diff --git a/z.1 b/z.1
index c1e41ad..2e5c225 100644
--- a/z.1
+++ b/z.1
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ Optionally:
  Set \fB$_Z_NO_RESOLVE_SYMLINKS\fR to prevent symlink resolution.
 .br
  Set \fB$_Z_NO_PROMPT_COMMAND\fR to handle \fBPROMPT_COMMAND/precmd\fR yourself.
+.br
+ Set \fB$_Z_EXCLUDE_DIRS\fR to an array of directories to exclude.
 .br
  (These settings should go in .bashrc/.zshrc before the lines added above.)
 .br
@@ -120,6 +122,10 @@ variable to maintain its database. In zsh, \fBz\fR appends a function
 .P
 The environment variable \fB$_Z_NO_PROMPT_COMMAND\fR can be set if you want to
 handle \fBPROMPT_COMMAND\fR or \fBprecmd\fR yourself.
+.P
+The environment variable \fB$_Z_EXCLUDE_DIRS\fR can be set to an array of
+directories to exclude from tracking. \fB$HOME\fR is always excluded.
+Directories must be full paths without trailing slashes.
 
 .SH FILES
 Data is stored in \fB$HOME/.z\fR. This can be overridden by setting the
diff --git a/z.sh b/z.sh
index db5dab3..25e2d2f 100755
--- a/z.sh
+++ b/z.sh
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #     set $_Z_DATA in .bashrc/.zshrc to change the datafile (default ~/.z).
 #     set $_Z_NO_RESOLVE_SYMLINKS to prevent symlink resolution.
 #     set $_Z_NO_PROMPT_COMMAND if you're handling PROMPT_COMMAND yourself.
+#     set $_Z_EXCLUDE_DIRS to an array of directories to exclude.
 #
 # USE:
 #   * z foo     # cd to most frecent dir matching foo
@@ -34,6 +35,12 @@ _z() {
   # $HOME isn't worth matching
   [ "$*" = "$HOME" ] && return
 
+  # don't track excluded dirs
+  local exclude
+  for exclude in "${_Z_EXCLUDE_DIRS[@]}"; do
+   [ "$*" == "$exclude" ] && return
+  done
+
   # maintain the file
   local tempfile
   tempfile="$(mktemp $datafile.XXXXXX)" || return