diff --git a/infer/src/base/Config.ml b/infer/src/base/Config.ml
index 3dafe94e9..9a4081eb2 100644
--- a/infer/src/base/Config.ml
+++ b/infer/src/base/Config.ml
@@ -1255,6 +1255,11 @@ and quandary_endpoints =
     ~in_help:CLOpt.[Analyze, manual_quandary]
     "Specify endpoint classes for Quandary"
 
+and quandary_sanitizers =
+  CLOpt.mk_json ~long:"quandary-sanitizers"
+    ~in_help:CLOpt.[Analyze, manual_quandary]
+    "Specify custom sanitizers for Quandary"
+
 and quandary_sources =
   CLOpt.mk_json ~long:"quandary-sources"
     ~in_help:CLOpt.[Analyze, manual_quandary]
@@ -1847,6 +1852,7 @@ and procs_xml = !procs_xml
 and project_root = !project_root
 and quandary = !quandary
 and quandary_endpoints = !quandary_endpoints
+and quandary_sanitizers = !quandary_sanitizers
 and quandary_sources = !quandary_sources
 and quandary_sinks = !quandary_sinks
 and quiet = !quiet
diff --git a/infer/src/base/Config.mli b/infer/src/base/Config.mli
index 13f7f7697..1052578b6 100644
--- a/infer/src/base/Config.mli
+++ b/infer/src/base/Config.mli
@@ -300,6 +300,7 @@ val procs_xml : string option
 val project_root : string
 val quandary : bool
 val quandary_endpoints : Yojson.Basic.json
+val quandary_sanitizers : Yojson.Basic.json
 val quandary_sources : Yojson.Basic.json
 val quandary_sinks : Yojson.Basic.json
 val quiet : bool
diff --git a/infer/src/quandary/ClangTaintAnalysis.ml b/infer/src/quandary/ClangTaintAnalysis.ml
index 1921fadb5..397d0ce4b 100644
--- a/infer/src/quandary/ClangTaintAnalysis.ml
+++ b/infer/src/quandary/ClangTaintAnalysis.ml
@@ -64,9 +64,23 @@ include
           [TaintSpec.Propagate_to_receiver; TaintSpec.Propagate_to_return]
       | "sprintf" ->
           [TaintSpec.Propagate_to_receiver]
-      | other ->
-          L.d_strln ("generic unknown " ^ other);
+      | _ ->
           handle_generic_unknown ret_typ_opt actuals
 
+    let external_sanitizers =
+      List.map
+        ~f:(fun { QuandaryConfig.Sanitizer.procedure; } ->
+            QualifiedCppName.Match.of_fuzzy_qual_names [procedure])
+        (QuandaryConfig.Sanitizer.of_json Config.quandary_sanitizers)
+
+    let get_sanitizer pname =
+      let qualified_pname = Typ.Procname.get_qualifiers pname in
+      List.find_map
+        ~f:(fun qualifiers ->
+            if QualifiedCppName.Match.match_qualifiers qualifiers qualified_pname
+            then Some TaintSpec.Return
+            else None)
+        external_sanitizers
+
     let is_taintable_type _ = true
   end)
diff --git a/infer/src/quandary/JavaTaintAnalysis.ml b/infer/src/quandary/JavaTaintAnalysis.ml
index ce750057d..b3d9dd758 100644
--- a/infer/src/quandary/JavaTaintAnalysis.ml
+++ b/infer/src/quandary/JavaTaintAnalysis.ml
@@ -74,7 +74,27 @@ include
       | pname ->
           failwithf "Non-Java procname %a in Java analysis@." Typ.Procname.pp pname
 
