diff --git a/src/nvim/options.lua b/src/nvim/options.lua
index 7fa2d5bd60..7ca1b4d64e 100644
--- a/src/nvim/options.lua
+++ b/src/nvim/options.lua
@@ -1551,6 +1551,7 @@ return {
       full_name='modelineexpr', abbreviation='mle',
       type='bool', scope={'global'},
       vi_def=true,
+      secure=true,
       varname='p_mle',
       defaults={if_true={vi=false}}
     },
diff --git a/src/nvim/testdir/test_modeline.vim b/src/nvim/testdir/test_modeline.vim
index 8f2c42a6b5..8cd6e552e7 100644
--- a/src/nvim/testdir/test_modeline.vim
+++ b/src/nvim/testdir/test_modeline.vim
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ func Test_modeline_fails_always()
   call s:modeline_fails('makespellmem', 'makespellmem=Something()', 'E520:')
   call s:modeline_fails('mzschemedll', 'mzschemedll=Something()', 'E520:')
   call s:modeline_fails('mzschemegcdll', 'mzschemegcdll=Something()', 'E520:')
+  call s:modeline_fails('modelineexpr', 'modelineexpr=Something()', 'E520:')
   call s:modeline_fails('omnifunc', 'omnifunc=Something()', 'E520:')
   call s:modeline_fails('operatorfunc', 'operatorfunc=Something()', 'E520:')
   call s:modeline_fails('perldll', 'perldll=Something()', 'E520:')