diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5b6891b3326..eb905b576f0 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -94,9 +94,11 @@ config/metrics/
 API_file.txt
 New_API_file.txt
 
-# Ignore Allowlist and Denylist files
+# Ignore Allowlist and Denylist files (Whitelist and Blacklist are old filenames)
 allowlist.json
 denylist.json
+whitelist.json
+blacklist.json
 
 # Profiling related
 terasology.jfr
diff --git a/docs/Modding-API.md b/docs/Modding-API.md
index ed5065fe078..d2e81b2c284 100644
--- a/docs/Modding-API.md
+++ b/docs/Modding-API.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 Modding API
 =================
 
-Terasology's engine uses allowlisting approach to expose an API for modules using two primary methods and a rarely needed third one:
+Terasology's engine uses an allowlisting approach to expose an API for modules using two primary methods and a rarely needed third one:
 
 * Classes or packages marked with the `@API` annotation
 * Classes or packages in the basic allowlist defined in `ExternalApiAllowlist.java`
diff --git a/engine/src/main/java/org/terasology/engine/network/internal/ServerConnectListManager.java b/engine/src/main/java/org/terasology/engine/network/internal/ServerConnectListManager.java
index 1c91de0fd88..c2189f19abd 100644
--- a/engine/src/main/java/org/terasology/engine/network/internal/ServerConnectListManager.java
+++ b/engine/src/main/java/org/terasology/engine/network/internal/ServerConnectListManager.java
@@ -34,8 +34,20 @@ public class ServerConnectListManager {
     private final Path allowlistPath;
 
     public ServerConnectListManager(Context context) {
-        denylistPath = PathManager.getInstance().getHomePath().resolve("denylist.json");
-        allowlistPath = PathManager.getInstance().getHomePath().resolve("allowlist.json");
+        // although this seems redundant, compiler wouldn't accept assigning then checking
+        if (Files.exists(PathManager.getInstance().getHomePath().resolve("denylist.json"))) {
+            denylistPath = PathManager.getInstance().getHomePath().resolve("denylist.json");
+        }
+        else {
+            denylistPath = PathManager.getInstance().getHomePath().resolve("blacklist.json");
+        }
+        // although this seems redundant, compiler wouldn't accept assigning then checking
+        if (Files.exists(PathManager.getInstance().getHomePath().resolve("allowlist.json"))) {
+            allowlistPath = PathManager.getInstance().getHomePath().resolve("allowlist.json");
+        }
+        else {
+            allowlistPath = PathManager.getInstance().getHomePath().resolve("whitelist.json");
+        }
         this.context = context;
         loadLists();
     }
diff --git a/engine/src/main/java/org/terasology/engine/rendering/nui/layers/mainMenu/SelectGameScreen.java b/engine/src/main/java/org/terasology/engine/rendering/nui/layers/mainMenu/SelectGameScreen.java
index 293a07ed19f..af6e05371a6 100644
--- a/engine/src/main/java/org/terasology/engine/rendering/nui/layers/mainMenu/SelectGameScreen.java
+++ b/engine/src/main/java/org/terasology/engine/rendering/nui/layers/mainMenu/SelectGameScreen.java
@@ -151,6 +151,13 @@ private void loadGame(GameInfo item) {
         if (isLoadingAsServer()) {
             Path denylistPath = PathManager.getInstance().getHomePath().resolve("denylist.json");
             Path allowlistPath = PathManager.getInstance().getHomePath().resolve("allowlist.json");
+            if (!Files.exists(denylistPath)) {
+                denylistPath = PathManager.getInstance().getHomePath().resolve("blacklist.json");
+            }
+            
+            if (!Files.exists(allowlistPath)) {
+                allowlistPath = PathManager.getInstance().getHomePath().resolve("whitelist.json");
+            }
             if (!Files.exists(denylistPath)) {
                 try {
                     Files.createFile(denylistPath);