diff --git a/detect_secrets/core/usage.py b/detect_secrets/core/usage.py
index b94c9e7b3..7644be1dd 100644
--- a/detect_secrets/core/usage.py
+++ b/detect_secrets/core/usage.py
@@ -107,12 +107,12 @@ def _add_initialize_baseline_argument(self):
             help='Pass in regex to specify ignored paths during initialization scan.',
         )
 
-        # Pairing `--import` with `--scan` because it's only used for initialization.
+        # Pairing `--update` with `--scan` because it's only used for initialization.
         self.parser.add_argument(
-            '--import',
+            '--update',
             nargs=1,
             metavar='OLD_BASELINE_FILE',
-            help='Import settings from previous existing baseline.',
+            help='Update existing baseline by importing settings from it.',
             dest='import_filename',
         )
 
diff --git a/detect_secrets/main.py b/detect_secrets/main.py
index 8449b1c00..8f0977b63 100644
--- a/detect_secrets/main.py
+++ b/detect_secrets/main.py
@@ -26,14 +26,17 @@ def main(argv=None):
         log.set_debug_level(args.verbose)
 
     if args.action == 'scan':
-        print(
-            json.dumps(
-                _perform_scan(args),
-                indent=2,
-                sort_keys=True,
-            ),
+        output = json.dumps(
+            _perform_scan(args),
+            indent=2,
+            sort_keys=True,
         )
 
+        if args.import_filename:
+            _write_to_file(args.import_filename[0], output)
+        else:
+            print(output)
+
     elif args.action == 'audit':
         audit.audit_baseline(args.filename[0])
 
@@ -53,6 +56,11 @@ def _perform_scan(args):
     elif old_baseline and old_baseline.get('exclude_regex'):
         args.exclude = old_baseline['exclude_regex']
 
+    # If we have knowledge of an existing baseline file, we should use
+    # that knowledge and *not* scan that file.
+    if args.import_filename and args.exclude:
+        args.exclude += r'|^{}$'.format(args.import_filename[0])
+
     new_baseline = baseline.initialize(
         plugins,
         args.exclude,
@@ -71,12 +79,22 @@ def _perform_scan(args):
 def _get_existing_baseline(import_filename):
     # Favors --import argument over stdin.
     if import_filename:
-        with open(import_filename[0]) as f:
-            return json.loads(f.read())
-
+        return _read_from_file(import_filename[0])
     if not sys.stdin.isatty():
         return json.loads(sys.stdin.read())
 
 
+def _read_from_file(filename):
+    """Used for mocking."""
+    with open(filename[0]) as f:
+        return json.loads(f.read())
+
+
+def _write_to_file(filename, content):
+    """Used for mocking."""
+    with open(filename, 'w') as f:
+        f.write(content)
+
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     sys.exit(main())
diff --git a/tests/main_test.py b/tests/main_test.py
index a2adce6cd..513a68c3f 100644
--- a/tests/main_test.py
+++ b/tests/main_test.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 from detect_secrets.main import main
 from testing.factories import secrets_collection_factory
 from testing.mocks import Any
-from testing.mocks import mock_open
 from testing.mocks import mock_printer
 
 
@@ -83,18 +82,53 @@ def test_reads_from_stdin(self, mock_merge_baseline):
         )
 
     def test_reads_old_baseline_from_file(self, mock_merge_baseline):
-        with mock_stdin(), mock_open(
-            json.dumps({'key': 'value'}),
-            'detect_secrets.main.open',
-        ) as m:
-            assert main('scan --import old_baseline_file'.split()) == 0
-            assert m.call_args[0][0] == 'old_baseline_file'
+        with mock_stdin(), mock.patch(
+            'detect_secrets.main._read_from_file',
+            return_value={'key': 'value'},
+        ) as m_read, mock.patch(
+            'detect_secrets.main._write_to_file',
+        ) as m_write:
+            assert main('scan --update old_baseline_file'.split()) == 0
+            assert m_read.call_args[0][0] == 'old_baseline_file'
+            assert m_write.call_args[0] == ('old_baseline_file', Any(str))
 
         mock_merge_baseline.assert_called_once_with(
             {'key': 'value'},
             Any(dict),
         )
 
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
+        'exclude_param, expected_regex',
+        [
+            (
+                '',
+                '^old_baseline_file$',
+            ),
+            (
+                '--exclude "secrets/.*"',
+                'secrets/.*|^old_baseline_file$',
+            ),
+        ],
+    )
+    def test_old_baseline_ignored_with_update_flag(
+        self,
+        mock_baseline_initialize,
+        exclude_param,
+        expected_regex,
+    ):
+        with mock_stdin(), mock.patch(
+            'detect_secrets.main._read_from_file',
+            return_value={},
+        ), mock.patch(
+            # We don't want to be creating a file during test
+            'detect_secrets.main._write_to_file',
+        ):
+            assert main(
+                'scan --update old_baseline_file {}'.format(
+                    exclude_param,
+                ).split(),
+            ) == 0
+
     @pytest.mark.parametrize(
         'filename, expected_output',
         [