diff --git a/src/dorem.c b/src/dorem.c
index 0c26d8bd..3762bdde 100644
--- a/src/dorem.c
+++ b/src/dorem.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ int DoRem(ParsePtr p)
 
     if (trig.typ == NO_TYPE) return E_EOLN;
     if (trig.typ == SAT_TYPE) {
-	PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", "### Cannot purge SATISFY-type reminders");
+	PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", "#!PURGE Cannot purge SATISFY-type reminders");
 	PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", CurLine);
 	r=DoSatRemind(&trig, &tim, p);
 	if (r) return r;
@@ -100,10 +100,10 @@ int DoRem(ParsePtr p)
     if (PurgeMode) {
 	if (trig.expired) {
 	    if (p->expr_happened) {
-		PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", "### Next line may have expired, but contains expression");
+		PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", "#!PURGE Next line may have expired, but contains expression");
 	    PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", CurLine);
 	    } else {
-		PurgeEchoLine("### EXPIRED: %s\n", CurLine);
+		PurgeEchoLine("#!PURGE EXPIRED: %s\n", CurLine);
 	    }
 	} else {
 	    PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", CurLine);
diff --git a/src/files.c b/src/files.c
index a44e4e54..8ba0ca16 100644
--- a/src/files.c
+++ b/src/files.c
@@ -101,6 +101,14 @@ static int PopFile (void);
 static void OpenPurgeFile(char const *fname, char const *mode)
 {
     DynamicBuffer fname_buf;
+
+    /* Do not open a purge file if we're below purge
+       include depth */
+    if (IStackPtr-2 >= PurgeIncludeDepth) {
+	PurgeFP = NULL;
+	return;
+    }
+
     DBufInit(&fname_buf);
     if (DBufPuts(&fname_buf, fname) != OK) return;
     if (DBufPuts(&fname_buf, ".purged") != OK) return;
diff --git a/src/globals.h b/src/globals.h
index a7788ef8..df0a64c7 100644
--- a/src/globals.h
+++ b/src/globals.h
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ EXTERN  INIT(   int     MaxStringLen, MAX_STR_LEN);
 EXTERN  INIT(	char	*FileName, NULL);
 EXTERN	INIT(	int	UseStdin, 0);
 EXTERN  INIT(   int     PurgeMode, 0);
+EXTERN  INIT(   int     PurgeIncludeDepth, 99999);
 EXTERN  FILE *ErrFp;
 EXTERN  INIT(   FILE    *PurgeFP,  NULL);
 EXTERN  INIT(   int     NumIfs,    0);
diff --git a/src/init.c b/src/init.c
index abaf51a7..d10d7ed8 100644
--- a/src/init.c
+++ b/src/init.c
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
  *  -kcmd    = Run 'cmd' for MSG-type reminders instead of printing to stdout
  *  -iVAR=EXPR = Initialize and preserve VAR.
  *  -m       = Start calendar with Monday instead of Sunday.
- *  -j       = Purge all junk from reminder files
+ *  -j[n]    = Purge all junk from reminder files (n = INCLUDE depth)
  *  A minus sign alone indicates to take input from stdin
  *
  **************************************************************/
@@ -200,6 +200,9 @@ void InitRemind(int argc, char const *argv[])
 	    case 'j':
 	    case 'J':
 		PurgeMode = 1;
+	        if (*arg) {
+		    PARSENUM(PurgeIncludeDepth, arg);
+                }
 	        break;
             case 'i':
 	    case 'I':
@@ -616,6 +619,7 @@ void Usage(void)
     fprintf(ErrFp, " -ivar=val Initialize var to val and preserve var\n");
     fprintf(ErrFp, " -m     Start calendar with Monday rather than Sunday\n");
     fprintf(ErrFp, " -y     Synthesize tags for tagless reminders\n");
+    fprintf(ErrFp, " -j[n]  Run in 'purge' mode.  [n = INCLUDE depth]\n");
     exit(1);
 }
 #endif /* L_USAGE_OVERRIDE */
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 61fc0516..7399389c 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ static void DoReminders(void)
 		    PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", CurLine);
 		} else {
 		    if (r) {
-			PurgeEchoLine("### Could not parse next line: %s\n", ErrMsg[r]);
+			PurgeEchoLine("#!PURGE Could not parse next line: %s\n", ErrMsg[r]);
 			PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", CurLine);
 		    }
 		}
@@ -715,8 +715,8 @@ int DoIf(ParsePtr p)
 	    } else {
 		syndrome = IF_FALSE | BEFORE_ELSE;
 		if (PurgeMode) {
-		    PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", "### The next IF evaluated false...");
-		    PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", "### REM statements in IF block not checked for purging.");
+		    PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", "#!PURGE The next IF evaluated false...");
+		    PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", "#!PURGE REM statements in IF block not checked for purging.");
 		}
 	    }
     }
@@ -748,8 +748,8 @@ int DoElse(ParsePtr p)
 
     IfFlags |= AFTER_ELSE << (2 * NumIfs - 2);
     if (PurgeMode && ShouldIgnoreLine() && !was_ignoring) {
-	PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", "### The previous IF evaluated true.");
-	PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", "### REM statements in ELSE block not checked for purging");
+	PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", "#!PURGE The previous IF evaluated true.");
+	PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", "#!PURGE REM statements in ELSE block not checked for purging");
     }
     return VerifyEoln(p);
 }
@@ -794,8 +794,8 @@ int DoIfTrig(ParsePtr p)
 		syndrome = IF_TRUE | BEFORE_ELSE;
 	    } else {
 		syndrome = IF_FALSE | BEFORE_ELSE;
-		PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", "### The next IFTRIG did not trigger.");
-		PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", "### REM statements in IFTRIG block not checked for purging.");
+		PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", "#!PURGE The next IFTRIG did not trigger.");
+		PurgeEchoLine("%s\n", "#!PURGE REM statements in IFTRIG block not checked for purging.");
 	    }
 	}
     }