-    let is_taintable_type typ=
+    let external_sanitizers =
+      List.map
+        ~f:(fun { QuandaryConfig.Sanitizer.procedure; } -> Str.regexp procedure)
+        (QuandaryConfig.Sanitizer.of_json Config.quandary_sanitizers)
+
+    let get_sanitizer = function
+      | Typ.Procname.Java java_pname ->
+          let procedure_string =
+            Printf.sprintf "%s.%s"
+              (Typ.Procname.java_get_class_name java_pname)
+              (Typ.Procname.java_get_method java_pname) in
+          List.find_map
+            ~f:(fun procedure_regex ->
+                if Str.string_match procedure_regex procedure_string 0
+                then Some TaintSpec.Return
+                else None)
+            external_sanitizers
+      | _ ->
+          None
+
+    let is_taintable_type typ =
       match typ.Typ.desc with
       | Typ.Tptr ({desc=Tstruct (JavaClass typename)}, _) | Tstruct (JavaClass typename) ->
           begin
diff --git a/infer/src/quandary/QuandaryConfig.ml b/infer/src/quandary/QuandaryConfig.ml
index 978fc25c9..816d7d87d 100644
--- a/infer/src/quandary/QuandaryConfig.ml
+++ b/infer/src/quandary/QuandaryConfig.ml
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ module Source = struct
 end
 
 module Sink = struct
-  type t = { procedure : string; kind : string; index : string}
+  type t = { procedure : string; kind : string; index : string; }
 
   let of_json = function
     | `List sinks ->
@@ -47,6 +47,20 @@ module Sink = struct
         []
 end
 
+module Sanitizer = struct
+  type t = { procedure : string; }
+
+  let of_json = function
+    | `List sinks ->
+        let parse_sanitizer json =
+          let open Yojson.Basic in
+          let procedure = Util.member "procedure" json |> Util.to_string in
+          { procedure; } in
+        List.map ~f:parse_sanitizer sinks
+    | _ ->
+        []
+end
+
 module Endpoint = struct
   type t = string
 
diff --git a/infer/src/quandary/QuandaryConfig.mli b/infer/src/quandary/QuandaryConfig.mli
index 949a68e8c..5b2a5c579 100644
--- a/infer/src/quandary/QuandaryConfig.mli
+++ b/infer/src/quandary/QuandaryConfig.mli
@@ -23,6 +23,12 @@ module Sink : sig
   val of_json : [> `List of Yojson.Basic.json list ] -> t list
 end
 
+module Sanitizer : sig
+  type t = { procedure : string; }
+
+  val of_json : [> `List of Yojson.Basic.json list ] -> t list
+end
+
 module Endpoint : sig
   type t = string (** name of endpoint class *)
 
diff --git a/infer/src/quandary/TaintAnalysis.ml b/infer/src/quandary/TaintAnalysis.ml
index 15fdb4ca1..d690923f7 100644
--- a/infer/src/quandary/TaintAnalysis.ml
+++ b/infer/src/quandary/TaintAnalysis.ml
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ module Make (TaintSpecification : TaintSpec.S) = struct
 
   module TraceDomain = TaintSpecification.Trace
   module TaintDomain = TaintSpecification.AccessTree
-  module IdMapDomain = IdAccessPathMapDomain
 
   module Summary = Summary.Make(struct
       type payload = QuandarySummary.t
@@ -377,6 +376,21 @@ module Make (TaintSpecification : TaintSpec.S) = struct
                     proc_data.tenv in
                 List.fold ~f:handle_unknown_call_ ~init:access_tree propagations in
 
+          let dummy_ret_opt = match ret_opt with
+            | None when not (Typ.Procname.is_java called_pname) ->
+                (* the C++ frontend handles returns of non-pointers by adding a dummy
+                   pass-by-reference variable as the last actual, then returning the value by
+                   assigning to it. understand this pattern by pretending it's the return value *)
+                begin
+                  match List.last actuals with
+                  | Some (HilExp.AccessPath ((Var.ProgramVar pvar, _) as ret_base, []))
+                    when Pvar.is_frontend_tmp pvar ->
+                      Some ret_base
+                  | _ -> None
+                end
+            | _ ->
+                ret_opt in
+
           let analyze_call astate_acc callee_pname =
             let call_site = CallSite.make callee_pname callee_loc in
 
