diff --git a/deployments/kubernetes/chart/reloader/templates/clusterrole.yaml b/deployments/kubernetes/chart/reloader/templates/clusterrole.yaml
index 770f33c2..8075763e 100644
--- a/deployments/kubernetes/chart/reloader/templates/clusterrole.yaml
+++ b/deployments/kubernetes/chart/reloader/templates/clusterrole.yaml
@@ -16,8 +16,12 @@ rules:
   - apiGroups:
       - ""
     resources:
+{{- if .Values.reloader.ignoreSecrets }}{{- else }}
       - secrets
+{{- end }}
+{{- if .Values.reloader.ignoreConfigMaps }}{{- else }}
       - configmaps
+{{- end }}
     verbs:
       - list
       - get
diff --git a/deployments/kubernetes/chart/reloader/templates/deployment.yaml b/deployments/kubernetes/chart/reloader/templates/deployment.yaml
index 9f075a51..c52fe526 100644
--- a/deployments/kubernetes/chart/reloader/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/deployments/kubernetes/chart/reloader/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -101,6 +101,12 @@ spec:
           - "--auto-annotation"
           - "{{ .Values.reloader.custom_annotations.auto }}"
           {{- end }}
+          {{- if eq .Values.reloader.ignoreSecrets true }}
+          - "--resources-to-ignore=secrets"
+          {{- end }}
+          {{- if eq .Values.reloader.ignoreConfigMaps true }}
+          - "--resources-to-ignore=configMaps"
+          {{- end }}
       {{- end }}
       {{- if .Values.reloader.deployment.resources }}
         resources:
diff --git a/deployments/kubernetes/chart/reloader/templates/role.yaml b/deployments/kubernetes/chart/reloader/templates/role.yaml
index dd5dac54..90a348f6 100644
--- a/deployments/kubernetes/chart/reloader/templates/role.yaml
+++ b/deployments/kubernetes/chart/reloader/templates/role.yaml
@@ -16,8 +16,12 @@ rules:
   - apiGroups:
       - ""
     resources:
+{{- if .Values.reloader.ignoreSecrets }}{{- else }}
       - secrets
+{{- end }}
+{{- if .Values.reloader.ignoreConfigMaps }}{{- else }}
       - configmaps
+{{- end }}
     verbs:
       - list
       - get
diff --git a/deployments/kubernetes/chart/reloader/values.yaml b/deployments/kubernetes/chart/reloader/values.yaml
index 5a92f24e..65c40a32 100644
--- a/deployments/kubernetes/chart/reloader/values.yaml
+++ b/deployments/kubernetes/chart/reloader/values.yaml
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ kubernetes:
   host: https://kubernetes.default
 
 reloader:
+  ignoreSecrets: false
+  ignoreConfigMaps: false
   watchGlobally: true
   # Set to true if you have a pod security policy that enforces readOnlyRootFilesystem
   readOnlyRootFileSystem: false
diff --git a/deployments/kubernetes/templates/chart/values.yaml.tmpl b/deployments/kubernetes/templates/chart/values.yaml.tmpl
index 9cdbd40e..53571f45 100644
--- a/deployments/kubernetes/templates/chart/values.yaml.tmpl
+++ b/deployments/kubernetes/templates/chart/values.yaml.tmpl
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ kubernetes:
   host: https://kubernetes.default
 
 reloader:
+  ignoreSecrets: false
+  ignoreConfigMaps: false
   watchGlobally: true
   # Set to true if you have a pod security policy that enforces readOnlyRootFilesystem
   readOnlyRootFileSystem: false
diff --git a/internal/pkg/cmd/reloader.go b/internal/pkg/cmd/reloader.go
index 70750527..426b5e0d 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/cmd/reloader.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/cmd/reloader.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/stakater/Reloader/internal/pkg/controller"
 	"github.com/stakater/Reloader/internal/pkg/options"
+	"github.com/stakater/Reloader/internal/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/stakater/Reloader/pkg/kube"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 )
@@ -23,11 +24,15 @@ func NewReloaderCommand() *cobra.Command {
 	cmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&options.ConfigmapUpdateOnChangeAnnotation, "configmap-annotation", "configmap.reloader.stakater.com/reload", "annotation to detect changes in configmaps")
 	cmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&options.SecretUpdateOnChangeAnnotation, "secret-annotation", "secret.reloader.stakater.com/reload", "annotation to detect changes in secrets")
 	cmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&options.ReloaderAutoAnnotation, "auto-annotation", "reloader.stakater.com/auto", "annotation to detect changes in secrets")
+	cmd.PersistentFlags().StringSlice("resources-to-ignore", []string{}, "list of resources to ignore (valid options 'configMaps' or 'secrets')")
 
 	return cmd
 }
 
 func startReloader(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+	var ignoreList util.List
+	var err error
+
 	logrus.Info("Starting Reloader")
 	currentNamespace := os.Getenv("KUBERNETES_NAMESPACE")
 	if len(currentNamespace) == 0 {
@@ -41,7 +46,26 @@ func startReloader(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		logrus.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
+	ignoreList, err = cmd.Flags().GetStringSlice("resources-to-ignore")
+	if err != nil {
+		logrus.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	for _, v := range ignoreList {
+		if v != "configMaps" && v != "secrets" {
+			logrus.Fatalf("'resources-to-ignore' only accepts 'configMaps' or 'secrets', not '%s'", v)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if len(ignoreList) > 1 {
+		logrus.Fatal("'resources-to-ignore' only accepts 'configMaps' or 'secrets', not both")
+	}
+
 	for k := range kube.ResourceMap {
+		if ignoreList.Contains(k) {
+			continue
+		}
+
 		c, err := controller.NewController(clientset, k, currentNamespace)
 		if err != nil {
 			logrus.Fatalf("%s", err)
diff --git a/internal/pkg/util/util.go b/internal/pkg/util/util.go
index c1e516a3..e0153f51 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/util/util.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/util/util.go
@@ -46,3 +46,14 @@ func GetSHAfromSecret(data map[string][]byte) string {
 	sort.Strings(values)
 	return crypto.GenerateSHA(strings.Join(values, ";"))
 }
+
+type List []string
+
+func (l *List) Contains(s string) bool {
+	for _, v := range *l {
+		if v == s {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}