variableSlot = shadow.substring(2)
         return findShadow(staticVars[variableSlot], { dynamicVars, staticVars })
       } else {
         targetShadow = parseShadow(shadow)
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ const findColor = (color, { dynamicVars, staticVars }) => {
   if (typeof color !== 'string' || (!color.startsWith('--') && !color.startsWith('$'))) return color
   let targetColor = null
   if (color.startsWith('--')) {
+    // Modifier support is pretty much for v2 themes only
     const [variable, modifier] = color.split(/,/g).map(str => str.trim())
     const variableSlot = variable.substring(2)
     if (variableSlot === 'stack') {
@@ -421,7 +422,7 @@ export const init = ({
             break
           }
           case 'shadow': {
-            const shadow = value.split(/,/g).map(s => s.trim())
+            const shadow = value.split(/,/g).map(s => s.trim()).filter(x => x)
             dynamicVars[k] = shadow
             if (combination.component === rootComponentName) {
               staticVars[k.substring(2)] = shadow