diff --git a/tools/h5diff/h5diff_common.c b/tools/h5diff/h5diff_common.c
index a678b2fac5..84eb49a554 100644
--- a/tools/h5diff/h5diff_common.c
+++ b/tools/h5diff/h5diff_common.c
@@ -453,6 +453,30 @@ void usage(void)
  printf("                           comparing floating point values.\n");
  printf("                           By default, strict equality is used. Use -p or -d to\n");
  printf("                           set specific tolerance.\n");
+ printf("   --exclude-path \"path\"   Exclude the specified path to an object when\n");
+ printf("                           comparing files or groups. If a group is excluded,\n");
+ printf("                           all member objects will also be excluded.\n");
+ printf("                           The specified path is excluded wherever it occurs.\n");
+ printf("                           This flexibility enables the same option to exclude\n");
+ printf("                           either objects that exist only in one file or\n");
+ printf("                           common objects that are known to differ.\n");
+ printf("\n");
+ printf("                           When comparing files, \"path\" is the absolute path to\n");
+ printf("                           the excluded object; when comparing groups, \"path\" is\n");
+ printf("                           similar to the relative path from the group to the\n");
+ printf("                           excluded object. This \"path\" can be taken from the\n");
+ printf("                           first section of the output of the --verbose option.\n");
+ printf("                           For example, if you are comparing the group /groupA\n");
+ printf("                           in two files and you want to exclude\n");
+ printf("                           /groupA/groupB/groupC in both files, the exclude\n");
+ printf("                           option would read as follows:\n");
+ printf("                             --exclude-path \"/groupB/groupC\"\n");
+ printf("\n");
+ printf("                           If there are multiple paths to an object, only the\n");
+ printf("                           specified path(s) will be excluded; the comparison\n");
+ printf("                           will include any path not explicitly excluded.\n");
+ printf("                           This option can be used repeatedly to exclude\n");
+ printf("                           multiple paths.\n");
  printf("\n");
 
  printf(" Modes of output:\n");
diff --git a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_10.txt b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_10.txt
index 224f9bcfd6..4dae480bb0 100644
--- a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_10.txt
+++ b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_10.txt
@@ -62,6 +62,30 @@ usage: h5diff [OPTIONS] file1 file2 [obj1[ obj2]]
                            comparing floating point values.
                            By default, strict equality is used. Use -p or -d to
                            set specific tolerance.
+   --exclude-path "path"   Exclude the specified path to an object when
+                           comparing files or groups. If a group is excluded,
+                           all member objects will also be excluded.
+                           The specified path is excluded wherever it occurs.
+                           This flexibility enables the same option to exclude
+                           either objects that exist only in one file or
+                           common objects that are known to differ.
+
+                           When comparing files, "path" is the absolute path to
+                           the excluded object; when comparing groups, "path" is
+                           similar to the relative path from the group to the
+                           excluded object. This "path" can be taken from the
+                           first section of the output of the --verbose option.
+                           For example, if you are comparing the group /groupA
+                           in two files and you want to exclude
+                           /groupA/groupB/groupC in both files, the exclude
+                           option would read as follows:
+                             --exclude-path "/groupB/groupC"
+
+                           If there are multiple paths to an object, only the
+                           specified path(s) will be excluded; the comparison
+                           will include any path not explicitly excluded.
+                           This option can be used repeatedly to exclude
+                           multiple paths.
 
  Modes of output:
   Default mode: print the number of differences found and where they occured
diff --git a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_600.txt b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_600.txt
index b096ab53fb..ea767fc618 100644
--- a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_600.txt
+++ b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_600.txt
@@ -62,6 +62,30 @@ usage: h5diff [OPTIONS] file1 file2 [obj1[ obj2]]
                            comparing floating point values.
                            By default, strict equality is used. Use -p or -d to
                            set specific tolerance.
+   --exclude-path "path"   Exclude the specified path to an object when
+                           comparing files or groups. If a group is excluded,
+                           all member objects will also be excluded.
+                           The specified path is excluded wherever it occurs.
+                           This flexibility enables the same option to exclude
+                           either objects that exist only in one file or
+                           common objects that are known to differ.
+
+                           When comparing files, "path" is the absolute path to
+                           the excluded object; when comparing groups, "path" is
+                           similar to the relative path from the group to the
+                           excluded object. This "path" can be taken from the
+                           first section of the output of the --verbose option.
+                           For example, if you are comparing the group /groupA
+                           in two files and you want to exclude
+                           /groupA/groupB/groupC in both files, the exclude
+                           option would read as follows:
+                             --exclude-path "/groupB/groupC"
+
+                           If there are multiple paths to an object, only the
+                           specified path(s) will be excluded; the comparison
+                           will include any path not explicitly excluded.
+                           This option can be used repeatedly to exclude
+                           multiple paths.
 
