diff --git a/changelog.txt b/changelog.txt
index f7e41acd3b..6b64a26fc9 100644
--- a/changelog.txt
+++ b/changelog.txt
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ Template for new versions:
 ## New Features
 - `gui/design`: show selected dimensions next to the mouse cursor when designating with vanilla tools, for example when painting a burrow or designating digging
 - `quickfort`: new blueprint mode for designating burrows
+- `unforbid`: now ignores worn and tattered items by default (X/XX), use -X to bypass
 
 ## Fixes
 - `gui/unit-syndromes`: show the syndrome names properly in the UI
diff --git a/docs/unforbid.rst b/docs/unforbid.rst
index 4160b7b25e..03615492ad 100644
--- a/docs/unforbid.rst
+++ b/docs/unforbid.rst
@@ -24,3 +24,6 @@ Options
 
 ``-q``, ``--quiet``
     Suppress non-error console output.
+
+``-X``, ``--include-worn``
+    Include worn (X) and tattered (XX) items when unforbidding.
diff --git a/unforbid.lua b/unforbid.lua
index 38667602c1..12b7430c36 100644
--- a/unforbid.lua
+++ b/unforbid.lua
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@
 
 local argparse = require('argparse')
 
-local function unforbid_all(include_unreachable, quiet)
-    if not quiet then print('Unforbidding all items...') end
+local function unforbid_all(include_unreachable, quiet, include_worn)
+    local p
+    if quiet then p=function(s) return end; else p=function(s) return print(s) end; end
+    p('Unforbidding all items...')
 
     local citizens = dfhack.units.getCitizens(true)
     local count = 0
@@ -19,12 +21,17 @@ local function unforbid_all(include_unreachable, quiet)
                 end
 
                 if not reachable then
-                    if not quiet then print(('  unreachable: %s (skipping)'):format(item)) end
+                    p(('  unreachable: %s (skipping)'):format(item))
                     goto skipitem
                 end
             end
 
-            if not quiet then print(('  unforbid: %s'):format(item)) end
+            if ((not include_worn) and item.wear >= 2) then
+                p(('  worn: %s (skipping)'):format(item))
+                goto skipitem
+            end
+
+            p(('  unforbid: %s'):format(item))
             item.flags.forbid = false
             count = count + 1
 
@@ -32,7 +39,7 @@ local function unforbid_all(include_unreachable, quiet)
         end
     end
 
-    if not quiet then print(('%d items unforbidden'):format(count)) end
+    p(('%d items unforbidden'):format(count))
 end
 
 -- let the common --help parameter work, even though it's undocumented
@@ -40,11 +47,13 @@ local options, args = {
     help = false,
     quiet = false,
     include_unreachable = false,
-}, { ... }
+    include_worn = false
+}, {...}
 
 local positionals = argparse.processArgsGetopt(args, {
     { 'h', 'help', handler = function() options.help = true end },
     { 'q', 'quiet', handler = function() options.quiet = true end },
+    { 'X', 'include-worn', handler = function() options.include_worn = true end},
     { 'u', 'include-unreachable', handler = function() options.include_unreachable = true end },
 })
 
@@ -54,5 +63,5 @@ if positionals[1] == nil or positionals[1] == 'help' or options.help then
 end
 
 if positionals[1] == 'all' then
-    unforbid_all(options.include_unreachable, options.quiet)
+    unforbid_all(options.include_unreachable, options.quiet, options.include_worn)
 end