@@ -384,34 +398,17 @@ module Make (TaintSpecification : TaintSpec.S) = struct
             let astate_with_sink = match sinks with
               | [] -> astate
               | sinks -> add_sinks sinks actuals astate proc_data call_site in
-
             let source = TraceDomain.Source.get call_site proc_data.tenv in
             let astate_with_source =
-              match source, ret_opt with
-              | Some { TraceDomain.Source.source; index=None; }, Some ret_base ->
-                  add_return_source source ret_base astate_with_sink
-              | Some { TraceDomain.Source.source; index=Some index; }, _ ->
+              match source with
+              | Some { TraceDomain.Source.source; index=None; } ->
+                  Option.value_map
+                    ~f:(fun ret_base -> add_return_source source ret_base astate_with_sink)
+                    ~default:astate_with_sink
+                    dummy_ret_opt
+              | Some { TraceDomain.Source.source; index=Some index; } ->
                   add_actual_source source index actuals astate_with_sink proc_data
-              | Some { TraceDomain.Source.source; index=None; }, None ->
-                  let warn_invalid_source () =
-                    L.stderr
-                      "Warning: %a is marked as a source, but has no return value"
-                      Typ.Procname.pp callee_pname;
-                    astate_with_sink in
-                  if not (Typ.Procname.is_java callee_pname)
-                  then
-                    (* the C++ frontend handles returns of non-pointers by adding a dummy
-                       pass-by-reference variable as the last actual, then returning the value
-                       by assigning to it. make sure we understand this pattern *)
-                    match List.last actuals with
-                    | Some (HilExp.AccessPath ((Var.ProgramVar pvar, _) as ret_base, []))
-                      when Pvar.is_frontend_tmp pvar ->
-                        add_return_source source ret_base astate_with_sink
-                    | _ ->
-                        warn_invalid_source ()
-                  else
-                    warn_invalid_source ()
-              | None, _ ->
+              | None ->
                   astate_with_sink in
 
             let astate_with_summary =
@@ -433,7 +430,22 @@ module Make (TaintSpecification : TaintSpec.S) = struct
                     apply_summary ret_opt actuals summary astate_with_source proc_data call_site
                 | _ ->
                     handle_unknown_call callee_pname astate_with_source in
-            Domain.join astate_acc astate_with_summary in
+
+            let astate_with_sanitizer =
+              match dummy_ret_opt with
+              | None -> astate_with_summary
+              | Some ret_base ->
+                  match TaintSpecification.get_sanitizer callee_pname with
+                  | Some Return ->
+                      (* clear the trace associated with the return value. ideally, we would
+                          associate a kind with the sanitizer and only clear the trace when its
+                          kind matches the source. but this gets complicated to do properly with
+                          footprint sources, since we don't know their kind. so do the simple
+                          thing for now. *)
+                      TaintDomain.BaseMap.remove ret_base astate_with_summary
+                  | None -> astate_with_summary in
+
+            Domain.join astate_acc astate_with_sanitizer in
 
           (* highly polymorphic call sites stress reactive mode too much by using too much memory.
              here, we choose an arbitrary call limit that allows us to finish the analysis in
diff --git a/infer/src/quandary/TaintSpec.ml b/infer/src/quandary/TaintSpec.ml
index e23bb6854..ef2700fa7 100644
--- a/infer/src/quandary/TaintSpec.ml
+++ b/infer/src/quandary/TaintSpec.ml
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ type handle_unknown =
   | Propagate_to_return
   (** Propagate taint from all actuals to the return value *)
 
+type sanitizer =
+  | Return (** a sanitizer that removes taint from its return value *)
 
 module type S = sig
   module Trace : Trace.S
@@ -33,6 +35,9 @@ module type S = sig
   (** return true if the given typ can be tainted *)
   val is_taintable_type : Typ.t -> bool
 
+  (** get the sanitizer associated with the given type, if any *)
+  val get_sanitizer : Typ.Procname.t -> sanitizer option
+
   val to_summary_access_tree : AccessTree.t -> QuandarySummary.AccessTree.t
 
   val of_summary_access_tree : QuandarySummary.AccessTree.t -> AccessTree.t
diff --git a/infer/src/unit/TaintTests.ml b/infer/src/unit/TaintTests.ml
index 19a15d5b0..24c3763bd 100644
--- a/infer/src/unit/TaintTests.ml
+++ b/infer/src/unit/TaintTests.ml
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ module MockTaintAnalysis = TaintAnalysis.Make(struct
     let to_summary_access_tree _ = assert false
     let handle_unknown_call _ _ _ _ = []
     let is_taintable_type _ = true
+    let get_sanitizer _ = None
   end)
 
