diff --git a/exclude.c b/exclude.c
index 35fa307a..15dc3109 100644
--- a/exclude.c
+++ b/exclude.c
@@ -234,7 +234,12 @@ struct exclude_struct **make_exclude_list(char *fname,
 		int l = strlen(line);
 		if (l && line[l-1] == '\n') l--;
 		line[l] = 0;
-		if (line[0]) add_exclude_list(line,&list,include);
+		if (line[0] && (line[0] != ';') && (line[0] != '#')) {
+			/* Skip lines starting with semicolon or pound.
+			   It probably wouldn't cause any harm to not skip
+			     them but there's no need to save them. */
+			add_exclude_list(line,&list,include);
+		}
 	}
 	fclose(f);
 	return list;
diff --git a/rsync.yo b/rsync.yo
index db4c2b27..90599d79 100644
--- a/rsync.yo
+++ b/rsync.yo
@@ -465,7 +465,8 @@ this option.
 
 dit(bf(--exclude-from FILE)) This option is similar to the --exclude
 option, but instead it adds all filenames listed in the file FILE to
-the exclude list.
+the exclude list.  Blank lines in FILE and lines starting with ';' or '#'
+are ignored.
 
 dit(bf(--include pattern)) This option tells rsync to not exclude the
 specified pattern of filenames. This is useful as it allows you to