diff --git a/pre_commit/git.py b/pre_commit/git.py
index 7a50ead2..692dbc23 100644
--- a/pre_commit/git.py
+++ b/pre_commit/git.py
@@ -40,12 +40,16 @@ def get_all_files():
 def get_files_matching(all_file_list_strategy):
     @functools.wraps(all_file_list_strategy)
     @memoize_by_cwd
-    def wrapper(expr):
-        regex = re.compile(expr)
+    def wrapper(include_expr, exclude_expr):
+        include_regex = re.compile(include_expr)
+        exclude_regex = re.compile(exclude_expr)
         return set(filter(os.path.exists, (
             filename
             for filename in all_file_list_strategy()
-            if regex.search(filename)
+            if (
+                include_regex.search(filename) and
+                not exclude_regex.search(filename)
+            )
         )))
     return wrapper
 
diff --git a/pre_commit/run.py b/pre_commit/run.py
index 1b76e834..14974313 100644
--- a/pre_commit/run.py
+++ b/pre_commit/run.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def _run_single_hook(runner, repository, hook_id, all_files=False):
     retcode, stdout, stderr = repository.run_hook(
         runner.cmd_runner,
         hook_id,
-        get_filenames(hook['files']),
+        get_filenames(hook['files'], hook['exclude']),
     )
 
     if retcode != repository.hooks[hook_id]['expected_return_value']:
diff --git a/tests/git_test.py b/tests/git_test.py
index 17d60311..a6ecc574 100644
--- a/tests/git_test.py
+++ b/tests/git_test.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ def get_files_matching_func():
 
 
 def test_get_files_matching_base(get_files_matching_func):
-    ret = get_files_matching_func('')
+    ret = get_files_matching_func('', '^$')
     assert ret == set([
         'pre_commit/run.py',
         'pre_commit/git.py',
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def test_get_files_matching_base(get_files_matching_func):
 
 
 def test_get_files_matching_total_match(get_files_matching_func):
-    ret = get_files_matching_func('^.*\.py$')
+    ret = get_files_matching_func('^.*\.py$', '^$')
     assert ret == set([
         'pre_commit/run.py',
         'pre_commit/git.py',
@@ -46,10 +46,15 @@ def test_get_files_matching_total_match(get_files_matching_func):
 
 
 def test_does_search_instead_of_match(get_files_matching_func):
-    ret = get_files_matching_func('\.yaml$')
+    ret = get_files_matching_func('\.yaml$', '^$')
     assert ret == set(['hooks.yaml'])
 
 
 def test_does_not_include_deleted_fileS(get_files_matching_func):
-    ret = get_files_matching_func('exist.py')
+    ret = get_files_matching_func('exist.py', '^$')
     assert ret == set()
+
+
+def test_exclude_removes_files(get_files_matching_func):
+    ret = get_files_matching_func('', '\.py$')
+    assert ret == set(['hooks.yaml'])