diff --git a/Hadrons/Application.cc b/Hadrons/Application.cc
index e4264f84..9a2451a8 100644
--- a/Hadrons/Application.cc
+++ b/Hadrons/Application.cc
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ void Application::parseParameterFile(const std::string parameterFileName)
     pop(reader);
 }
 
-void Application::saveParameterFile(const std::string parameterFileName, unsigned int prec)
+void Application::saveParameterFile(const std::string &parameterFileName, const std::vector<std::string> &Except, unsigned int prec)
 {
     LOG(Message) << "Saving application to '" << parameterFileName << "'..." << std::endl;
     if (env().getGrid()->IsBoss())
@@ -194,18 +194,27 @@ void Application::saveParameterFile(const std::string parameterFileName, unsigne
         push(writer, "modules");
         for (unsigned int i = 0; i < nMod; ++i)
         {
-            push(writer, "module");
             id.name = vm().getModuleName(i);
-            id.type = vm().getModule(i)->getRegisteredName();
-            write(writer, "id", id);
-            vm().getModule(i)->saveParameters(writer, "options");
-            pop(writer);
+            if( std::find( Except.begin(), Except.end(), id.name ) == Except.end() )
+            {
+                push(writer, "module");
+                id.type = vm().getModule(i)->getRegisteredName();
+                write(writer, "id", id);
+                vm().getModule(i)->saveParameters(writer, "options");
+                pop(writer);
+            }
         }
         pop(writer);
         pop(writer);
     }
 }
 
+void Application::saveParameterFile(const std::string &parameterFileName, unsigned int prec)
+{
+    const std::vector<std::string> Except;
+    saveParameterFile(parameterFileName, Except, prec);
+}
+
 // schedule computation ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 void Application::schedule(void)
 {
diff --git a/Hadrons/Application.hpp b/Hadrons/Application.hpp
index 36179c5f..38442ea3 100644
--- a/Hadrons/Application.hpp
+++ b/Hadrons/Application.hpp
@@ -81,7 +81,8 @@ public:
     void run(void);
     // XML parameter file I/O
     void parseParameterFile(const std::string parameterFileName);
-    void saveParameterFile(const std::string parameterFileName, unsigned int prec=15);
+    void saveParameterFile(const std::string &parameterFileName, unsigned int prec=15);
+    void saveParameterFile(const std::string &parameterFileName, const std::vector<std::string> &Except, unsigned int prec=15);
     // schedule computation
     void schedule(void);
     void saveSchedule(const std::string filename);
diff --git a/Hadrons/Utilities/HadronsXmlValidate.cc b/Hadrons/Utilities/HadronsXmlValidate.cc
index 73cf3139..a6100f2b 100644
--- a/Hadrons/Utilities/HadronsXmlValidate.cc
+++ b/Hadrons/Utilities/HadronsXmlValidate.cc
@@ -27,24 +27,52 @@ See the full license in the file "LICENSE" in the top level distribution directo
 /*  END LEGAL */
 
 #include <Hadrons/Application.hpp>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <fstream>
+#include <string>
 
 using namespace Grid;
 using namespace QCD;
 using namespace Hadrons;
 
+// Does the specified file exist?
+bool FileExists(const std::string& Filename)
+{
+  struct stat buf;
+  return stat(Filename.c_str(), &buf) != -1;
+}
+
+void Shorten( Application &app, const std::string &FileList, const std::string OutFileName )
+{
+  std::vector<std::string> Except;
+  std::ifstream list{ FileList };
+  for( std::string s; std::getline(list, s); ) {
+    //const std::string::size_type l{ s.find_first_of( '.' ) };
+    //if( l != std::string::npos )
+      //s.resize( l );
+    if( s.length() )
+      Except.push_back( s );
+  }
+  std::sort( Except.begin(), Except.end() );
+  for( const std::string &s : Except )
+    std::cout << s << std::endl;
+  app.saveParameterFile( OutFileName, Except );
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
     // parse command line
     std::string parameterFileName;
     
-    if (argc != 2)
+    if (argc != 2 && argc != 4)
     {
-        std::cerr << "usage: " << argv[0] << " <parameter file>";
+        std::cerr << "usage: " << argv[0] << " <parameter file> [filelist.txt output.xml]";
         std::cerr << std::endl;
         std::exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
     parameterFileName = argv[1];
-    
+    if( argc == 4 )
+        Grid_init(&argc, &argv);
     try
     {
         Application application(parameterFileName);
@@ -54,11 +82,22 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         vm.getModuleGraph();
         LOG(Message) << "Application valid (check XML warnings though)" 
                      << std::endl;
+      if( argc == 4 ) {
+        const std::string FileList{ argv[3] };
+        const std::string OutFileName{ argv[2] };
+        if( !FileExists( FileList ) )
+          std::cout << "File list \"" << FileList << "\" does not exist" << std::endl;
+        else {
+          Shorten( application, FileList, OutFileName );
+        }
+      }
     }
     catch (const std::exception& e)
     {
         Exceptions::abort(e);
     }
-    
+    if( argc == 4 )
+        Grid_finalize();
+
     return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }