diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b44bb0c..0000260 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ You can combine these two parameters, with exclusions taking priority over inclu
 
 Both filtering parameters ignore the file extension and full path; they only compare against the bare filename.
 
+## Ignoring directories
+Any directory containing a file named `.roulette_ignore` will be skipped during the scanning stage.
+
 ## Indexing
 If the `-i|--indexing` flag is passed, all specified paths will be indexed on start.
 
@@ -124,6 +127,7 @@ Flags:
       --fun                  add a bit of excitement to your day
       --handlers             display registered handlers (for debugging)
   -h, --help                 help for roulette
+      --ignore               skip all directories containing a file named .roulette_ignore
       --images               enable support for image files
       --index                generate index of supported file paths at startup
       --index-file string    path to optional persistent index file
diff --git a/cmd/files.go b/cmd/files.go
index 05efdc1..250abb8 100644
--- a/cmd/files.go
+++ b/cmd/files.go
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ import (
 	"seedno.de/seednode/roulette/types"
 )
 
+const (
+	ignoreFileName string = `.roulette_ignore`
+)
+
 type regexes struct {
 	alphanumeric *regexp.Regexp
 	filename     *regexp.Regexp
@@ -233,17 +237,23 @@ func walkPath(path string, fileChannel chan<- string, stats *scanStatsChannels,
 
 	var directories, files = 0, 0
 
+	var skipDir = false
+
 	for _, node := range nodes {
 		if node.IsDir() {
 			directories++
 		} else {
+			if Ignore && node.Name() == ignoreFileName {
+				skipDir = true
+			}
+
 			files++
 		}
 	}
 
 	var skipFiles = false
 
-	if files <= MaxFileCount && files >= MinFileCount {
+	if files <= MaxFileCount && files >= MinFileCount && !skipDir {
 		stats.directoriesMatched <- 1
 	} else {
 		stats.filesSkipped <- files
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index bd0ddb5..968a2a8 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	ReleaseVersion string = "3.2.10"
+	ReleaseVersion string = "3.3.0"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ var (
 	Flash          bool
 	Fun            bool
 	Handlers       bool
+	Ignore         bool
 	Images         bool
 	Index          bool
 	IndexFile      string
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ func init() {
 	rootCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&Flash, "flash", false, "enable support for shockwave flash files (via ruffle.rs)")
 	rootCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&Fun, "fun", false, "add a bit of excitement to your day")
 	rootCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&Handlers, "handlers", false, "display registered handlers (for debugging)")
+	rootCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&Ignore, "ignore", false, "skip all directories containing a file named .roulette_ignore")
 	rootCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&Images, "images", false, "enable support for image files")
 	rootCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&Index, "index", false, "generate index of supported file paths at startup")
 	rootCmd.Flags().StringVar(&IndexFile, "index-file", "", "path to optional persistent index file")