diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4067557..3c9e9b9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ Usage: migrate-mongo [options] [command]
 
   Options:
 
+    -c, --custom   specify a custom migration file (only for up)
     -h, --help     output usage information
     -V, --version  output the version number
 ````
diff --git a/bin/migrate-mongo.js b/bin/migrate-mongo.js
index f002be0..8b8f580 100755
--- a/bin/migrate-mongo.js
+++ b/bin/migrate-mongo.js
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ program
 program
   .command("up")
   .description("run all pending database migrations")
+  .option("-c --custom <custom>", "run a custom migration file")
   .option("-f --file <file>", "use a custom config file")
   .action(options => {
     global.options = options;
diff --git a/lib/actions/up.js b/lib/actions/up.js
index f053c82..aabf6e7 100644
--- a/lib/actions/up.js
+++ b/lib/actions/up.js
@@ -1,22 +1,25 @@
 const _ = require("lodash");
 const pEachSeries = require("p-each-series");
 const { promisify } = require("util");
-const fnArgs = require('fn-args');
+const fnArgs = require("fn-args");
 
 const status = require("./status");
 const config = require("../env/config");
 const migrationsDir = require("../env/migrationsDir");
-const hasCallback = require('../utils/has-callback');
+const hasCallback = require("../utils/has-callback");
 
 module.exports = async (db, client) => {
   const statusItems = await status(db);
   const pendingItems = _.filter(statusItems, { appliedAt: "PENDING" });
   const migrated = [];
 
-  const migrateItem = async item => {
+  // console.log(pendingItems);
+  const migrateItem = async (item) => {
     try {
       const migration = await migrationsDir.loadMigration(item.fileName);
-      const up = hasCallback(migration.up) ? promisify(migration.up) : migration.up;
+      const up = hasCallback(migration.up)
+        ? promisify(migration.up)
+        : migration.up;
 
       if (hasCallback(migration.up) && fnArgs(migration.up).length < 3) {
         // support old callback-based migrations prior to migrate-mongo 7.x.x
@@ -24,7 +27,6 @@ module.exports = async (db, client) => {
       } else {
         await up(db, client);
       }
-
     } catch (err) {
       const error = new Error(
         `Could not migrate up ${item.fileName}: ${err.message}`
@@ -33,20 +35,35 @@ module.exports = async (db, client) => {
       throw error;
     }
 
-    const { changelogCollectionName } = await config.read();
-    const changelogCollection = db.collection(changelogCollectionName);
+    if (item.appliedAt != "CUSTOM")
+    {
+      // console.log("writing", item.appliedAt);
+      const { changelogCollectionName } = await config.read();
+      const changelogCollection = db.collection(changelogCollectionName);
 
-    const { fileName } = item;
-    const appliedAt = new Date();
+      const { fileName } = item;
+      const appliedAt = new Date();
 
-    try {
-      await changelogCollection.insertOne({ fileName, appliedAt });
-    } catch (err) {
-      throw new Error(`Could not update changelog: ${err.message}`);
+      try {
+        await changelogCollection.insertOne({ fileName, appliedAt });
+      } catch (err) {
+        throw new Error(`Could not update changelog: ${err.message}`);
+      }
     }
+
     migrated.push(item.fileName);
   };
 
-  await pEachSeries(pendingItems, migrateItem);
+  // console.log("some", global.options);
+  if (global.options.custom) {
+    await migrateItem(
+      { fileName: global.options.custom, appliedAt: "CUSTOM" },
+      false
+    );
+  } else {
+    // console.log("all");
+    await pEachSeries(pendingItems, migrateItem);
+  }
+
   return migrated;
 };
diff --git a/lib/env/database.js b/lib/env/database.js
index 70ce8fd..6fc03d6 100644
--- a/lib/env/database.js
+++ b/lib/env/database.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ module.exports = {
     const url = _.get(configContent, "mongodb.url");
     const databaseName = _.get(configContent, "mongodb.databaseName");
     const options = _.get(configContent, "mongodb.options");
-
+console.log("config", configContent);
     if (!url) {
       throw new Error("No `url` defined in config file!");
     }
@@ -25,4 +25,5 @@ module.exports = {
       db,
     };
   }
+
 };
diff --git a/samples/migrations/20200911163740-desc2.js b/samples/migrations/20200911163740-desc2.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f893136
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/migrations/20200911163740-desc2.js
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+module.exports = {
+  async up(db, client) {
+    // TODO write your migration here.
