diff --git a/Application/GBAppledocApplication.m b/Application/GBAppledocApplication.m
index dcdf2388..8d0e4a3f 100644
--- a/Application/GBAppledocApplication.m
+++ b/Application/GBAppledocApplication.m
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@
 static NSString *kGBArgKeepMergedCategoriesSections = @"keep-merged-sections";
 static NSString *kGBArgPrefixMergedCategoriesSectionsWithCategoryName = @"prefix-merged-sections";
 static NSString *kGBArgUseCodeOrder = @"use-code-order";
+static NSString *kGBArgIgnoreSymbol = @"ignore-symbol";
+static NSString *kGBArgRequireLeaderForLocalCrossRefs = @"require-leader-for-local-crossrefs";
 
 static NSString *kGBArgExplicitCrossRef = @"explicit-crossref";
 static NSString *kGBArgCrossRefFormat = @"crossref-format";
@@ -305,6 +307,9 @@ - (void)application:(DDCliApplication *)app willParseOptions:(DDGetoptLongParser
 		{ GBNoArg(kGBArgKeepMergedCategoriesSections),						0,		DDGetoptNoArgument },
 		{ GBNoArg(kGBArgPrefixMergedCategoriesSectionsWithCategoryName),	0,		DDGetoptNoArgument },
         { GBNoArg(kGBArgUseCodeOrder),	                                    0,		DDGetoptNoArgument },
+		{ kGBArgIgnoreSymbol,												0,	    DDGetoptRequiredArgument },
+		{ kGBArgRequireLeaderForLocalCrossRefs,                             0,		DDGetoptNoArgument },
+		{ GBNoArg(kGBArgRequireLeaderForLocalCrossRefs),                    0,		DDGetoptNoArgument },
 		
 		{ kGBArgWarnOnMissingOutputPath,									0,		DDGetoptNoArgument },
 		{ kGBArgWarnOnMissingCompanyIdentifier,								0,		DDGetoptNoArgument },
@@ -816,6 +821,11 @@ - (void)setNoKeepMergedSections:(BOOL)value { self.settings.keepMergedCategories
 - (void)setNoPrefixMergedSections:(BOOL)value { self.settings.prefixMergedCategoriesSectionsWithCategoryName = !value; }
 - (void)setUseCodeOrder:(BOOL)value { self.settings.useCodeOrder = value; }
 - (void)setNoUseCodeOrder:(BOOL)value { self.settings.useCodeOrder = !value; }
+- (void)setIgnoreSymbol:(NSString *)glob {
+	[self.settings.ignoredSymbols addObject:glob];
+}
+-(void)setRequireLeaderForLocalCrossrefs:(BOOL)value { self.settings.requireLeaderForLocalCrossRefs = value; }
+-(void)setNoRequireLeaderForLocalCrossrefs:(BOOL)value { self.settings.requireLeaderForLocalCrossRefs = !value; }
 
 - (void)setWarnMissingOutputPath:(BOOL)value { self.settings.warnOnMissingOutputPathArgument = value; }
 - (void)setWarnMissingCompanyId:(BOOL)value { self.settings.warnOnMissingCompanyIdentifier = value; }
@@ -942,6 +952,8 @@ - (void)printSettingsAndArguments:(NSArray *)arguments {
 	ddprintf(@"--%@ = %@\n", kGBArgPrefixMergedCategoriesSectionsWithCategoryName, PRINT_BOOL(self.settings.prefixMergedCategoriesSectionsWithCategoryName));
 	ddprintf(@"--%@ = %@\n", kGBArgCrossRefFormat, self.settings.commentComponents.crossReferenceMarkersTemplate);
 	ddprintf(@"--%@ = %@\n", kGBArgUseCodeOrder, self.settings.useCodeOrder);
+	for (NSString *glob in self.settings.ignoredSymbols) ddprintf(@"--%@ = %@\n", kGBArgIgnoreSymbol, glob);
+	ddprintf(@"--%@ = %@\n", kGBArgRequireLeaderForLocalCrossRefs, PRINT_BOOL(self.settings.requireLeaderForLocalCrossRefs));
 	ddprintf(@"--%@ = %ld\n", kGBArgExitCodeThreshold, self.settings.exitCodeThreshold);
 	ddprintf(@"\n");
 	
