diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index cc21fe74..313c8ea5 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ type Configuration struct {
 	CheckInterval           int        `yaml:"CheckInterval"`
 	RepositoryScanInterval  int        `yaml:"RepositoryScanInterval"`
 	MaxLinkHeaders          int        `yaml:"MaxLinkHeaders"`
+	RelaxModTimeRules       []relaxrule `yaml:"RelaxModTimeRules"`
 	FixTimezoneOffsets      bool       `yaml:"FixTimezoneOffsets"`
 	Hashes                  hashing    `yaml:"Hashes"`
 	DisallowRedirects       bool       `yaml:"DisallowRedirects"`
@@ -111,6 +112,11 @@ type hashing struct {
 	MD5    bool `yaml:"MD5"`
 }
 
+type relaxrule struct {
+	Prefix      string `yaml:"Prefix"`
+	MaxOutdated int    `yaml:"MaxOutdated"`
+}
+
 // LoadConfig loads the configuration file if it has not yet been loaded
 func LoadConfig() {
 	if config != nil {
@@ -165,6 +171,17 @@ func ReloadConfig() error {
 	if c.RepositoryScanInterval < 0 {
 		c.RepositoryScanInterval = 0
 	}
+	for _, r := range c.RelaxModTimeRules {
+		if len(r.Prefix) == 0 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("RelaxModTimeRules.Prefix must be set")
+		}
+		if r.Prefix[0] != '/' {
+			return fmt.Errorf("RelaxModTimeRules.Prefix must start with a /")
+		}
+		if r.MaxOutdated <= 0 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("RelaxModTimeRules.MaxOutdated must be > 0")
+		}
+	}
 
 	if config != nil &&
 		(c.RedisAddress != config.RedisAddress ||
diff --git a/http/selection.go b/http/selection.go
index e4143b2a..03d0bbbc 100644
--- a/http/selection.go
+++ b/http/selection.go
@@ -41,6 +41,19 @@ func (h DefaultEngine) Selection(ctx *Context, cache *mirrors.Cache, fileInfo *f
 		return
 	}
 
+	// Check if a relax modtime rule applies
+	checksize := true
+	maxoutdated := time.Duration(0)
+	relaxrules := GetConfig().RelaxModTimeRules
+	for _, r := range relaxrules {
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(fileInfo.Path, r.Prefix) {
+			continue
+		}
+		maxoutdated = time.Duration(r.MaxOutdated) * time.Minute
+		checksize = false
+		break
+	}
+
 	// Filter
 	safeIndex := 0
 	excluded = make([]mirrors.Mirror, 0, len(mlist))
@@ -74,7 +87,7 @@ func (h DefaultEngine) Selection(ctx *Context, cache *mirrors.Cache, fileInfo *f
 		}
 		// Is it the same size / modtime as source?
 		if m.FileInfo != nil {
-			if m.FileInfo.Size != fileInfo.Size {
+			if checksize && m.FileInfo.Size != fileInfo.Size {
 				m.ExcludeReason = "File size mismatch"
 				goto discard
 			}
@@ -85,8 +98,9 @@ func (h DefaultEngine) Selection(ctx *Context, cache *mirrors.Cache, fileInfo *f
 				}
 				mModTime = mModTime.Truncate(m.LastSuccessfulSyncPrecision.Duration())
 				lModTime := fileInfo.ModTime.Truncate(m.LastSuccessfulSyncPrecision.Duration())
-				if !mModTime.Equal(lModTime) {
-					m.ExcludeReason = fmt.Sprintf("Mod time mismatch (diff: %s)", lModTime.Sub(mModTime))
+				diff := lModTime.Sub(mModTime)
+				if diff < 0 || diff > maxoutdated {
+					m.ExcludeReason = fmt.Sprintf("Mod time mismatch (diff: %s)", diff)
 					goto discard
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/mirrorbits.conf b/mirrorbits.conf
index e373ebd1..48fc02c6 100644
--- a/mirrorbits.conf
+++ b/mirrorbits.conf
@@ -103,6 +103,16 @@
 ## Disable a mirror if an active file is missing (HTTP 404)
 # DisableOnMissingFile: false
 
+## Relax the modtime check for some files.
+## With this setting, files are allowed to be outdated on the mirrors, for at
+## most MaxOutdated minutes. The filesize check is also disabled for those
+## files. Use-case: for a Debian-like distribution, the metadata (ie. the
+## directory /dists) are updated in-place, so we must give time for mirrors
+## to sync, and then for mirrorbits to be aware of the changes.
+# RelaxModTimeRules:
+#     - Prefix: /dists/
+#       MaxOutdated: 540
+
 ## Adjust the weight/range of the geographic distribution
 # WeightDistributionRange: 1.5