diff --git a/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/menuhandler/FeedMenuHandler.java b/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/menuhandler/FeedMenuHandler.java
index 2d6d4cac1..830e9d419 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/menuhandler/FeedMenuHandler.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/menuhandler/FeedMenuHandler.java
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ public class FeedMenuHandler {
             case R.id.refresh_complete_item:
                 DBTasks.refreshCompleteFeed(context, selectedFeed);
                 break;
-            case R.id.hide_items:
-                showHideDialog(context, selectedFeed);
+            case R.id.filter_items:
+                showFilterDialog(context, selectedFeed);
                 break;
             case R.id.mark_all_read_item:
                 ConfirmationDialog conDialog = new ConfirmationDialog(context,
@@ -110,14 +110,13 @@ public class FeedMenuHandler {
         return true;
     }
 
-    private static void showHideDialog(final Context context, final Feed feed) {
-
-        final String[] items = context.getResources().getStringArray(R.array.episode_hide_options);
-        final String[] values = context.getResources().getStringArray(R.array.episode_hide_values);
+    private static void showFilterDialog(final Context context, final Feed feed) {
+        final String[] items = context.getResources().getStringArray(R.array.episode_filter_options);
+        final String[] values = context.getResources().getStringArray(R.array.episode_filter_values);
         final boolean[] checkedItems = new boolean[items.length];
 
-        final Set<String> hidden = new HashSet<String>(Arrays.asList(feed.getItemFilter().getValues()));
-        Iterator<String> it = hidden.iterator();
+        final Set<String> filter = new HashSet<>(Arrays.asList(feed.getItemFilter().getValues()));
+        Iterator<String> it = filter.iterator();
         while(it.hasNext()) {
             // make sure we have no empty strings in the filter list
             if(TextUtils.isEmpty(it.next())) {
@@ -126,23 +125,23 @@ public class FeedMenuHandler {
         }
         for(int i=0; i < values.length; i++) {
             String value = values[i];
-            if(hidden.contains(value)) {
+            if(filter.contains(value)) {
                 checkedItems[i] = true;
             }
         }
 
         AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(context);
-        builder.setTitle(R.string.hide_episodes_title);
+        builder.setTitle(R.string.filter);
         builder.setMultiChoiceItems(items, checkedItems, (dialog, which, isChecked) -> {
             if (isChecked) {
-                hidden.add(values[which]);
+                filter.add(values[which]);
             } else {
-                hidden.remove(values[which]);
+                filter.remove(values[which]);
             }
         });
         builder.setPositiveButton(R.string.confirm_label, (dialog, which) -> {
-            feed.setHiddenItemProperties(hidden.toArray(new String[hidden.size()]));
-            DBWriter.setFeedItemsFilter(feed.getId(), hidden);
+            feed.setItemFilter(filter.toArray(new String[filter.size()]));
+            DBWriter.setFeedItemsFilter(feed.getId(), filter);
         });
         builder.setNegativeButton(R.string.cancel_label, null);
         builder.create().show();
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/menu/feedlist.xml b/app/src/main/res/menu/feedlist.xml
index 54b90f5c6..ed03c08d6 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/menu/feedlist.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/menu/feedlist.xml
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
       xmlns:custom="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto">
 
     <item
-        android:id="@+id/hide_items"
+        android:id="@+id/filter_items"
         android:icon="?attr/ic_filter"
         android:menuCategory="container"
-        android:title="@string/hide_episodes_title"
+        android:title="@string/filter"
         custom:showAsAction="always">
     </item>
     <item
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/feed/Feed.java b/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/feed/Feed.java
index 0de046fe5..4be788f33 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/feed/Feed.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/feed/Feed.java
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ public class Feed extends FeedFile implements FlattrThing, ImageResource {
         return itemfilter;
     }
 
-    public void setHiddenItemProperties(String[] properties) {
+    public void setItemFilter(String[] properties) {
         if (properties != null) {
             this.itemfilter = new FeedItemFilter(properties);
         }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/feed/FeedItemFilter.java b/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/feed/FeedItemFilter.java
index 8636ac50a..33f5cf504 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/feed/FeedItemFilter.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/feed/FeedItemFilter.java
@@ -8,73 +8,87 @@ import java.util.List;
 import de.danoeh.antennapod.core.storage.DBReader;
 
 public class FeedItemFilter {
+    private final String[] mProperties;
 