@@ -1011,6 +1023,8 @@ - (void)printHelp {
 	PRINT_USAGE(@"   ", kGBArgPrefixMergedCategoriesSectionsWithCategoryName, @"", @"[b] Prefix merged sections with category name");
     PRINT_USAGE(@"   ", kGBArgExplicitCrossRef, @"", @"[b] Shortcut for explicit default cross ref template");
     PRINT_USAGE(@"   ", kGBArgUseCodeOrder, @"", @"[b] Order sections by the order specified in the input files");
+    PRINT_USAGE(@"   ", kGBArgIgnoreSymbol, @"<glob>", @"[*] A glob to match against symbols. If a symbol matches, it will not be included in the output.");
+    PRINT_USAGE(@"   ", kGBArgRequireLeaderForLocalCrossRefs, @"", @"[b] If true, only auto-link local symbol references that begin with '-' or '+'.");
     PRINT_USAGE(@"   ", kGBArgCrossRefFormat, @"<string>", @"Cross reference template regex");
     PRINT_USAGE(@"   ", kGBArgExitCodeThreshold, @"<number>", @"Exit code threshold below which 0 is returned");
 	ddprintf(@"\n");
diff --git a/Application/GBApplicationSettingsProvider.h b/Application/GBApplicationSettingsProvider.h
index 2eddfb02..cec72b3c 100644
--- a/Application/GBApplicationSettingsProvider.h
+++ b/Application/GBApplicationSettingsProvider.h
@@ -386,6 +386,18 @@ NSString *NSStringFromGBPublishedFeedFormats(GBPublishedFeedFormats format);
  */
 @property (assign) BOOL useCodeOrder;
 
+/** A set of globs to be matched against each input symbol to determine whether the symbol should be ignored
+
+ */
+@property (retain) NSMutableSet* ignoredSymbols;
+
+/** Specifies whether auto-linking for 'local' cross references requires the symbol to begin with '-' or '+'
+ 
+ If 'YES' then auto-linking of local symbols will only happen if the symbol is written in the comment with a leading '+' or '-'. This reduces false-positives, where links are created out of common words, because there are local symbols named after common words (e.g 'and')
+
+ */
+@property (assign) BOOL requireLeaderForLocalCrossRefs;
+
 /** Indicates whteher local methods and properties cross references texts should be prefixed when used in related items list.
  
  If `YES`, instance methods are prefixed with `-`, class methods with `+` and properties with `@property` when used as cross reference in related items list (i.e. see also section for methods). If `NO`, no prefix is used.
diff --git a/Application/GBApplicationSettingsProvider.m b/Application/GBApplicationSettingsProvider.m
index 12f1a424..38d02807 100644
--- a/Application/GBApplicationSettingsProvider.m
+++ b/Application/GBApplicationSettingsProvider.m
@@ -146,6 +146,8 @@ - (id)init {
 		self.keepMergedCategoriesSections = NO;
 		self.prefixMergedCategoriesSectionsWithCategoryName = NO;
         self.useCodeOrder = NO;
+        self.ignoredSymbols = [ NSMutableSet set ];
+        self.requireLeaderForLocalCrossRefs = NO;
 		
 		self.prefixLocalMembersInRelatedItemsList = YES;
 		self.embedCrossReferencesWhenProcessingMarkdown = YES;
@@ -679,6 +681,8 @@ - (NSString *)versionIdentifier {
 @synthesize keepMergedCategoriesSections;
 @synthesize prefixMergedCategoriesSectionsWithCategoryName;
 @synthesize useCodeOrder;
+@synthesize ignoredSymbols;
+@synthesize requireLeaderForLocalCrossRefs;
 
 @synthesize prefixLocalMembersInRelatedItemsList;
 @synthesize embedCrossReferencesWhenProcessingMarkdown;
diff --git a/Application/GBCommentComponentsProvider.h b/Application/GBCommentComponentsProvider.h
index c7a3ca89..065643d9 100644
--- a/Application/GBCommentComponentsProvider.h
+++ b/Application/GBCommentComponentsProvider.h
@@ -135,9 +135,10 @@
  The result of the method depends on the templated value: if the value is `YES`, the string includes template from `crossReferenceMarkersTemplate`, otherwise it only contains "pure" regex. The first option should be used for in-text cross references detection, while the second for `crossReferenceRegex` matching.
  
