diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2eaae15..ac80abe 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,6 +15,39 @@ Preview versions are intentionally excluded. For example: `v2-beta`
 
 Optional args may be supplied to control which refs are included. See `script/add-action.sh --help` for more info.
 
+### Ignoring old versions
+
+To exclude certain old version tags from being packaged, add an `ignoreTags` array to the action config JSON file. Each entry is a regex pattern that will be tested against tag names.
+
+**When adding a new action**, use the `--ignore-tags` option with simple version prefixes:
+
+```bash
+./script/add-action.sh --ignore-tags "v1,v2" actions/checkout
+```
+
+This will automatically generate regex patterns that match `v1`, `v1.x`, `v2`, `v2.x`, etc.
+
+**For existing actions**, use the helper script to add ignore tags:
+
+```bash
+./script/add-ignore-tags.sh --ignore-tags "v1,v2" actions/checkout
+```
+
+Or add `ignoreTags` directly to the JSON config file:
+
+```json
+{
+  "owner": "actions",
+  "repo": "checkout",
+  "ignoreTags": [
+    "^v1(\\..*)?$",
+    "^v2(\\..*)?$"
+  ]
+}
+```
+
+Tags matching any of the patterns will be excluded from the generated scripts while remaining in the config for historical reference. The `ignoreTags` field is preserved when running `update-action.sh`.
+
 ### How to use this in the self-hosted runner?
 
 Please read the doc @kenmuse has put together at: https://www.kenmuse.com/blog/building-github-actions-runner-images-with-an-action-archive-cache/
diff --git a/script/add-ignore-tags.sh b/script/add-ignore-tags.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..127e604
--- /dev/null
+++ b/script/add-ignore-tags.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -e
+
+script_dir="$( cd "$(dirname "$0")" >/dev/null 2>&1 ; pwd -P )"
+
+# Minimum node version
+$script_dir/internal/check-node.sh
+
+# Add ignore tags to the action
+node "$script_dir/internal/add-ignore-tags.js" $*
+
+# Regenerate action scripts
+$script_dir/internal/generate-scripts.sh
diff --git a/script/internal/action-config.js b/script/internal/action-config.js
index 353bce8..e01a7ac 100644
--- a/script/internal/action-config.js
+++ b/script/internal/action-config.js
@@ -26,6 +26,12 @@ class ActionConfig {
    */
   patterns = []
 
+  /**
+   * Tag patterns to ignore during packaging
+   * @type {string[]|undefined}
+   */
+  ignoreTags = undefined
+
   /**
    * Branch versions (ref to commit SHA)
    * @type {{[ref: string]: string}}
@@ -63,12 +69,13 @@ exports.TagVersion = TagVersion
 /**
  * Adds a new action config file
  * @param {string} owner
- * @param {string} repos
+ * @param {string} repo
  * @param {string[]} patternStrings
  * @param {string} defaultBranch
+ * @param {string[]|undefined} ignoreTags
  * @returns {Promise}
  */
-async function add(owner, repo, patternStrings, defaultBranch) {
+async function add(owner, repo, patternStrings, defaultBranch, ignoreTags) {
   assert.ok(owner, "Arg 'owner' must not be empty")
   assert.ok(repo, "Arg 'repo' must not be empty")
   assert.ok(patternStrings, "Arg 'patternStrings' must not be null")
@@ -84,6 +91,9 @@ async function add(owner, repo, patternStrings, defaultBranch) {
   config.owner = owner
   config.repo = repo
   config.patterns = patternStrings
+  if (ignoreTags && ignoreTags.length > 0) {
+    config.ignoreTags = ignoreTags
+  }
   config.defaultBranch = defaultBranch
 
   const tempDir = path.join(paths.temp, `${owner}_${repo}`)
diff --git a/script/internal/add-action.js b/script/internal/add-action.js
index 251e15f..024aabe 100644
--- a/script/internal/add-action.js
+++ b/script/internal/add-action.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ async function main() {
     const repo = args.repo
     const patterns = args.patterns
     const defaultBranch = args.defaultBranch || 'master'
+    const ignoreTags = args.ignoreTags
 
     // File exists?
     const file = actionConfig.getFilePath(owner, repo)
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ async function main() {
     await fsHelper.reinitTemp()
 
