diff --git a/backup_new.sh b/backup_new.sh
index 35b5124..b69ed98 100755
--- a/backup_new.sh
+++ b/backup_new.sh
@@ -462,6 +462,25 @@ else
     export BORG_PASSPHRASE="DummyPasswordSoBorgFails"
 fi
 
+## read additional files
+if [ -n "${borgXtraListPath}" ]; then
+    # check if file actually exists
+    if [ ! -f "${borgXtraListPath}" ]; then
+        badDetails dne 'borgXtraListPath'
+    fi
+    # read file contents into concatenated list for echo to cmdline
+    while read -r xtraItem; do
+        if [ -z "${xtraList}" ]; then
+            xtraList="${xtraItem}"
+        else
+            xtraList="${xtraList} ${xtraItem}"
+        fi
+    done <<EOF
+    $( sed -e '/^\s*#.*$/d' -e '/^\s*$/d' "${borgXtraListPath}" )
+EOF
+fi
+
+