  @param templated If `YES` templated regex is returned, otherwise pure one.
+ @param requireLeader If 'YES', the regex will only match local member cross references with a '+' or '-' leader. Making this a requirement will reduce false links, but may lose some valid links.
  @return Returns the regex used for matching cross reference.
  */
-- (NSString *)localMemberCrossReferenceRegex:(BOOL)templated;
+- (NSString *)localMemberCrossReferenceRegex:(BOOL)templated requireLeader:(BOOL)requireLeader;
 
 /** Returns the regex used for matching (possible) category cross reference with capture 1 containing category name.
  
diff --git a/Application/GBCommentComponentsProvider.m b/Application/GBCommentComponentsProvider.m
index cb53e917..7f0ac3d3 100644
--- a/Application/GBCommentComponentsProvider.m
+++ b/Application/GBCommentComponentsProvider.m
@@ -115,11 +115,23 @@ - (NSString *)remoteMemberCrossReferenceRegex:(BOOL)templated {
 	}
 }
 
-- (NSString *)localMemberCrossReferenceRegex:(BOOL)templated {
+- (NSString *)localMemberCrossReferenceRegex:(BOOL)templated requireLeader:(BOOL)requireLeader {
 	if (templated) {
-		GBRETURN_ON_DEMAND([self crossReferenceRegexForRegex:[self localMemberCrossReferenceRegex:NO]]);
+        static NSString *regexLeaderRequired = nil;
+        static NSString *regexLeaderNotRequired = nil;
+        if (!regexLeaderRequired) {
+            regexLeaderRequired = [self crossReferenceRegexForRegex:[self localMemberCrossReferenceRegex:NO requireLeader:YES]];
+            regexLeaderNotRequired = [ self crossReferenceRegexForRegex:[self localMemberCrossReferenceRegex:NO requireLeader:NO]];
+        }
+        return requireLeader ? regexLeaderRequired : regexLeaderNotRequired;
 	} else {
-		GBRETURN_ON_DEMAND(@"([+-]?)([^>,.;!?()\\s]+)");
+        static NSString *regexLeaderRequired = nil;
+        static NSString *regexLeaderNotRequired = nil;
+        if (!regexLeaderRequired) {
+            regexLeaderRequired = @"([+-])([^>,.;!?()\\s]+)";
+            regexLeaderNotRequired = @"([+-]?)([^>,.;!?()\\s]+)";
+        }
+        return requireLeader ? regexLeaderRequired : regexLeaderNotRequired;
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/Common/NSString+GBString.h b/Common/NSString+GBString.h
index 0a7c7151..df4338c8 100644
--- a/Common/NSString+GBString.h
+++ b/Common/NSString+GBString.h
@@ -109,4 +109,12 @@
  */
 - (NSUInteger)numberOfLinesInRange:(NSRange)range;
 
+
+/** Glob matching
+ 
+ @param glob The glob to match against the receiver. '*' matches any number of characters, '?' matches any one character
+ @return Returns whether glob matches the receiver
+ */
+- (BOOL)matchesGlob:(NSString *)glob;
+
 @end
diff --git a/Common/NSString+GBString.m b/Common/NSString+GBString.m
index 5ec12d93..4eeddf64 100644
--- a/Common/NSString+GBString.m
+++ b/Common/NSString+GBString.m
@@ -126,6 +126,50 @@ - (NSUInteger)numberOfLinesInRange:(NSRange)range {
 	return [lines count];
 }
 
