diff --git a/DataProcessingTools/objects.py b/DataProcessingTools/objects.py
index 04a3526..028389f 100644
--- a/DataProcessingTools/objects.py
+++ b/DataProcessingTools/objects.py
@@ -49,6 +49,17 @@ class DPObject():
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         fname = kwargs.get("loadFrom", None)
+        if isinstance(fname, list):
+            # go through the list of filenames and check if one matches for this object
+            bn, ext = os.path.splitext(self.filename)
+            found = False
+            for fn in fname:
+                if fn.find(bn) > -1:
+                    fname = fn
+                    found = True
+                    break
+            if not found:
+                fname = None
         _dirs = kwargs.get("dirs")
         if fname is not None:
             self.load(fname=fname)
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 3c4c90c..3a1a625 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 from distutils.core import setup
 
 setup(name="DataProcessingTools",
-      version="0.20.0",
+      version="0.21.0",
       description="""Tools for processing data with hierarchical organization""",
       url="https://github.com/grero/DataProcessingTools.git",
       author="Roger Herikstad",
diff --git a/tests/test_objects.py b/tests/test_objects.py
index da632ea..e4ba4c3 100644
--- a/tests/test_objects.py
+++ b/tests/test_objects.py
@@ -68,6 +68,10 @@ def test_append():
             obj1 = MyObj([0.1, 0.2, 0.3])
             h = obj1.hash()
             assert h == "c872"
+            # test that we can ignore files
+            obj2 = MyObj([0.1, 0.2, 0.3], loadFrom=["fake_file.hkl"])
+            h2 = obj2.hash()
+            assert h2 == h
 
         for d in dirs[1:]:
             with DPT.misc.CWD(d):
@@ -122,6 +126,11 @@ def test_append():
     assert obj7.args["bins"] == obj.args["bins"]
     assert obj7.dirs == obj.dirs
 
+    obj8 = MyObj(loadFrom=["myobj_c872.hkl",
+                           "something_else.hkl"])
+
+    assert obj8.dirs == obj.dirs
+
     os.remove(obj.get_filename())
 
 def test_object():