diff --git a/src/builtin-add.c b/src/builtin-add.c
index febb75e..a501b50 100644
--- a/src/builtin-add.c
+++ b/src/builtin-add.c
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #include "cache-tree.h"
 
 static const char builtin_add_usage[] =
-"git-add [-n] [-v] <filepattern>...";
+"git-add [--exclude=<pattern>] [-n] [-v] <filepattern>...";
 
 static void prune_directory(struct dir_struct *dir, const char **pathspec, int prefix)
 {
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ static void fill_directory(struct dir_st
 	int baselen;
 
 	/* Set up the default git porcelain excludes */
-	memset(dir, 0, sizeof(*dir));
 	dir->exclude_per_dir = ".gitignore";
 	path = git_path("info/exclude");
 	if (!access(path, R_OK))
@@ -90,6 +89,7 @@ int cmd_add(int argc, const char **argv,
 	const char **pathspec;
 	struct dir_struct dir;
 
+	memset(&dir, 0, sizeof(dir));
 	git_config(git_default_config);
 
 	newfd = hold_lock_file_for_update(&lock_file, get_index_file(), 1);
@@ -106,6 +106,10 @@ int cmd_add(int argc, const char **argv,
 			i++;
 			break;
 		}
+		if (!strncmp(arg, "--exclude=", 10)) {
+			add_exclude(arg+10, "", 0, &dir.exclude_list[EXC_CMDL]);
+			continue;
+		}
 		if (!strcmp(arg, "-n")) {
 			show_only = 1;
 			continue;