diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index 99187f01b36..1f5e8ef1706 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
    * New wesnoth.units.find gets units on either the map or any side's recall list.
    * Moved to interface module: wesnoth.scroll, wesnoth.zoom, wesnoth.get_mouseover_tile
    * wesnoth.interface.get_displayed_unit aliased to wesnoth.unit.get_hovered
-   * unit portrait is now writable
+   * unit portrait and recall_filter are now writable
  ### WML engine
    * Support upkeep in StandardUnitFilter
    * [effect]apply_to=variation now supports heal_full
diff --git a/data/lua/wml/modify_unit.lua b/data/lua/wml/modify_unit.lua
index 31d03e42b0a..2e63b6dd652 100644
--- a/data/lua/wml/modify_unit.lua
+++ b/data/lua/wml/modify_unit.lua
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ local function make_set(t)
 end
 
 local known_attributes = make_set {
+	"mode",
 	"x",
 	"y",
 	"ai_special",
@@ -69,6 +70,8 @@ local known_tags = make_set {
 	"set_variable",
 	-- todo: "set_variables",
 	"clear_variable",
+	"filter_recall",
+	"variables",
 }
 
 local function is_simple(cfg)
@@ -142,6 +145,7 @@ local function simple_modify_unit(cfg)
 		end
 
 		---------- TAGS ----------
+		bool found_recall = false, found_variables = false
 		for i, t in ipairs(wml.shallow_parsed(cfg)) do
 			local tagname, tagcontent = t[1], t[2]
 			if tagname == "object" or tagname == "trait" or tagname == "advancement" then
@@ -162,6 +166,12 @@ local function simple_modify_unit(cfg)
 				for i, v in pairs(tagcontent) do
 					u.status[i] = v
 				end
+			elseif not found_recall and tagname == "filter_recall" then
+				u.recall_filter = wml.merge(u.recall_filter, tagcontent, cfg.mode or "merge")
+				found_recall = true -- Ignore all but the first
+			elseif not found_variables and tagname == "variables" then
+				u.variables.__cfg = wml.merge(u.variables.__cfg, tagcontent, cfg.mode or "merge")
+				found_variables = true -- Ignore all but the first
 			elseif tagname == "set_variable" then
 				wesnoth.wml_actions.set_variable(tagcontent, u.variables)
 			elseif tagname == "clear_variable" then
diff --git a/src/scripting/lua_common.hpp b/src/scripting/lua_common.hpp
index 67be9e4d5de..d0150dd91ab 100644
--- a/src/scripting/lua_common.hpp
+++ b/src/scripting/lua_common.hpp
@@ -345,6 +345,15 @@ do { \
 	} \
 } while(false)
 
+#define modify_cfg_attrib(name, accessor) \
+do { \
+	if (strcmp(m, (name)) == 0) { \
+		const config& cfg = luaW_checkconfig(L, 3); \
+		{accessor;} \
+		return 0; \
+	} \
+} while(false)
+
 #define modify_vector_string_attrib(name, accessor) \
 do { \
 	if (strcmp(m, (name)) == 0) { \
diff --git a/src/scripting/lua_unit.cpp b/src/scripting/lua_unit.cpp
index 574ae591d9e..ca2f0038b3d 100644
--- a/src/scripting/lua_unit.cpp
+++ b/src/scripting/lua_unit.cpp
@@ -451,6 +451,7 @@ static int impl_unit_set(lua_State *L)
 	modify_bool_attrib("zoc", u.set_emit_zoc(value));
 	modify_bool_attrib("canrecruit", u.set_can_recruit(value));
 	modify_bool_attrib("renamable", u.set_unrenamable(!value));
+	modify_cfg_attrib("recall_filter", u.set_recall_filter(cfg));
 
 	modify_vector_string_attrib("extra_recruit", u.set_recruits(value));
 	modify_vector_string_attrib("advances_to", u.set_advances_to(value));
@@ -625,10 +626,7 @@ static int impl_unit_variables_set(lua_State *L)
 		return luaL_argerror(L, 2, "unknown unit");
 	}
 	char const *m = luaL_checkstring(L, 2);
-	if(strcmp(m, "__cfg") == 0) {
-		u->variables() = luaW_checkconfig(L, 3);
-		return 0;
-	}
+	modify_cfg_attrib("__cfg", u->variables() = cfg);
 	config& vars = u->variables();
 	if(lua_isnoneornil(L, 3)) {
 		try {
diff --git a/src/units/unit.hpp b/src/units/unit.hpp
index e0f5bc15546..f2d624e1e7f 100644
--- a/src/units/unit.hpp
+++ b/src/units/unit.hpp
@@ -625,6 +625,12 @@ public:
 		return filter_recall_;
 	}
 
+	/** Sets the filter constraints upon which units this unit may recall, if able. */
+	void set_recall_filter(const config& filter)
+	{
+		filter_recall_ = filter;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Gets this unit's role.
 	 *