 module TestInterpreter =
diff --git a/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/.inferconfig b/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/.inferconfig
index 378189339..77f04f417 100644
--- a/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/.inferconfig
+++ b/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/.inferconfig
@@ -57,6 +57,14 @@
       "index": "1"
     }
   ],
+  "quandary-sanitizers": [
+    {
+      "procedure": "basics::Obj::sanitizer1"
+    },
+    {
+      "procedure": "basics::Obj::sanitizer2"
+    }
+  ],
   "quandary-endpoints": [
     "basics::Obj::endpoint"
   ]
diff --git a/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/basics.cpp b/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/basics.cpp
index a2eb779c3..b04e31202 100644
--- a/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/basics.cpp
+++ b/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/basics.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ class Obj {
   std::string string_source(int i) { return ""; }
   static int taint_arg_source(int* arg) { return 1; }
   void string_sink(std::string) {}
+  static std::string* sanitizer1(std::string* input) { return input; }
+  static std::string sanitizer2(const std::string& input) { return input; }
+
   std::string field1;
   std::string field2;
 
@@ -147,4 +150,23 @@ void taint_arg_source_ok() {
   int ret = Obj::taint_arg_source(&source);
   __infer_taint_sink((void*)ret); // return value is not a source
 }
+
+void via_sanitizer_ok1(Obj* obj) {
+  std::string* source = &obj->string_source(0);
+  std::string* sanitized = Obj::sanitizer1(source);
+  obj->string_sink(*sanitized);
+}
+
+void via_sanitizer_ok2(Obj* obj) {
+  std::string source = obj->string_source(0);
+  std::string sanitized = obj->sanitizer2(source);
+  obj->string_sink(sanitized);
+}
+
+std::string* unsanitized_bad(Obj* obj) {
+  std::string* source = &obj->string_source(0);
+  std::string* sanitized = Obj::sanitizer1(source);
+  obj->string_sink(*source);
+  return sanitized;
+}
 }
diff --git a/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/issues.exp b/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/issues.exp
index c041a38a8..692aa1e40 100644
--- a/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/issues.exp
+++ b/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/issues.exp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/basics.cpp, basics::static_source_sink_bad, 2, QUANDA
 codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/basics.cpp, basics::string_source_bad, 2, QUANDARY_TAINT_ERROR, [return from basics::Obj_string_source,call to basics::Obj_string_sink]
 codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/basics.cpp, basics::taint_arg_source_bad, 3, QUANDARY_TAINT_ERROR, [return from basics::Obj_taint_arg_source,call to __infer_taint_sink]
 codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/basics.cpp, basics::template_source_bad, 2, QUANDARY_TAINT_ERROR, [return from basics::template_source<void_*>,call to __infer_taint_sink]
+codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/basics.cpp, basics::unsanitized_bad, 3, QUANDARY_TAINT_ERROR, [return from basics::Obj_string_source,call to basics::Obj_string_sink]
 codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/basics.cpp, basics::via_field_bad1, 3, QUANDARY_TAINT_ERROR, [return from basics::template_source<std::basic_string<char>_>,call to basics::template_sink<std::basic_string<char>_>]
 codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/basics.cpp, basics::via_field_bad2, 2, QUANDARY_TAINT_ERROR, [return from basics::template_source<std::basic_string<char>_>,call to basics::template_sink<std::basic_string<char>_>]
 codetoanalyze/cpp/quandary/basics.cpp, basics::via_passthrough_bad1, 4, QUANDARY_TAINT_ERROR, [return from basics::Obj_string_source,flow through basics::id1<std::basic_string<char>_>,call to basics::Obj_string_sink]
diff --git a/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/java/quandary/.inferconfig b/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/java/quandary/.inferconfig
index 0ce166ecf..0f9e37d9b 100644
--- a/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/java/quandary/.inferconfig
+++ b/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/java/quandary/.inferconfig
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@
       "kind": "Logging"
     }
   ],
+  "quandary-sanitizers": [
+    {
+      "procedure": "codetoanalyze.java.quandary.ExternalSpecs.sanitizer"
+    }
+  ],
   "quandary-endpoints": [
     "codetoanalyze.java.quandary.MyService"
   ]
diff --git a/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/java/quandary/ExternalSpecs.java b/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/java/quandary/ExternalSpecs.java
index 409a27116..11247a98a 100644
--- a/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/java/quandary/ExternalSpecs.java
+++ b/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/java/quandary/ExternalSpecs.java
@@ -67,4 +67,40 @@ public class ExternalSpecs {
     loggingSink2(activity.getIntent(), activity.getIntent());
   }
 