     // Add the config
-    await actionConfig.add(owner, repo, patterns, defaultBranch)
+    await actionConfig.add(owner, repo, patterns, defaultBranch, ignoreTags)
   }
   catch (err) {
     // Help
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ class Args {
   repo = ''
   patterns = []
   defaultBranch = ''
+  ignoreTags = []
 }
 
 /**
@@ -58,7 +60,7 @@ class Args {
  */
 function getArgs() {
   // Parse
-  const parsedArgs = argHelper.parse([], ['default-branch'])
+  const parsedArgs = argHelper.parse([], ['default-branch', 'ignore-tags'])
   if (parsedArgs.arguments.length < 1) {
     argHelper.throwError('Expected at least one arg')
   }
@@ -81,17 +83,32 @@ function getArgs() {
     }
   }
 
+  // Parse ignore-tags (comma-separated version prefixes like v1,v2)
+  // These are converted to regex patterns that match the version and all its sub-versions
+  let ignoreTags = []
+  if (parsedArgs.options['ignore-tags']) {
+    const prefixes = parsedArgs.options['ignore-tags'].split(',').map(t => t.trim()).filter(t => t)
+    for (const prefix of prefixes) {
+      // Convert simple version prefix like "v1" to regex pattern "^v1(\\..*)?$"
+      // This matches "v1", "v1.0", "v1.0.0", etc.
+      const escapedPrefix = prefix.replace(/[.*+?^${}()|[\]\\]/g, '\\$&')
+      ignoreTags.push(`^${escapedPrefix}(\\..*)?$`)
+    }
+  }
+
   return {
     owner: splitNwo[0],
     repo: splitNwo[1],
     patterns: patterns,
-    defaultBranch: parsedArgs.options['default-branch']
+    defaultBranch: parsedArgs.options['default-branch'],
+    ignoreTags: ignoreTags
   }
 }
 
 function printUsage() {
-  console.error('USAGE: add-action.sh [--default-branch branch] nwo [(+|-)regexp [...]]')
+  console.error('USAGE: add-action.sh [--default-branch branch] [--ignore-tags versions] nwo [(+|-)regexp [...]]')
   console.error(`  --default-branch  Default branch name. For example: master`)
+  console.error(`  --ignore-tags     Comma-separated version prefixes to ignore. For example: v1,v2`)
   console.error(`  nwo               Name with owner. For example: actions/checkout`)
   console.error(`  regexp            Refs to include or exclude. Default: ${actionConfig.defaultPatterns.join(' ')}`)
 }
diff --git a/script/internal/add-ignore-tags.js b/script/internal/add-ignore-tags.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..797dab2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/script/internal/add-ignore-tags.js
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+const actionConfig = require('./action-config')
+const argHelper = require('./arg-helper')
+const debugHelper = require('./debug-helper')
+const fs = require('fs')
+
+async function main() {
+  try {
+    // Command line args
+    const args = getArgs()
+
+    // Get the action config file
+    const file = actionConfig.getFilePath(args.owner, args.repo)
+    debugHelper.debug(`file: ${file}`)
+    
+    // Load the config
+    const config = await actionConfig.loadFromPath(file)
+    
+    // Add ignore tags
+    if (!config.ignoreTags) {
+      config.ignoreTags = []
+    }
+    
+    // Add new patterns (avoid duplicates)
+    for (const pattern of args.ignoreTags) {
+      if (!config.ignoreTags.includes(pattern)) {
+        config.ignoreTags.push(pattern)
+      }
+    }
+    
+    // Write config back
+    await fs.promises.writeFile(file, JSON.stringify(config, null, '  '))
+    console.log(`Updated config file: ${file}`)
+    console.log(`  ignoreTags: ${JSON.stringify(config.ignoreTags)}`)
+  }
+  catch (err) {
+    // Help
+    if (err.code === argHelper.helpCode) {
+      printUsage()
+      return
+    }
+
+    // Arg error?
+    if (err.code === argHelper.errorCode) {
+      printUsage()
+      console.error('')
+    }
+
+    // Print error
+    debugHelper.debug(err.stack)
+    console.error(`ERROR: ${err.message}`)
+    process.exitCode = 1
+  }
+}
+
+class Args {
+  owner = ''
+  repo = ''
+  ignoreTags = []
+}
+
+/**
+ * Get the command line args
+ * @returns {Args}
+ */
+function getArgs() {
+  const parsedArgs = argHelper.parse([], ['ignore-tags'])
+  const result = new Args()
+
+  // Validate ignore-tags is provided
+  if (!parsedArgs.options['ignore-tags']) {
+    argHelper.throwError('--ignore-tags is required')
+  }
+
+  // Parse ignore-tags (comma-separated version prefixes like v1,v2)
+  const prefixes = parsedArgs.options['ignore-tags'].split(',').map(t => t.trim()).filter(t => t)
+  for (const prefix of prefixes) {
+    // Convert simple version prefix like "v1" to regex pattern "^v1(\\..*)?$"
+    // This matches "v1", "v1.0", "v1.0.0", etc.
+    const escapedPrefix = prefix.replace(/[.*+?^${}()|[\]\\]/g, '\\$&')
+    result.ignoreTags.push(`^${escapedPrefix}(\\..*)?$`)
+  }
+
+  // Validate exactly one arg
+  if (parsedArgs.arguments.length !== 1) {
+    argHelper.throwError('Expected exactly one arg (nwo)')
+  }
+
+  const nwo = parsedArgs.arguments[0]
+  const splitNwo = nwo.split('/')
+  if (splitNwo.length !== 2 || !splitNwo[0] || !splitNwo[1]) {
+    argHelper.throwError(`Invalid nwo '${nwo}'`)
+  }
+  result.owner = splitNwo[0]
+  result.repo = splitNwo[1]
+
+  return result
+}
+
+function printUsage() {
+  console.error('USAGE: add-ignore-tags.sh --ignore-tags versions nwo')
+  console.error(`  --ignore-tags     Comma-separated version prefixes to ignore. For example: v1,v2`)
+  console.error(`  nwo               Name with owner. For example: actions/checkout`)
+}
+
+main()
diff --git a/script/internal/generate-scripts.sh b/script/internal/generate-scripts.sh
index 3530c02..6f3b64a 100755
--- a/script/internal/generate-scripts.sh
+++ b/script/internal/generate-scripts.sh
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ for json_file in $script_dir/../../config/actions/*.json; do
     curl_download_commands+=("curl -s -S -L -o '$sha.zip' 'https://api.github.com/repos/$owner/$repo/zipball/$sha'")
   done
 