  Modes of output:
   Default mode: print the number of differences found and where they occured
diff --git a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_603.txt b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_603.txt
index 2b37530dbd..1c48c8bf66 100644
--- a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_603.txt
+++ b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_603.txt
@@ -63,6 +63,30 @@ usage: h5diff [OPTIONS] file1 file2 [obj1[ obj2]]
                            comparing floating point values.
                            By default, strict equality is used. Use -p or -d to
                            set specific tolerance.
+   --exclude-path "path"   Exclude the specified path to an object when
+                           comparing files or groups. If a group is excluded,
+                           all member objects will also be excluded.
+                           The specified path is excluded wherever it occurs.
+                           This flexibility enables the same option to exclude
+                           either objects that exist only in one file or
+                           common objects that are known to differ.
+
+                           When comparing files, "path" is the absolute path to
+                           the excluded object; when comparing groups, "path" is
+                           similar to the relative path from the group to the
+                           excluded object. This "path" can be taken from the
+                           first section of the output of the --verbose option.
+                           For example, if you are comparing the group /groupA
+                           in two files and you want to exclude
+                           /groupA/groupB/groupC in both files, the exclude
+                           option would read as follows:
+                             --exclude-path "/groupB/groupC"
+
+                           If there are multiple paths to an object, only the
+                           specified path(s) will be excluded; the comparison
+                           will include any path not explicitly excluded.
+                           This option can be used repeatedly to exclude
+                           multiple paths.
 
  Modes of output:
   Default mode: print the number of differences found and where they occured
diff --git a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_606.txt b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_606.txt
index 63a1d53084..8f3bbd6d44 100644
--- a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_606.txt
+++ b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_606.txt
@@ -63,6 +63,30 @@ usage: h5diff [OPTIONS] file1 file2 [obj1[ obj2]]
                            comparing floating point values.
                            By default, strict equality is used. Use -p or -d to
                            set specific tolerance.
+   --exclude-path "path"   Exclude the specified path to an object when
+                           comparing files or groups. If a group is excluded,
+                           all member objects will also be excluded.
+                           The specified path is excluded wherever it occurs.
+                           This flexibility enables the same option to exclude
+                           either objects that exist only in one file or
+                           common objects that are known to differ.
+
+                           When comparing files, "path" is the absolute path to
+                           the excluded object; when comparing groups, "path" is
+                           similar to the relative path from the group to the
+                           excluded object. This "path" can be taken from the
+                           first section of the output of the --verbose option.
+                           For example, if you are comparing the group /groupA
+                           in two files and you want to exclude
+                           /groupA/groupB/groupC in both files, the exclude
+                           option would read as follows:
+                             --exclude-path "/groupB/groupC"
+
+                           If there are multiple paths to an object, only the
+                           specified path(s) will be excluded; the comparison
+                           will include any path not explicitly excluded.
+                           This option can be used repeatedly to exclude
+                           multiple paths.
 
