diff --git a/check b/check
index fa9697f4..c40d2a81 100755
--- a/check
+++ b/check
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ check options
     -d			dump test output to stdout
     --large-fs		optimise scratch device for large filesystems
     -s section		run only specified section from config file
+    -S section		exclude the specified section from the config file
 
 testlist options
     -g group[,group...]	include tests from these groups
@@ -228,6 +229,7 @@ while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
 	        fi
 		;;
 	-s)	RUN_SECTION="$RUN_SECTION $2"; shift ;;
+	-S)	EXCLUDE_SECTION="$EXCLUDE_SECTION $2"; shift ;;
 	-l)	diff="diff" ;;
 	-udiff)	diff="$diff -u" ;;
 
@@ -429,6 +431,20 @@ for section in $HOST_OPTIONS_SECTIONS; do
 		fi
 	fi
 
+	# Did this section get excluded?
+	if [ ! -z "$EXCLUDE_SECTION" ]; then
+		skip=false
+		for s in $EXCLUDE_SECTION; do
+			if [ $section == $s ]; then
+				skip=true
+				break;
+			fi
+		done
+		if $skip; then
+			continue
+		fi
+	fi
+
 	mkdir -p $RESULT_BASE
 	if [ ! -d $RESULT_BASE ]; then
 		echo "failed to create results directory $RESULT_BASE"
diff --git a/setup b/setup
index 8675b530..eb37d80a 100755
--- a/setup
+++ b/setup
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ usage()
 
 	echo "Usage: $0 [options]"'
 
-	-s section		run only specified section(s) from config file
+	-s section	run only specified section(s) from config file
+	-S section	exclude the specified section from the config file
 '
 	exit 0
 }
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
 	case "$1" in
 	-\? | -h | --help) usage ;;
 	-s)	RUN_SECTION="$RUN_SECTION $2"; shift ;;
+	-S)	EXCLUDE_SECTION="$EXCLUDE_SECTION $2"; shift ;;
 	*)	usage ;;
 	esac
 	shift
@@ -59,6 +61,20 @@ for section in $HOST_OPTIONS_SECTIONS; do
 		fi
 	fi
 
+	# Did this section get excluded?
+	if [ ! -z "$EXCLUDE_SECTION" ]; then
+		skip=false
+		for s in $EXCLUDE_SECTION; do
+			if [ $section == $s ]; then
+				skip=true
+				break;
+			fi
+		done
+		if $skip; then
+			continue
+		fi
+	fi
+
 	[ "$USE_EXTERNAL"    = yes ] || USE_EXTERNAL=no
 	[ "$USE_LBD_PATCH"   = yes ] || USE_LBD_PATCH=no
 	[ "$LARGE_SCRATCH_DEV"  = yes ] || LARGE_SCRATCH_DEV=no