+  # Get an array of ignoreTags patterns (if present)
+  ignore_patterns=()
+  IFS=$'\n' read -r -d '' -a ignore_patterns < <( echo "$json" | jq --raw-output '.ignoreTags // [] | .[]' && printf '\0' )
+
   # Get an array of tag info. Each item contains "<tag> <commit_sha>"
   tag_info=()
   IFS=$'\n' read -r -d '' -a tag_info < <( echo "$json" | jq --raw-output '.tags | to_entries | .[] | .key + " " + .value.commit' && printf '\0' )
@@ -49,6 +53,20 @@ for json_file in $script_dir/../../config/actions/*.json; do
     tag="${split[0]}"
     sha="${split[1]}"
 
+    # Check if the tag matches any ignore pattern
+    skip_tag=false
+    for pattern in "${ignore_patterns[@]}"; do
+      if [[ "$tag" =~ $pattern ]]; then
+        echo "Ignoring tag '$tag' (matches pattern '$pattern')"
+        skip_tag=true
+        break
+      fi
+    done
+
+    if [ "$skip_tag" = true ]; then
+      continue
+    fi
+
     # Append curl download command
     curl_download_commands+=("curl -s -S -L -o '$sha.tar.gz' 'https://api.github.com/repos/$owner/$repo/tarball/$sha'")
     curl_download_commands+=("curl -s -S -L -o '$sha.zip' 'https://api.github.com/repos/$owner/$repo/zipball/$sha'")
diff --git a/script/internal/update-action.js b/script/internal/update-action.js
index 11d7251..b43a328 100644
--- a/script/internal/update-action.js
+++ b/script/internal/update-action.js
@@ -22,8 +22,9 @@ async function main() {
       const repo = config.repo
       const patterns = config.patterns
       const defaultBranch = config.defaultBranch
+      const ignoreTags = config.ignoreTags
       assert.ok(patterns && patterns.length, 'Existing patterns must not be empty')
-      await actionConfig.add(owner, repo, patterns, defaultBranch)
+      await actionConfig.add(owner, repo, patterns, defaultBranch, ignoreTags)
     }
   }
   catch (err) {