  Modes of output:
   Default mode: print the number of differences found and where they occured
diff --git a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_612.txt b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_612.txt
index 61414959ca..e348caab6c 100644
--- a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_612.txt
+++ b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_612.txt
@@ -63,6 +63,30 @@ usage: h5diff [OPTIONS] file1 file2 [obj1[ obj2]]
                            comparing floating point values.
                            By default, strict equality is used. Use -p or -d to
                            set specific tolerance.
+   --exclude-path "path"   Exclude the specified path to an object when
+                           comparing files or groups. If a group is excluded,
+                           all member objects will also be excluded.
+                           The specified path is excluded wherever it occurs.
+                           This flexibility enables the same option to exclude
+                           either objects that exist only in one file or
+                           common objects that are known to differ.
+
+                           When comparing files, "path" is the absolute path to
+                           the excluded object; when comparing groups, "path" is
+                           similar to the relative path from the group to the
+                           excluded object. This "path" can be taken from the
+                           first section of the output of the --verbose option.
+                           For example, if you are comparing the group /groupA
+                           in two files and you want to exclude
+                           /groupA/groupB/groupC in both files, the exclude
+                           option would read as follows:
+                             --exclude-path "/groupB/groupC"
+
+                           If there are multiple paths to an object, only the
+                           specified path(s) will be excluded; the comparison
+                           will include any path not explicitly excluded.
+                           This option can be used repeatedly to exclude
+                           multiple paths.
 
  Modes of output:
   Default mode: print the number of differences found and where they occured
diff --git a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_615.txt b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_615.txt
index eaa2078226..1bb0eb5982 100644
--- a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_615.txt
+++ b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_615.txt
@@ -63,6 +63,30 @@ usage: h5diff [OPTIONS] file1 file2 [obj1[ obj2]]
                            comparing floating point values.
                            By default, strict equality is used. Use -p or -d to
                            set specific tolerance.
+   --exclude-path "path"   Exclude the specified path to an object when
+                           comparing files or groups. If a group is excluded,
+                           all member objects will also be excluded.
+                           The specified path is excluded wherever it occurs.
+                           This flexibility enables the same option to exclude
+                           either objects that exist only in one file or
+                           common objects that are known to differ.
+
+                           When comparing files, "path" is the absolute path to
+                           the excluded object; when comparing groups, "path" is
+                           similar to the relative path from the group to the
+                           excluded object. This "path" can be taken from the
+                           first section of the output of the --verbose option.
+                           For example, if you are comparing the group /groupA
+                           in two files and you want to exclude
+                           /groupA/groupB/groupC in both files, the exclude
+                           option would read as follows:
+                             --exclude-path "/groupB/groupC"
+
+                           If there are multiple paths to an object, only the
+                           specified path(s) will be excluded; the comparison
+                           will include any path not explicitly excluded.
+                           This option can be used repeatedly to exclude
+                           multiple paths.
 
  Modes of output:
   Default mode: print the number of differences found and where they occured
diff --git a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_621.txt b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_621.txt
index 8319db9a57..172cade614 100644
--- a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_621.txt
+++ b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_621.txt
@@ -63,6 +63,30 @@ usage: h5diff [OPTIONS] file1 file2 [obj1[ obj2]]
                            comparing floating point values.
                            By default, strict equality is used. Use -p or -d to
                            set specific tolerance.
+   --exclude-path "path"   Exclude the specified path to an object when
+                           comparing files or groups. If a group is excluded,
+                           all member objects will also be excluded.
+                           The specified path is excluded wherever it occurs.
+                           This flexibility enables the same option to exclude
+                           either objects that exist only in one file or
+                           common objects that are known to differ.
+
+                           When comparing files, "path" is the absolute path to
+                           the excluded object; when comparing groups, "path" is
+                           similar to the relative path from the group to the
+                           excluded object. This "path" can be taken from the
+                           first section of the output of the --verbose option.
+                           For example, if you are comparing the group /groupA
+                           in two files and you want to exclude
+                           /groupA/groupB/groupC in both files, the exclude
+                           option would read as follows:
+                             --exclude-path "/groupB/groupC"
+
+                           If there are multiple paths to an object, only the
+                           specified path(s) will be excluded; the comparison
+                           will include any path not explicitly excluded.
+                           This option can be used repeatedly to exclude
+                           multiple paths.
 
