diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1cad90c..47a465d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ Stored as secrets or env vars, doesn't matter. But also please don't put your AW
     - Partial ARN - `123456789012:function:my-function`
 - `requirements_txt`
     The name/path for the `requirements.txt` file. Defaults to `requirements.txt`.
-
+- `exclude_files`
+    (Optional) A string of files or folders to exclude, delimited by whitespace. 
 
 ### Example workflow
 ```yaml
@@ -49,9 +50,10 @@ jobs:
       with:
         lambda_layer_arn: 'arn:aws:lambda:us-east-2:123456789012:layer:my-layer'
         lambda_function_name: 'my-function'
+        exclude_files: 'tests my-other-file.txt'
       env:
         AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID: ${{ secrets.AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID }}
         AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY: ${{ secrets.AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY }}
         AWS_DEFAULT_REGION: 'us-east-2'
 
-```
+```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index f06de98..4dc76ef 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ inputs:
   lambda_function_name:
     description: The Lambda function name. Check the AWS docs/readme for examples.
     required: true
+  exclude_files:
+    description: A string of files or folders to exclude, delimited by whitespace.
+    required: false
+    default: ''
 runs:
   using: 'docker'
   image: 'Dockerfile'
@@ -19,6 +23,7 @@ runs:
     - ${{ inputs.requirements_txt }}
     - ${{ inputs.lambda_layer_arn }}
     - ${{ inputs.lambda_function_name }}
+    - ${{ inputs.exclude_files }}
 branding:
   icon: 'layers'
   color: 'yellow'
diff --git a/entrypoint.sh b/entrypoint.sh
index 0ffdfed..9a8c25b 100755
--- a/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/entrypoint.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-set -e
+set -euo pipefail
 
 install_zip_dependencies(){
 	echo "Installing and zipping dependencies..."
@@ -16,10 +16,21 @@ publish_dependencies_as_layer(){
 	rm dependencies.zip
 }
 
+files_to_exclude() {
+    echo "exclude.lst" > exclude.lst
+    echo ".git/*" >> exclude.lst
+    read -ra ADDR <<< "$INPUT_EXCLUDE_FILES"
+    for i in "${ADDR[@]}"; do
+        echo "$i*" >> exclude.lst
+    done
+}
+
 publish_function_code(){
 	echo "Deploying the code itself..."
-	zip -r code.zip . -x \*.git\*
+    files_to_exclude
+	zip -r code.zip . -x@exclude.lst
 	aws lambda update-function-code --function-name "${INPUT_LAMBDA_FUNCTION_NAME}" --zip-file fileb://code.zip
+    rm exclude.lst
 }
 
 update_function_layers(){