+  static Object sanitizer(Object o) {
+    return o;
+  }
+
+  void viaSanitizerOk() {
+    Object source = InferTaint.inferSecretSource();
+    Object sanitized = sanitizer(source);
+    InferTaint.inferSensitiveSink(sanitized);
+  }
+
+  void sanitizeFootprint(Object o) {
+    Object sanitized = sanitizer(o);
+    InferTaint.inferSensitiveSink(sanitized);
+  }
+
+  void callSanitizeFootprintOk() {
+    sanitizeFootprint(InferTaint.inferSecretSource());
+  }
+
+  Object returnSanitizedSource() {
+    Object source = InferTaint.inferSecretSource();
+    return sanitizer(source);
+  }
+
+  void callSinkOnSanitizedSourceOk() {
+    InferTaint.inferSensitiveSink(returnSanitizedSource());
+  }
+
+  Object missedSanitizerBad() {
+    Object source = InferTaint.inferSecretSource();
+    Object sanitized = sanitizer(source);
+    InferTaint.inferSensitiveSink(source);
+    return sanitized;
+  }
+
+
 }
diff --git a/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/java/quandary/issues.exp b/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/java/quandary/issues.exp
index 99ff338ed..aa628764c 100644
--- a/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/java/quandary/issues.exp
+++ b/infer/tests/codetoanalyze/java/quandary/issues.exp
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ codetoanalyze/java/quandary/Exceptions.java, void Exceptions.sinkInCatchBad2(),
 codetoanalyze/java/quandary/Exceptions.java, void Exceptions.sinkInFinallyBad1(), 5, QUANDARY_TAINT_ERROR, [return from Object InferTaint.inferSecretSource(),call to void InferTaint.inferSensitiveSink(Object)]
 codetoanalyze/java/quandary/Exceptions.java, void Exceptions.sinkInFinallyBad2(), 6, QUANDARY_TAINT_ERROR, [return from Object InferTaint.inferSecretSource(),call to void InferTaint.inferSensitiveSink(Object)]
 codetoanalyze/java/quandary/Exceptions.java, void Exceptions.sinkInFinallyBad3(), 7, QUANDARY_TAINT_ERROR, [return from Object InferTaint.inferSecretSource(),call to void InferTaint.inferSensitiveSink(Object)]
+codetoanalyze/java/quandary/ExternalSpecs.java, Object ExternalSpecs.missedSanitizerBad(), 3, QUANDARY_TAINT_ERROR, [return from Object InferTaint.inferSecretSource(),call to void InferTaint.inferSensitiveSink(Object)]
 codetoanalyze/java/quandary/ExternalSpecs.java, void ExternalSpecs.callExternalSink2Bad1(), 1, QUANDARY_TAINT_ERROR, [return from Object ExternalSpecs.privateDataSource(),call to void ExternalSpecs.loggingSink2(Object,Object)]
 codetoanalyze/java/quandary/ExternalSpecs.java, void ExternalSpecs.callExternalSink2Bad2(), 1, QUANDARY_TAINT_ERROR, [return from Object ExternalSpecs.privateDataSource(),call to void ExternalSpecs.loggingSink2(Object,Object)]
 codetoanalyze/java/quandary/ExternalSpecs.java, void ExternalSpecs.callExternalSinkBad(), 1, QUANDARY_TAINT_ERROR, [return from Object ExternalSpecs.privateDataSource(),call to void ExternalSpecs.loggingSink1(Object,Object)]