diff --git a/sos/cleaner/__init__.py b/sos/cleaner/__init__.py
index 87001aece1..feeedf6680 100644
--- a/sos/cleaner/__init__.py
+++ b/sos/cleaner/__init__.py
@@ -130,8 +130,7 @@ def __init__(self, parser=None, args=None, cmdline=None, in_place=False,
             SoSIPParser(self.cleaner_mapping),
             SoSIPv6Parser(self.cleaner_mapping),
             SoSMacParser(self.cleaner_mapping),
-            SoSKeywordParser(self.cleaner_mapping, self.opts.keywords,
-                             self.opts.keyword_file),
+            SoSKeywordParser(self.cleaner_mapping),
             SoSUsernameParser(self.cleaner_mapping)
         ]
 
diff --git a/sos/cleaner/parsers/keyword_parser.py b/sos/cleaner/parsers/keyword_parser.py
index 9a0f65ba8a..f611ccd2b1 100644
--- a/sos/cleaner/parsers/keyword_parser.py
+++ b/sos/cleaner/parsers/keyword_parser.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 #
 # See the LICENSE file in the source distribution for further information.
 
-import os
 
 from sos.cleaner.parsers import SoSCleanerParser
 from sos.cleaner.mappings.keyword_map import SoSKeywordMap
@@ -21,23 +20,9 @@ class SoSKeywordParser(SoSCleanerParser):
     name = 'Keyword Parser'
     map_file_key = 'keyword_map'
 
-    def __init__(self, config, keywords=None, keyword_file=None):
+    def __init__(self, config):
         self.mapping = SoSKeywordMap()
-        self.user_keywords = []
         super(SoSKeywordParser, self).__init__(config)
-        for _keyword in self.mapping.dataset.keys():
-            self.user_keywords.append(_keyword)
-        if keywords:
-            for keyword in keywords:
-                if keyword not in self.user_keywords:
-                    # pre-generate an obfuscation mapping for each keyword
-                    # this is necessary for cases where filenames are being
-                    # obfuscated before or instead of file content
-                    self.mapping.get(keyword.lower())
-                    self.user_keywords.append(keyword)
-        if keyword_file and os.path.exists(keyword_file):
-            with open(keyword_file, 'r') as kwf:
-                self.user_keywords.extend(kwf.read().splitlines())
 
     def _parse_line(self, line):
         return line, 0
diff --git a/sos/cleaner/preppers/keywords.py b/sos/cleaner/preppers/keywords.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9baf86a2a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sos/cleaner/preppers/keywords.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+# Copyright 2023 Red Hat, Inc. Jake Hunsaker <jhunsake@redhat.com>
+
+# This file is part of the sos project: https://github.com/sosreport/sos
+#
+# This copyrighted material is made available to anyone wishing to use,
+# modify, copy, or redistribute it subject to the terms and conditions of
+# version 2 of the GNU General Public License.
+#
+# See the LICENSE file in the source distribution for further information.
+
+import os
+
+from sos.cleaner.preppers import SoSPrepper
+
+
+class KeywordPrepper(SoSPrepper):
+    """
+    Prepper to handle keywords passed to cleaner via either the `--keywords`
+    or `--keyword-file` options.
+    """
+
+    name = 'keyword'
+
+    def _get_items_for_keyword(self, archive):
+        items = []
+        for kw in self.opts.keywords:
+            items.append(kw)
+        if self.opts.keyword_file and os.path.exists(self.opts.keyword_file):
+            with open(self.opts.keyword_file, 'r') as kwf:
+                items.extend(kwf.read().splitlines())
+
+        for item in items:
+            self.regex_items['keyword'].add(item)
+
+        return items
+
+# vim: set et ts=4 sw=4 :