diff --git a/modules/programs/borgmatic.nix b/modules/programs/borgmatic.nix
index 19670775a..ecc6f5cf3 100644
--- a/modules/programs/borgmatic.nix
+++ b/modules/programs/borgmatic.nix
@@ -76,12 +76,39 @@ let
       (mkAfter [ (toString hmExcludeFile) ]);
     options = {
       location = {
-        sourceDirectories = mkOption {
+        sourceDirectories = mkNullableOption {
           type = types.listOf types.str;
-          description = "Directories to backup.";
+          default = null;
+          description = ''
+            Directories to backup.
+
+            Mutually exclusive with [](#opt-programs.borgmatic.backups._name_.location.patterns).
+          '';
           example = literalExpression "[config.home.homeDirectory]";
         };
 
+        patterns = mkNullableOption {
+          type = types.listOf types.str;
+          default = null;
+          description = ''
+            Patterns to include/exclude.
+
+            See the output of `borg help patterns` for the syntax. Pattern paths
+            are relative to `/` even when a different recursion root is set.
+
+            Mutually exclusive with [](#opt-programs.borgmatic.backups._name_.location.sourceDirectories).
+          '';
+          example = literalExpression ''
+            [
+              "R /home/user"
+              "- home/user/.cache"
+              "- home/user/Downloads"
+              "+ home/user/Videos/Important Video"
+              "- home/user/Videos"
+            ]
+          '';
+        };
+
         repositories = mkOption {
           type = types.listOf (types.either types.str repositoryOption);
           apply = cleanRepositories;
@@ -194,6 +221,7 @@ let
   writeConfig = config:
     generators.toYAML { } (removeNullValues ({
       source_directories = config.location.sourceDirectories;
+      patterns = config.location.patterns;
       repositories = config.location.repositories;
       encryption_passcommand = config.storage.encryptionPasscommand;
       keep_within = config.retention.keepWithin;
@@ -247,7 +275,19 @@ in {
     assertions = [
       (lib.hm.assertions.assertPlatform "programs.borgmatic" pkgs
         lib.platforms.linux)
-    ];
+    ] ++ (mapAttrsToList (backup: opts: {
+      assertion = opts.location.sourceDirectories == null
+        || opts.location.patterns == null;
+      message = ''
+        Borgmatic backup configuration "${backup}" cannot specify both 'location.sourceDirectories' and 'location.patterns'.
+      '';
+    }) cfg.backups) ++ (mapAttrsToList (backup: opts: {
+      assertion = !(opts.location.sourceDirectories == null
+        && opts.location.patterns == null);
+      message = ''
+        Borgmatic backup configuration "${backup}" must specify one of 'location.sourceDirectories' or 'location.patterns'.
+      '';
+    }) cfg.backups);
 
     xdg.configFile = with lib.attrsets;
       mapAttrs' (configName: config:
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/borgmatic/both-sourcedirectories-and-patterns.nix b/tests/modules/programs/borgmatic/both-sourcedirectories-and-patterns.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..106a0c18c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/borgmatic/both-sourcedirectories-and-patterns.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+{ config, pkgs, ... }:
+
+let
+
+  backups = config.programs.borgmatic.backups;
+
+in {
+  programs.borgmatic = {
+    enable = true;
+    backups = {
+      main = {
+        location = {
+          sourceDirectories = [ "/my-stuff-to-backup" ];
+          patterns = [ "R /" "+ my-stuff-to-backup" ];
+          repositories = [ "/mnt/disk1" ];
+        };
+      };
+    };
+  };
+
+  test.stubs.borgmatic = { };
+
+  test.asserts.assertions.expected = [''
+    Borgmatic backup configuration "main" cannot specify both 'location.sourceDirectories' and 'location.patterns'.
+  ''];
+}
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/borgmatic/default.nix b/tests/modules/programs/borgmatic/default.nix
index 53ea9be89..8cc0f924d 100644
--- a/tests/modules/programs/borgmatic/default.nix
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/borgmatic/default.nix
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 {
   borgmatic-program-basic-configuration = ./basic-configuration.nix;
+  borgmatic-program-patterns-configuration = ./patterns-configuration.nix;
+  borgmatic-program-both-sourcedirectories-and-patterns =
+    ./both-sourcedirectories-and-patterns.nix;
+  borgmatic-program-neither-sourcedirectories-nor-patterns =
+    ./neither-sourcedirectories-nor-patterns.nix;
   borgmatic-program-include-hm-symlinks = ./include-hm-symlinks.nix;
   borgmatic-program-exclude-hm-symlinks = ./exclude-hm-symlinks.nix;
   borgmatic-program-exclude-hm-symlinks-nothing-else =
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/borgmatic/neither-sourcedirectories-nor-patterns.nix b/tests/modules/programs/borgmatic/neither-sourcedirectories-nor-patterns.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..596fdf1cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/borgmatic/neither-sourcedirectories-nor-patterns.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+{ config, pkgs, ... }:
+
+let
+
+  backups = config.programs.borgmatic.backups;
+
+in {
+  programs.borgmatic = {
+    enable = true;
+    backups = { main = { location = { repositories = [ "/mnt/disk1" ]; }; }; };
+  };
+
+  test.stubs.borgmatic = { };
+
+  test.asserts.assertions.expected = [''
+    Borgmatic backup configuration "main" must specify one of 'location.sourceDirectories' or 'location.patterns'.
+  ''];
+}
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/borgmatic/patterns-configuration.nix b/tests/modules/programs/borgmatic/patterns-configuration.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..098708cad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/borgmatic/patterns-configuration.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+{ config, pkgs, ... }:
+
+let
+
+  boolToString = bool: if bool then "true" else "false";
+  backups = config.programs.borgmatic.backups;
+
+in {
+  programs.borgmatic = {
+    enable = true;
+    backups = {
+      main = {
+        location = {
+          patterns = [
+            "R /home/user"
+            "+ home/user/stuff-to-backup"
+            "+ home/user/junk/important-file"
+            "- home/user/junk"
+          ];
+          repositories = [ "/mnt/backup-drive" ];
+        };
+      };
+    };
+  };
+
+  test.stubs.borgmatic = { };
+
+  nmt.script = ''
+    config_file=$TESTED/home-files/.config/borgmatic.d/main.yaml
+    assertFileExists $config_file
+
+    declare -A expectations
+
+    expectations[patterns[0]]="${
+      builtins.elemAt backups.main.location.patterns 0
+    }"
+    expectations[patterns[1]]="${
+      builtins.elemAt backups.main.location.patterns 1
+    }"
+    expectations[patterns[2]]="${
+      builtins.elemAt backups.main.location.patterns 2
+    }"
+    expectations[patterns[3]]="${
+      builtins.elemAt backups.main.location.patterns 3
+    }"
+
+    yq=${pkgs.yq-go}/bin/yq
+
+    for filter in "''${!expectations[@]}"; do
+      expected_value="''${expectations[$filter]}"
+      actual_value="$($yq ".$filter" $config_file)"
+
+      if [[ "$actual_value" != "$expected_value" ]]; then
+        fail "Expected '$filter' to be '$expected_value' but was '$actual_value'"
+      fi
+    done
+  '';
+}