diff --git a/config.json.example b/config.json.example
index 2c75f28..78d3b36 100644
--- a/config.json.example
+++ b/config.json.example
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
   "hcatPotfilePath": "~/.hashcat/hashcat.potfile",
   "hcatDebugLogPath": "./hashcat_debug",
   "hcatWordlists": "./wordlists",
+  "hcatOptimizedWordlists": "./optimized_wordlists",
   "rules_directory": "./hashcat/rules",
   "hcatDictionaryWordlist": ["rockyou.txt"],
   "hcatCombinationWordlist": ["rockyou.txt","rockyou.txt"],
diff --git a/hate_crack/attacks.py b/hate_crack/attacks.py
index cb7100a..920eca1 100644
--- a/hate_crack/attacks.py
+++ b/hate_crack/attacks.py
@@ -108,8 +108,9 @@ def _select_rules(ctx) -> list[str] | None:
 
 def quick_crack(ctx: Any) -> None:
     wordlist_choice = None
+    default_dir = ctx.hcatOptimizedWordlists
 
-    wordlist_files = ctx.list_wordlist_files(ctx.hcatWordlists)
+    wordlist_files = ctx.list_wordlist_files(default_dir)
     wordlist_entries = [
         f"{i}. {file}" for i, file in enumerate(wordlist_files, start=1)
     ]
@@ -122,7 +123,7 @@ def quick_crack(ctx: Any) -> None:
     )
 
     def path_completer(text, state):
-        base = ctx.hcatWordlists
+        base = default_dir
         if not text:
             pattern = os.path.join(base, "*")
             matches = glob.glob(pattern)
@@ -145,14 +146,14 @@ def quick_crack(ctx: Any) -> None:
         try:
             raw_choice = input(
                 "\nEnter path of wordlist or wordlist directory (tab to autocomplete).\n"
-                f"Press Enter for default wordlist directory [{ctx.hcatWordlists}]: "
+                f"Press Enter for default wordlist directory [{default_dir}]: "
             )
             raw_choice = raw_choice.strip()
             if raw_choice == "":
-                wordlist_choice = ctx.hcatWordlists
+                wordlist_choice = default_dir
             elif raw_choice.isdigit() and 1 <= int(raw_choice) <= len(wordlist_files):
                 chosen = os.path.join(
-                    ctx.hcatWordlists, wordlist_files[int(raw_choice) - 1]
+                    default_dir, wordlist_files[int(raw_choice) - 1]
                 )
                 if os.path.exists(chosen):
                     wordlist_choice = chosen
diff --git a/hate_crack/main.py b/hate_crack/main.py
index 7228cf7..ffe5ae1 100755
--- a/hate_crack/main.py
+++ b/hate_crack/main.py
@@ -407,6 +407,24 @@ if not os.path.isdir(hcatWordlists):
         print(f"[!] Falling back to {fallback_wordlists}")
         hcatWordlists = fallback_wordlists
 
+hcatOptimizedWordlists = config_parser.get("hcatOptimizedWordlists", "")
+if hcatOptimizedWordlists:
+    hcatOptimizedWordlists = os.path.expanduser(hcatOptimizedWordlists)
+    if not os.path.isabs(hcatOptimizedWordlists):
+        hcatOptimizedWordlists = os.path.normpath(
+            os.path.join(hate_path, hcatOptimizedWordlists)
+        )
+    if not os.path.isdir(hcatOptimizedWordlists):
+        fallback_optimized = os.path.join(hate_path, "optimized_wordlists")
+        if os.path.isdir(fallback_optimized):
+            print(f"[!] hcatOptimizedWordlists directory not found: {hcatOptimizedWordlists}")
+            print(f"[!] Falling back to {fallback_optimized}")
+            hcatOptimizedWordlists = fallback_optimized
+        else:
+            hcatOptimizedWordlists = hcatWordlists
+else:
+    hcatOptimizedWordlists = hcatWordlists
+
 maxruntime = config_parser["bandrelmaxruntime"]
 bandrelbasewords = config_parser["bandrel_common_basedwords"]
 pipal_count = config_parser["pipal_count"]
@@ -4158,7 +4176,7 @@ def main():
     global lmHashesFound
     global debug_mode
     global hashview_url, hashview_api_key
-    global hcatPath, hcatBin, hcatWordlists, rulesDirectory
+    global hcatPath, hcatBin, hcatWordlists, hcatOptimizedWordlists, rulesDirectory
     global pipalPath, maxruntime, bandrelbasewords
     global hcatPotfilePath
 
@@ -4397,6 +4415,7 @@ def main():
         hcatPath=hcatPath,
         hcatBin=hcatBin,
         hcatWordlists=hcatWordlists,
+        hcatOptimizedWordlists=hcatOptimizedWordlists,
         rules_directory=rulesDirectory,
         pipalPath=pipalPath,
         maxruntime=maxruntime,
@@ -4408,6 +4427,7 @@ def main():
     hcatPath = config.hcatPath
     hcatBin = config.hcatBin
     hcatWordlists = config.hcatWordlists
+    hcatOptimizedWordlists = config.hcatOptimizedWordlists
     rulesDirectory = config.rules_directory
     pipalPath = config.pipalPath
     maxruntime = config.maxruntime