+- (BOOL)matchesGlob:(NSString *)glob
+{
+    NSUInteger strIdxForCurrentStarMatch = 0, afterLastStarIdx = NSNotFound;
+    NSUInteger strIdx = 0, globIdx = 0;
+    NSUInteger strLen = self.length;
+    NSUInteger globLen = glob.length;
+
+    while (strIdx < strLen && ([glob characterAtIndex:globIdx] != '*')) {
+        if (([glob characterAtIndex:globIdx] != [self characterAtIndex:strIdx]) &&
+            ([glob characterAtIndex:globIdx] != '?')) {
+            return NO;
+        }
+        globIdx++;
+        strIdx++;
+    }
+
+    while (strIdx < strLen) {
+        if ([glob characterAtIndex:globIdx] == '*') {
+            globIdx++;
+            if (globIdx == globLen) {
+                return YES;
+            }
+            afterLastStarIdx = globIdx;
+            strIdxForCurrentStarMatch = strIdx + 1;
+        }
+        else if (([glob characterAtIndex:globIdx] == [self characterAtIndex:strIdx]) ||
+                 ([glob characterAtIndex:globIdx] == '?')) {
+            globIdx++;
+            strIdx++;
+        }
+        else if (afterLastStarIdx != NSNotFound) {
+            globIdx = afterLastStarIdx;
+            strIdx = strIdxForCurrentStarMatch++;
+        }
+        else {
+            return NO;
+        }
+    }
+
+    while (globIdx < globLen && [glob characterAtIndex:globIdx] == '*') {
+        globIdx++;
+    }
+    return (globIdx == globLen);
+}
 @end
 
 #pragma mark -
diff --git a/Parsing/GBObjectiveCParser.m b/Parsing/GBObjectiveCParser.m
index a9ede3ca..24c0b319 100644
--- a/Parsing/GBObjectiveCParser.m
+++ b/Parsing/GBObjectiveCParser.m
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ - (void)updateLastComment:(GBComment **)comment sectionComment:(GBComment **)sec
 
 @interface GBObjectiveCParser (DefinitionParsing)
 
+- (BOOL)isIgnoredSymbol:(NSString*)symbol;
 - (void)matchClassDefinition;
 - (void)matchCategoryDefinition;
 - (void)matchExtensionDefinition;
@@ -150,9 +151,24 @@ - (void)updateLastComment:(GBComment **)comment sectionComment:(GBComment **)sec
 
 @implementation GBObjectiveCParser (DefinitionParsing)
 
+- (BOOL)isIgnoredSymbol:(NSString*)symbol {
+    for (NSString* glob in settings.ignoredSymbols) {
+        if ([symbol matchesGlob:glob]) {
+            return YES;
+        }
+    }
+    return NO;
+}
+
 - (void)matchClassDefinition {
 	// @interface CLASSNAME
 	NSString *className = [[self.tokenizer lookahead:1] stringValue];
+    if ([self isIgnoredSymbol:className]) {
+        GBLogInfo(@"Skipping ignored class %@", className);
+        [self.tokenizer consumeTo:@"@end" usingBlock:^(PKToken *token, BOOL *consume, BOOL *stop) { }];
+        return;
+    }
+    
 	GBClassData *class = [GBClassData classDataWithName:className];
     class.includeInOutput = self.includeInOutput;
 	[self registerSourceInfoFromCurrentTokenToObject:class];
@@ -174,6 +190,12 @@ - (void)matchCategoryDefinition {
 	// @interface CLASSNAME ( CATEGORYNAME )
 	NSString *className = [[self.tokenizer lookahead:1] stringValue];
 	NSString *categoryName = [[self.tokenizer lookahead:3] stringValue];
+    NSString* fullName = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@(%@)",className,categoryName];
+    if ([self isIgnoredSymbol:fullName]) {
+        GBLogInfo(@"Skipping ignored category %@", fullName);
+        [self.tokenizer consumeTo:@"@end" usingBlock:^(PKToken *token, BOOL *consume, BOOL *stop) { }];
+        return;
+    }
 	GBCategoryData *category = [GBCategoryData categoryDataWithName:categoryName className:className];
     category.includeInOutput = self.includeInOutput;
 	[self registerSourceInfoFromCurrentTokenToObject:category];
@@ -192,6 +214,11 @@ - (void)matchCategoryDefinition {
 - (void)matchExtensionDefinition {
 	// @interface CLASSNAME ( )
 	NSString *className = [[self.tokenizer lookahead:1] stringValue];
+    if ([self isIgnoredSymbol:className]) {
+        GBLogInfo(@"Skipping ignored class extension %@", className);
+        [self.tokenizer consumeTo:@"@end" usingBlock:^(PKToken *token, BOOL *consume, BOOL *stop) { }];
+        return;
+    }
 	GBCategoryData *extension = [GBCategoryData categoryDataWithName:nil className:className];
     extension.includeInOutput = self.includeInOutput;
 	GBLogVerbose(@"Matched %@() extension definition at line %lu.", className, extension.prefferedSourceInfo.lineNumber);
@@ -210,6 +237,11 @@ - (void)matchExtensionDefinition {
 - (void)matchProtocolDefinition {
 	// @protocol PROTOCOLNAME
 	NSString *protocolName = [[self.tokenizer lookahead:1] stringValue];
+    if ([self isIgnoredSymbol:protocolName]) {
+        GBLogInfo(@"Skipping ignored protocol %@", protocolName);
+        [self.tokenizer consumeTo:@"@end" usingBlock:^(PKToken *token, BOOL *consume, BOOL *stop) { }];
+        return;
+    }
 	GBProtocolData *protocol = [GBProtocolData protocolDataWithName:protocolName];
     protocol.includeInOutput = self.includeInOutput;
 	GBLogVerbose(@"Matched %@ protocol definition at line %lu.", protocolName, protocol.prefferedSourceInfo.lineNumber);
diff --git a/Processing/GBCommentsProcessor.m b/Processing/GBCommentsProcessor.m
index 988b7a12..8cd6a9ea 100644
--- a/Processing/GBCommentsProcessor.m
+++ b/Processing/GBCommentsProcessor.m
@@ -950,7 +950,7 @@ - (GBCrossRefData *)dataForLocalMemberLinkInString:(NSString *)string searchRang
 	if (!self.currentContext) return nil;
 
