diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/preference/PreferenceKeys.kt b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/preference/PreferenceKeys.kt
index ecebf6bc91..9069ab6acc 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/preference/PreferenceKeys.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/preference/PreferenceKeys.kt
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ object PreferenceKeys {
     const val downloadNew = "download_new"
 
     const val downloadNewCategories = "download_new_categories"
+    const val downloadNewCategoriesExclude = "download_new_categories_exclude"
 
     const val libraryDisplayMode = "pref_display_mode_library"
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/preference/PreferencesHelper.kt b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/preference/PreferencesHelper.kt
index 9d6c687804..7415f019c9 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/preference/PreferencesHelper.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/preference/PreferencesHelper.kt
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ class PreferencesHelper(val context: Context) {
     fun downloadNew() = flowPrefs.getBoolean(Keys.downloadNew, false)
 
     fun downloadNewCategories() = flowPrefs.getStringSet(Keys.downloadNewCategories, emptySet())
+    fun downloadNewCategoriesExclude() = flowPrefs.getStringSet(Keys.downloadNewCategoriesExclude, emptySet())
 
     fun lang() = prefs.getString(Keys.lang, "")
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/ui/setting/SettingsDownloadController.kt b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/ui/setting/SettingsDownloadController.kt
index efec6479f7..d714133516 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/ui/setting/SettingsDownloadController.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/ui/setting/SettingsDownloadController.kt
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ import android.os.Bundle
 import android.os.Environment
 import androidx.core.content.ContextCompat
 import androidx.core.net.toUri
+import androidx.core.text.buildSpannedString
 import androidx.preference.PreferenceScreen
 import com.afollestad.materialdialogs.MaterialDialog
-import com.afollestad.materialdialogs.list.listItemsMultiChoice
 import com.afollestad.materialdialogs.list.listItemsSingleChoice
 import com.hippo.unifile.UniFile
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.R
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.util.preference.preferenceCategory
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.util.preference.switchPreference
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.util.preference.titleRes
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.util.system.toast
+import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.widget.materialdialogs.QuadStateCheckBox
+import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.widget.materialdialogs.listItemsQuadStateMultiChoice
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.launchIn
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.onEach
 import uy.kohesive.injekt.Injekt
@@ -115,18 +117,37 @@ class SettingsDownloadController : SettingsController() {
                 preferences.downloadNew().asImmediateFlow { isVisible = it }
                     .launchIn(viewScope)
 
-                preferences.downloadNewCategories().asFlow()
-                    .onEach { mutableSet ->
-                        val selectedCategories = mutableSet
-                            .mapNotNull { id -> categories.find { it.id == id.toInt() } }
-                            .sortedBy { it.order }
-
-                        summary = if (selectedCategories.isEmpty()) {
-                            resources?.getString(R.string.all)
-                        } else {
-                            selectedCategories.joinToString { it.name }
-                        }
+                fun updateSummary() {
+                    val selectedCategories = preferences.downloadNewCategories().get()
+                        .mapNotNull { id -> categories.find { it.id == id.toInt() } }
+                        .sortedBy { it.order }
+                    val includedItemsText = if (selectedCategories.isEmpty()) {
+                        context.getString(R.string.all)
+                    } else {
+                        selectedCategories.joinToString { it.name }
                     }
+
+                    val excludedCategories = preferences.downloadNewCategoriesExclude().get()
+                        .mapNotNull { id -> categories.find { it.id == id.toInt() } }
+                        .sortedBy { it.order }
+                    val excludedItemsText = if (excludedCategories.isEmpty()) {
+                        context.getString(R.string.none)
+                    } else {
+                        excludedCategories.joinToString { it.name }
+                    }
+
+                    summary = buildSpannedString {
+                        append(context.getString(R.string.include, includedItemsText))
+                        appendLine()
+                        append(context.getString(R.string.exclude, excludedItemsText))
+                    }
+                }
+
+                preferences.downloadNewCategories().asFlow()
+                    .onEach { updateSummary() }
+                    .launchIn(viewScope)
+                preferences.downloadNewCategoriesExclude().asFlow()
+                    .onEach { updateSummary() }
                     .launchIn(viewScope)
             }
         }
@@ -210,19 +231,34 @@ class SettingsDownloadController : SettingsController() {
 
             val items = categories.map { it.name }
             val preselected = categories
-                .filter { it.id.toString() in preferences.downloadNewCategories().get() }
-                .map { categories.indexOf(it) }
+                .map {
+                    when (it.id.toString()) {
+                        in preferences.downloadNewCategories().get() -> QuadStateCheckBox.State.CHECKED.ordinal
+                        in preferences.downloadNewCategoriesExclude().get() -> QuadStateCheckBox.State.INVERSED.ordinal
+                        else -> QuadStateCheckBox.State.UNCHECKED.ordinal
+                    }
+                }
                 .toIntArray()
 
             return MaterialDialog(activity!!)
                 .title(R.string.pref_download_new_categories)
-                .listItemsMultiChoice(
+                .listItemsQuadStateMultiChoice(
                     items = items,
-                    initialSelection = preselected,
-                    allowEmptySelection = true
-                ) { _, selections, _ ->
-                    val newCategories = selections.map { categories[it] }
-                    preferences.downloadNewCategories().set(newCategories.map { it.id.toString() }.toSet())
+                    initialSelected = preselected
+                ) { selections ->
+                    val included = selections
+                        .mapIndexed { index, value -> if (value == QuadStateCheckBox.State.CHECKED.ordinal) index else null }
+                        .filterNotNull()
+                        .map { categories[it].id.toString() }
+                        .toSet()
+                    val excluded = selections
+                        .mapIndexed { index, value -> if (value == QuadStateCheckBox.State.INVERSED.ordinal) index else null }
+                        .filterNotNull()
+                        .map { categories[it].id.toString() }
+                        .toSet()
+
+                    preferences.downloadNewCategories().set(included)
+                    preferences.downloadNewCategoriesExclude().set(excluded)
                 }
                 .positiveButton(android.R.string.ok)
                 .negativeButton(android.R.string.cancel)
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/util/MangaExtensions.kt b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/util/MangaExtensions.kt
index d1d1f80875..f4952d1b06 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/util/MangaExtensions.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/util/MangaExtensions.kt
@@ -68,5 +68,8 @@ fun Manga.shouldDownloadNewChapters(db: DatabaseHelper, prefs: PreferencesHelper
             .mapNotNull { it.id }
             .takeUnless { it.isEmpty() } ?: listOf(0)
 
+    val categoriesToExclude = prefs.downloadNewCategoriesExclude().get().map(String::toInt)
+    if (categoriesForManga.intersect(categoriesToExclude).isNotEmpty()) return false
+
     return categoriesForManga.intersect(categoriesToDownload).isNotEmpty()
 }