diff --git a/src/args.rs b/src/args.rs
index cf5f19b..a699564 100644
--- a/src/args.rs
+++ b/src/args.rs
@@ -90,6 +90,10 @@ pub struct ItemArgs {
     #[arg(help_heading("Item Options"), short('M'), long, env("KEEP_META_PLUGINS"))]
     #[arg(help("Meta plugins to use when saving items"))]
     pub meta_plugins: Vec<String>,
+
+    #[arg(help_heading("Item Options"), long, env("KEEP_FILTERS"))]
+    #[arg(help("Filter string to apply to content when getting items"))]
+    pub filters: Option<String>,
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 8ccffb6..97e9d5b 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -176,12 +176,24 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Error> {
     // Initialize database
     let mut conn = db::open(db_path.clone())?;
 
-    // Create an empty filters vector for the get mode
-    let filters: Vec<String> = Vec::new();
+    // Parse filter chain early for better error reporting
+    let filter_chain = if let Some(filter_str) = &args.item.filters {
+        match keep::filter_plugin::parse_filter_string(filter_str) {
+            Ok(chain) => Some(chain),
+            Err(e) => {
+                cmd.error(
+                    ErrorKind::InvalidValue,
+                    format!("Invalid filter string: {}", e)
+                ).exit();
+            }
+        }
+    } else {
+        None
+    };
     
     match mode {
         KeepModes::Save => modes::save::mode_save(&mut cmd, &settings, ids, tags, &mut conn, data_path),
-        KeepModes::Get => modes::get::mode_get(&mut cmd, &settings, ids, tags, &mut conn, data_path, &filters),
+        KeepModes::Get => modes::get::mode_get(&mut cmd, &settings, ids, tags, &mut conn, data_path, filter_chain),
         KeepModes::Diff => modes::diff::mode_diff(&mut cmd, &settings, &settings, ids, tags, &mut conn, data_path),
         KeepModes::List => modes::list::mode_list(&mut cmd, &settings, ids, tags, &mut conn, data_path),
         KeepModes::Delete => modes::delete::mode_delete(&mut cmd, &settings, &settings, ids, tags, &mut conn, data_path),
diff --git a/src/modes/get.rs b/src/modes/get.rs
index 157ed4f..23d2a3e 100644
--- a/src/modes/get.rs
+++ b/src/modes/get.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use std::io::Write;
 use crate::common::is_binary::is_binary;
 use crate::common::PIPESIZE;
 use crate::config;
+use crate::filter_plugin::FilterChain;
 use crate::services::item_service::ItemService;
 use clap::Command;
 use is_terminal::IsTerminal;
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@ pub fn mode_get(
     tags: &mut Vec<String>,
     conn: &mut rusqlite::Connection,
     data_path: PathBuf,
-    filters: &Vec<String>,
+    filter_chain: Option<FilterChain>,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     if !ids.is_empty() && !tags.is_empty() {
         cmd.error(clap::error::ErrorKind::InvalidValue, "Both ID and tags given, you must supply either IDs or tags when using --get").exit();
@@ -48,18 +49,11 @@ pub fn mode_get(
         }
     }
 
-    // Join all filter strings with | to create a single filter string
-    let filter_str = if filters.is_empty() {
-        None
-    } else {
-        Some(filters.join(" | "))
-    };
-
-    // Get a reader that applies the filters
-    let (mut reader, _, _) = item_service.get_item_content_info_streaming(
+    // Get a reader that applies the filters using the pre-parsed filter chain
+    let (mut reader, _, _) = item_service.get_item_content_info_streaming_with_chain(
         conn,
         item_id,
-        filter_str.clone(),
+        filter_chain,
     )?;
 
     if detect_binary {
@@ -72,10 +66,10 @@ pub fn mode_get(
             ));
         }
         // We need to create a new reader since we consumed some bytes
-        let (new_reader, _, _) = item_service.get_item_content_info_streaming(
+        let (new_reader, _, _) = item_service.get_item_content_info_streaming_with_chain(
             conn,
             item_id,
-            filter_str.clone(),
+            filter_chain,
         )?;
         reader = new_reader;
     }
diff --git a/src/services/item_service.rs b/src/services/item_service.rs
index d6ad259..2939d8b 100644
--- a/src/services/item_service.rs
+++ b/src/services/item_service.rs
@@ -181,6 +181,23 @@ impl ItemService {
         conn: &Connection,
         id: i64,
         filter: Option<String>,
+    ) -> Result<(Box<dyn Read + Send>, String, bool), CoreError> {
+        // Convert filter string to FilterChain if provided
+        let filter_chain = if let Some(filter_str) = filter {
+            self.filter_service.create_filter_chain(Some(&filter_str))
+                .map_err(|e| CoreError::InvalidInput(format!("Failed to create filter chain: {}", e)))?
+        } else {
+            None
+        };
+        
+        self.get_item_content_info_streaming_with_chain(conn, id, filter_chain)
+    }
+
+    pub fn get_item_content_info_streaming_with_chain(
+        &self,
+        conn: &Connection,
+        id: i64,
+        filter_chain: Option<filter_plugin::FilterChain>,
     ) -> Result<(Box<dyn Read + Send>, String, bool), CoreError> {
         let item_with_meta = self.get_item(conn, id)?;
         let item_id = item_with_meta.item.id.ok_or_else(|| CoreError::InvalidInput("Item missing ID".to_string()))?;
@@ -197,10 +214,6 @@ impl ItemService {
             &item_with_meta.item.compression
         )?;
 
-        // Create filter chain
-        let filter_chain = self.filter_service.create_filter_chain(filter.as_deref())
-            .map_err(|e| CoreError::InvalidInput(format!("Failed to create filter chain: {}", e)))?;
-
         // Wrap the reader with filtering
         let filtered_reader = Box::new(FilteringReader::new(reader, filter_chain));