diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/4336-linode-inventory-filtering.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/4336-linode-inventory-filtering.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4f275d966e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/4336-linode-inventory-filtering.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - linode inventory plugin - fix configuration handling relating to inventory filtering (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/4336).
diff --git a/plugins/inventory/linode.py b/plugins/inventory/linode.py
index e189b64403..36ff2e692b 100644
--- a/plugins/inventory/linode.py
+++ b/plugins/inventory/linode.py
@@ -181,20 +181,23 @@ class InventoryModule(BaseInventoryPlugin, Constructable, Cacheable):
         for linode_group in self.linode_groups:
             self.inventory.add_group(linode_group)
 
-    def _filter_by_config(self, regions, types, tags):
+    def _filter_by_config(self):
         """Filter instances by user specified configuration."""
+        regions = self.get_option('regions')
         if regions:
             self.instances = [
                 instance for instance in self.instances
                 if instance.region.id in regions
             ]
 
+        types = self.get_option('types')
         if types:
             self.instances = [
                 instance for instance in self.instances
                 if instance.type.id in types
             ]
 
+        tags = self.get_option('tags')
         if tags:
             self.instances = [
                 instance for instance in self.instances
@@ -247,60 +250,13 @@ class InventoryModule(BaseInventoryPlugin, Constructable, Cacheable):
             )
         return data
 
-    def _validate_option(self, name, desired_type, option_value):
-        """Validate user specified configuration data against types."""
-        if isinstance(option_value, string_types) and desired_type == list:
-            option_value = [option_value]
-
-        if option_value is None:
-            option_value = desired_type()
-
-        if not isinstance(option_value, desired_type):
-            raise AnsibleParserError(
-                'The option %s (%s) must be a %s' % (
-                    name, option_value, desired_type
-                )
-            )
-
-        return option_value
-
-    def _get_query_options(self, config_data):
-        """Get user specified query options from the configuration."""
-        options = {
-            'regions': {
-                'type_to_be': list,
-                'value': config_data.get('regions', [])
-            },
-            'types': {
-                'type_to_be': list,
-                'value': config_data.get('types', [])
-            },
-            'tags': {
-                'type_to_be': list,
-                'value': config_data.get('tags', [])
-            },
-        }
-
-        for name in options:
-            options[name]['value'] = self._validate_option(
-                name,
-                options[name]['type_to_be'],
-                options[name]['value']
-            )
-
-        regions = options['regions']['value']
-        types = options['types']['value']
-        tags = options['tags']['value']
-
-        return regions, types, tags
-
     def _cacheable_inventory(self):
         return [i._raw_json for i in self.instances]
 
-    def populate(self, config_data):
+    def populate(self):
         strict = self.get_option('strict')
-        regions, types, tags = self._get_query_options(config_data)
-        self._filter_by_config(regions, types, tags)
+
+        self._filter_by_config()
 
         self._add_groups()
         self._add_instances_to_groups()
@@ -339,8 +295,7 @@ class InventoryModule(BaseInventoryPlugin, Constructable, Cacheable):
         if not HAS_LINODE:
             raise AnsibleError('the Linode dynamic inventory plugin requires linode_api4.')
 
-        config_data = self._read_config_data(path)
-        self._consume_options(config_data)
+        self._read_config_data(path)
 
         cache_key = self.get_cache_key(path)
 
@@ -363,4 +318,4 @@ class InventoryModule(BaseInventoryPlugin, Constructable, Cacheable):
         if update_cache:
             self._cache[cache_key] = self._cacheable_inventory()
 
-        self.populate(config_data)
+        self.populate()
diff --git a/tests/unit/plugins/inventory/test_linode.py b/tests/unit/plugins/inventory/test_linode.py
index 90a89d8959..d6c1794a91 100644
--- a/tests/unit/plugins/inventory/test_linode.py
+++ b/tests/unit/plugins/inventory/test_linode.py
@@ -48,35 +48,6 @@ def test_missing_access_token_lookup(inventory):
         assert 'Could not retrieve Linode access token' in error_message
 
 
-def test_validate_option(inventory):
-    assert ['eu-west'] == inventory._validate_option('regions', list, 'eu-west')
-    assert ['eu-west'] == inventory._validate_option('regions', list, ['eu-west'])
-    assert 'api' == inventory._validate_option('ip_style', str, 'api')
-
-
-def test_validation_option_bad_option(inventory):
-    with pytest.raises(AnsibleParserError) as error_message:
-        inventory._validate_option('regions', dict, [])
-        assert "The option filters ([]) must be a <class 'dict'>" == error_message
-
-
-def test_empty_config_query_options(inventory):
-    regions, types, tags = inventory._get_query_options({})
-    assert regions == types == tags == []
-
-
-def test_config_query_options(inventory):
-    regions, types, tags = inventory._get_query_options({
-        'regions': ['eu-west', 'us-east'],
-        'types': ['g5-standard-2', 'g6-standard-2'],
-        'tags': ['web-server'],
-    })
-
-    assert regions == ['eu-west', 'us-east']
-    assert types == ['g5-standard-2', 'g6-standard-2']
-    assert tags == ['web-server']
-
-
 def test_verify_file(tmp_path, inventory):
     file = tmp_path / "foobar.linode.yml"
     file.touch()