diff --git a/commands.py b/commands.py
index e84e838..dc082d4 100644
--- a/commands.py
+++ b/commands.py
@@ -71,8 +71,12 @@ def run_goto(clargs):
     fn = clargs.filename
     df = load_csv(fn)
 
+    if clargs.ignore_alarm:
+        which = (df["status"] == 0) & (df["severity"] == 0)
+        df = df.loc[which]
+
     df = df["value"]
-    df.dropna(inplace=True)
+    df.dropna(inplace=True) #TODO: can NaN be a valid value?
 
     values = df.values
     chans = df.index
diff --git a/sani.py b/sani.py
index fe56a6b..448ef83 100755
--- a/sani.py
+++ b/sani.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ def handle_clargs():
 
     parser_goto = subparsers.add_parser("goto", help="go to stored values")
     parser_goto.add_argument("filename", help="name of input CSV file")
+    parser_goto.add_argument("-a", "--ignore-alarm", help="do not put into PVs that were in an alarm state during check", action="store_true")
     parser_goto.add_argument("-q", "--quiet", help="do not show each channel's answer", action="store_true")
     parser_goto.add_argument("-s", "--serial", help="do not run checks in parallel", action="store_true")
     parser_goto.add_argument("-t", "--timeout", help="connection and put completion timeout in seconds", type=float, default=1)