-    private final String[] properties;
-
-    private boolean hideUnplayed = false;
-    private boolean hidePaused = false;
-    private boolean hidePlayed = false;
-    private boolean hideQueued = false;
-    private boolean hideNotQueued = false;
-    private boolean hideDownloaded = false;
-    private boolean hideNotDownloaded = false;
+    private boolean showPlayed = false;
+    private boolean showUnplayed = false;
+    private boolean showPaused = false;
+    private boolean showQueued = false;
+    private boolean showNotQueued = false;
+    private boolean showDownloaded = false;
+    private boolean showNotDownloaded = false;
 
     public FeedItemFilter(String properties) {
         this(TextUtils.split(properties, ","));
     }
 
     public FeedItemFilter(String[] properties) {
-        this.properties = properties;
+        this.mProperties = properties;
         for(String property : properties) {
             // see R.arrays.feed_filter_values
             switch(property) {
                 case "unplayed":
-                    hideUnplayed = true;
+                    showUnplayed = true;
                     break;
                 case "paused":
-                    hidePaused = true;
+                    showPaused = true;
                     break;
                 case "played":
-                    hidePlayed = true;
+                    showPlayed = true;
                     break;
                 case "queued":
-                    hideQueued = true;
+                    showQueued = true;
                     break;
                 case "not_queued":
-                    hideNotQueued = true;
+                    showNotQueued = true;
                     break;
                 case "downloaded":
-                    hideDownloaded = true;
+                    showDownloaded = true;
                     break;
                 case "not_downloaded":
-                    hideNotDownloaded = true;
+                    showNotDownloaded = true;
                     break;
             }
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Run a list of feed items through the filter.
+     */
     public List<FeedItem> filter(List<FeedItem> items) {
-        if(properties.length == 0) {
-            return items;
-        }
-        List<FeedItem> result = new ArrayList<FeedItem>();
+        if(mProperties.length == 0) return items;
+
+        List<FeedItem> result = new ArrayList<>();
+
+        // Check for filter combinations that will always return an empty list
+        // (e.g. requiring played and unplayed at the same time)
+        if (showPlayed && showUnplayed) return result;
+        if (showQueued && showNotQueued) return result;
+        if (showDownloaded && showNotDownloaded) return result;
+
         for(FeedItem item : items) {
-            if(hideUnplayed && false == item.isPlayed()) continue;
-            if(hidePaused && item.getState() == FeedItem.State.IN_PROGRESS) continue;
-            if(hidePlayed && item.isPlayed()) continue;
-            boolean isQueued = DBReader.getQueueIDList().contains(item.getId());
-            if(hideQueued && isQueued) continue;
-            if(hideNotQueued && false == isQueued) continue;
-            boolean isDownloaded = item.getMedia() != null && item.getMedia().isDownloaded();
-            if(hideDownloaded && isDownloaded) continue;
-            if(hideNotDownloaded && false == isDownloaded) continue;
+            // If the item does not meet a requirement, skip it.
+            if (showPlayed && !item.isPlayed()) continue;
+            if (showUnplayed && item.isPlayed()) continue;
+            if (showPaused && item.getState() != FeedItem.State.IN_PROGRESS) continue;
+
+            boolean queued = DBReader.getQueueIDList().contains(item.getId());
+            if (showQueued && !queued) continue;
+            if (showNotQueued && queued) continue;
+
+            boolean downloaded = item.getMedia() != null & item.getMedia().isDownloaded();
+            if (showDownloaded && !downloaded) continue;
+            if (showNotDownloaded && downloaded) continue;
+
+            // If the item reaches here, it meets all criteria
             result.add(item);
         }
+
         return result;
     }
 
     public String[] getValues() {
-        return properties.clone();
+        return mProperties.clone();
     }
 
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/res/values/arrays.xml b/core/src/main/res/values/arrays.xml
index 55da0ee04..0de515292 100644
--- a/core/src/main/res/values/arrays.xml
+++ b/core/src/main/res/values/arrays.xml
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@
         <item>3</item>
     </string-array>
 
-    <string-array name="episode_hide_options">
+    <string-array name="episode_filter_options">
         <item>@string/hide_unplayed_episodes_label</item>
         <item>@string/hide_paused_episodes_label</item>
         <item>@string/hide_played_episodes_label</item>
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@
         <item>@string/hide_not_downloaded_episodes_label</item>
     </string-array>
 
-    <string-array name="episode_hide_values">
+    <string-array name="episode_filter_values">
         <item>unplayed</item>
         <item>paused</item>
         <item>played</item>