  Modes of output:
   Default mode: print the number of differences found and where they occured
diff --git a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_622.txt b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_622.txt
index 1ccff92b65..beb04c5647 100644
--- a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_622.txt
+++ b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_622.txt
@@ -63,6 +63,30 @@ usage: h5diff [OPTIONS] file1 file2 [obj1[ obj2]]
                            comparing floating point values.
                            By default, strict equality is used. Use -p or -d to
                            set specific tolerance.
+   --exclude-path "path"   Exclude the specified path to an object when
+                           comparing files or groups. If a group is excluded,
+                           all member objects will also be excluded.
+                           The specified path is excluded wherever it occurs.
+                           This flexibility enables the same option to exclude
+                           either objects that exist only in one file or
+                           common objects that are known to differ.
+
+                           When comparing files, "path" is the absolute path to
+                           the excluded object; when comparing groups, "path" is
+                           similar to the relative path from the group to the
+                           excluded object. This "path" can be taken from the
+                           first section of the output of the --verbose option.
+                           For example, if you are comparing the group /groupA
+                           in two files and you want to exclude
+                           /groupA/groupB/groupC in both files, the exclude
+                           option would read as follows:
+                             --exclude-path "/groupB/groupC"
+
+                           If there are multiple paths to an object, only the
+                           specified path(s) will be excluded; the comparison
+                           will include any path not explicitly excluded.
+                           This option can be used repeatedly to exclude
+                           multiple paths.
 
  Modes of output:
   Default mode: print the number of differences found and where they occured
diff --git a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_623.txt b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_623.txt
index 2c15d98c92..56c0b4c72a 100644
--- a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_623.txt
+++ b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_623.txt
@@ -63,6 +63,30 @@ usage: h5diff [OPTIONS] file1 file2 [obj1[ obj2]]
                            comparing floating point values.
                            By default, strict equality is used. Use -p or -d to
                            set specific tolerance.
+   --exclude-path "path"   Exclude the specified path to an object when
+                           comparing files or groups. If a group is excluded,
+                           all member objects will also be excluded.
+                           The specified path is excluded wherever it occurs.
+                           This flexibility enables the same option to exclude
+                           either objects that exist only in one file or
+                           common objects that are known to differ.
+
+                           When comparing files, "path" is the absolute path to
+                           the excluded object; when comparing groups, "path" is
+                           similar to the relative path from the group to the
+                           excluded object. This "path" can be taken from the
+                           first section of the output of the --verbose option.
+                           For example, if you are comparing the group /groupA
+                           in two files and you want to exclude
+                           /groupA/groupB/groupC in both files, the exclude
+                           option would read as follows:
+                             --exclude-path "/groupB/groupC"
+
+                           If there are multiple paths to an object, only the
+                           specified path(s) will be excluded; the comparison
+                           will include any path not explicitly excluded.
+                           This option can be used repeatedly to exclude
+                           multiple paths.
 
  Modes of output:
   Default mode: print the number of differences found and where they occured
diff --git a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_624.txt b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_624.txt
index 272b9fc979..c0a95ede90 100644
--- a/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_624.txt
+++ b/tools/h5diff/testfiles/h5diff_624.txt
@@ -63,6 +63,30 @@ usage: h5diff [OPTIONS] file1 file2 [obj1[ obj2]]
                            comparing floating point values.
                            By default, strict equality is used. Use -p or -d to
                            set specific tolerance.
+   --exclude-path "path"   Exclude the specified path to an object when
+                           comparing files or groups. If a group is excluded,
+                           all member objects will also be excluded.
+                           The specified path is excluded wherever it occurs.
+                           This flexibility enables the same option to exclude
+                           either objects that exist only in one file or
+                           common objects that are known to differ.
+
+                           When comparing files, "path" is the absolute path to
+                           the excluded object; when comparing groups, "path" is
+                           similar to the relative path from the group to the
+                           excluded object. This "path" can be taken from the
+                           first section of the output of the --verbose option.
+                           For example, if you are comparing the group /groupA
+                           in two files and you want to exclude
+                           /groupA/groupB/groupC in both files, the exclude
+                           option would read as follows:
+                             --exclude-path "/groupB/groupC"
+
+                           If there are multiple paths to an object, only the
+                           specified path(s) will be excluded; the comparison
+                           will include any path not explicitly excluded.
+                           This option can be used repeatedly to exclude
+                           multiple paths.
 
  Modes of output:
   Default mode: print the number of differences found and where they occured