+    // See https://github.com/seppevs/migrate-mongo/#creating-a-new-migration-script
+    // Example:
+    // await db.collection('albums').updateOne({artist: 'The Beatles'}, {$set: {blacklisted: true}});
+  },
+
+  async down(db, client) {
+    // TODO write the statements to rollback your migration (if possible)
+    // Example:
+    // await db.collection('albums').updateOne({artist: 'The Beatles'}, {$set: {blacklisted: false}});
+  }
+};
diff --git a/samples/migrations/dev2.js b/samples/migrations/dev2.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f893136
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/migrations/dev2.js
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+module.exports = {
+  async up(db, client) {
+    // TODO write your migration here.
+    // See https://github.com/seppevs/migrate-mongo/#creating-a-new-migration-script
+    // Example:
+    // await db.collection('albums').updateOne({artist: 'The Beatles'}, {$set: {blacklisted: true}});
+  },
+
+  async down(db, client) {
+    // TODO write the statements to rollback your migration (if possible)
+    // Example:
+    // await db.collection('albums').updateOne({artist: 'The Beatles'}, {$set: {blacklisted: false}});
+  }
+};
diff --git a/test/actions/up.test.js b/test/actions/up.test.js
index 8508122..4cc17bf 100644
--- a/test/actions/up.test.js
+++ b/test/actions/up.test.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ describe("up", () => {
 
   let firstPendingMigration;
   let secondPendingMigration;
+  let firstCustomMigration;
   let changelogCollection;
 
   function mockStatus() {
@@ -26,6 +27,10 @@ describe("up", () => {
           fileName: "20160606093207-second_applied_migration.js",
           appliedAt: new Date()
         },
+        {
+          fileName: "20160608060210-first_custom_migration.js",
+          appliedAt: "CUSTOM"
+        },
         {
           fileName: "20160607173840-first_pending_migration.js",
           appliedAt: "PENDING"
@@ -56,6 +61,9 @@ describe("up", () => {
     mock.loadMigration
       .withArgs("20160608060209-second_pending_migration.js")
       .returns(Promise.resolve(secondPendingMigration));
+      mock.loadMigration
+      .withArgs("20160608060210-first_custom_migration.js")
+      .returns(Promise.resolve(firstCustomMigration));
     return mock;
   }
 
@@ -95,6 +103,7 @@ describe("up", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     firstPendingMigration = mockMigration();
     secondPendingMigration = mockMigration();
+    firstCustomMigration = mockMigration();
     changelogCollection = mockChangelogCollection();
 
     status = mockStatus();
@@ -104,6 +113,8 @@ describe("up", () => {
     client = mockClient();
 
     up = loadUpWithInjectedMocks();
+
+    global.options={};
   });
 
   it("should fetch the status", async () => {
@@ -130,6 +141,13 @@ describe("up", () => {
     sinon.assert.callOrder(firstPendingMigration.up, secondPendingMigration.up);
   });
 
+  it("should be able to run a custom migration", async () => {
+    global.options = { custom: "20160608060210-first_custom_migration.js" };
+    await up(db);
+    expect(firstCustomMigration.up.called).to.equal(true);
+    expect(changelogCollection.insertOne.called).to.equal(false);
+  });
+
   it("should be able to upgrade callback based migration that has both the `db` and `client` args", async () => {
     firstPendingMigration = {
       up(theDb, theClient, callback) {