diff --git a/api/core/moderation/keywords/keywords.py b/api/core/moderation/keywords/keywords.py
index 339574556d9..1b12e8d27a8 100644
--- a/api/core/moderation/keywords/keywords.py
+++ b/api/core/moderation/keywords/keywords.py
@@ -42,8 +42,7 @@ class KeywordsModeration(Moderation):
             if query:
                 inputs["query__"] = query
 
-            # Filter out empty values
-            keywords_list = [keyword for keyword in self.config["keywords"].split("\n") if keyword]
+            keywords_list = self._keyword_rows(self.config["keywords"])
 
             flagged = self._is_violated(inputs, keywords_list)
 
@@ -59,8 +58,7 @@ class KeywordsModeration(Moderation):
             raise ValueError("The config is not set.")
 
         if self.config["outputs_config"]["enabled"]:
-            # Filter out empty values
-            keywords_list = [keyword for keyword in self.config["keywords"].split("\n") if keyword]
+            keywords_list = self._keyword_rows(self.config["keywords"])
 
             flagged = self._is_violated({"text": text}, keywords_list)
             preset_response = self.config["outputs_config"]["preset_response"]
@@ -69,6 +67,16 @@ class KeywordsModeration(Moderation):
             flagged=flagged, action=ModerationAction.DIRECT_OUTPUT, preset_response=preset_response
         )
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _keyword_rows(keywords: str) -> list[str]:
+        """Split the keywords config into stripped, non-empty rows.
+
+        Rows keep surrounding whitespace from pasted configs (for example CRLF
+        line endings) unless stripped: a keyword ending in "\r" never matches
+        real text, and a whitespace-only row matches nearly every message.
+        """
+        return [row for row in (row.strip() for row in keywords.split("\n")) if row]
+
     def _is_violated(self, inputs: dict[str, Any], keywords_list: list[str]) -> bool:
         return any(self._check_keywords_in_value(keywords_list, value) for value in inputs.values())
 
diff --git a/api/tests/unit_tests/core/moderation/test_content_moderation.py b/api/tests/unit_tests/core/moderation/test_content_moderation.py
index 4c668ee96b7..1a2c79d3890 100644
--- a/api/tests/unit_tests/core/moderation/test_content_moderation.py
+++ b/api/tests/unit_tests/core/moderation/test_content_moderation.py
@@ -127,6 +127,24 @@ class TestKeywordsModeration:
         with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="inputs_config.preset_response must be less than 100 characters"):
             KeywordsModeration.validate_config("test-tenant", config)
 
+    def test_moderation_for_inputs_crlf_keywords_match(self, keywords_config: dict[str, Any]):
+        """Keywords pasted with Windows line endings still match."""
+        keywords_config["keywords"] = "spam\r\nfree money"
+        moderation = KeywordsModeration(app_id="app", tenant_id="tenant", config=keywords_config)
+
+        result = moderation.moderation_for_inputs({}, query="this is spam")
+
+        assert result.flagged is True
+
+    def test_moderation_whitespace_only_keyword_row_is_ignored(self, keywords_config: dict[str, Any]):
+        """A whitespace-only keyword row must not flag every message."""
+        keywords_config["keywords"] = "spam\n   \n "
+        moderation = KeywordsModeration(app_id="app", tenant_id="tenant", config=keywords_config)
+
+        result = moderation.moderation_for_inputs({}, query="a perfectly normal message")
+
+        assert result.flagged is False
+
     def test_moderation_for_inputs_no_violation(self, keywords_moderation: KeywordsModeration):
         """Test input moderation when no keywords are matched."""
         inputs = {"user_input": "This is a clean message"}
diff --git a/api/tests/unit_tests/core/moderation/test_sensitive_word_filter.py b/api/tests/unit_tests/core/moderation/test_sensitive_word_filter.py
index 585a7cf1f71..17a5184c813 100644
--- a/api/tests/unit_tests/core/moderation/test_sensitive_word_filter.py
+++ b/api/tests/unit_tests/core/moderation/test_sensitive_word_filter.py
@@ -621,13 +621,9 @@ class TestEdgeCases:
         """Test keyword that is only spaces."""
         moderation = self._create_moderation("   ")
 
-        # Text without three consecutive spaces should not match
-        result1 = moderation.moderation_for_inputs({"text": "This has spaces"})
-        assert result1.flagged is False
+        result = moderation.moderation_for_inputs({"text": "This   has   spaces"})
 
-        # Text with three consecutive spaces should match
-        result2 = moderation.moderation_for_inputs({"text": "This   has   spaces"})
-        assert result2.flagged is True
+        assert result.flagged is False
 
     def test_config_not_set_error_for_inputs(self):
         """Test error when config is not set for input moderation."""