 	BOOL templated = (flags & GBProcessingFlagRelatedItem) == 0;
-	NSString *regex = [self.components localMemberCrossReferenceRegex:templated];
+	NSString *regex = [self.components localMemberCrossReferenceRegex:templated requireLeader:self.settings.requireLeaderForLocalCrossRefs ];
 	NSArray *components = [string captureComponentsMatchedByRegex:regex range:searchRange];
 	if ([components count] == 0) return nil;
 		
diff --git a/Testing/GBApplicationTesting.m b/Testing/GBApplicationTesting.m
index 818c32a2..567492f8 100644
--- a/Testing/GBApplicationTesting.m
+++ b/Testing/GBApplicationTesting.m
@@ -345,6 +345,25 @@ - (void)testExitCodeThreshold_shouldAssignValueToSettings {
 	assertThatInteger(settings.exitCodeThreshold, equalToInteger(2));
 }
 
+- (void)testIgnoreSymbol_shouldAssignValueToSettings {
+	// setup & execute
+	GBApplicationSettingsProvider *settings = [self settingsByRunningWithArgs:@"--ignore-symbol", @"*deprecated*", @"--ignore-symbol", @"DummyClass?", nil];
+	// verify - note that ignore should not convert dot to current path; this would prevent .m being parsed properly!
+	assertThatInteger([settings.ignoredSymbols count], equalToInteger(2));
+	assertThatBool([settings.ignoredSymbols containsObject:@"*deprecated*"], equalToBool(YES));
+	assertThatBool([settings.ignoredSymbols containsObject:@"DummyClass?"], equalToBool(YES));
+}
+
+- (void)testRequireLeaderForLocalCrossRefs_shouldAssignValueToSettings {
+	// setup & execute
+	GBApplicationSettingsProvider *settings1 = [self settingsByRunningWithArgs:@"--require-leader-for-local-crossrefs", nil];
+	GBApplicationSettingsProvider *settings2 = [self settingsByRunningWithArgs:@"--no-require-leader-for-local-crossrefs", nil];
+	// verify
+	assertThatBool(settings1.requireLeaderForLocalCrossRefs, equalToBool(YES));
+	assertThatBool(settings2.requireLeaderForLocalCrossRefs, equalToBool(NO));
+}
+
+
 #pragma mark Warnings settings testing
 
 - (void)testWarnOnMissingOutputPath_shouldAssignValueToSettings {