diff --git a/pelican/contents.py b/pelican/contents.py
index 5a40326175..d175eb752a 100644
--- a/pelican/contents.py
+++ b/pelican/contents.py
@@ -547,9 +547,29 @@ def refresh_metadata_intersite_links(self) -> None:
                 self._summary = self.metadata["summary"]
 
 
+class SkipStub(Content):
+    # Stub class representing content that should not be processed in any way
+
+    def __init__(
+        self, content, metadata=None, settings=None, source_path=None, context=None
+    ):
+        self.source_path = source_path
+
+    def is_valid(self):
+        return False
+
+    @property
+    def content(self):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Stub content should not be read")
+
+    @property
+    def save_as(self):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Stub content cannot be saved")
+
+
 class Page(Content):
     mandatory_properties = ("title",)
-    allowed_statuses = ("published", "hidden", "draft")
+    allowed_statuses = ("published", "hidden", "draft", "skip")
     default_status = "published"
     default_template = "page"
 
@@ -560,7 +580,7 @@ def _expand_settings(self, key: str) -> str:
 
 class Article(Content):
     mandatory_properties = ("title", "date", "category")
-    allowed_statuses = ("published", "hidden", "draft")
+    allowed_statuses = ("published", "hidden", "draft", "skip")
     default_status = "published"
     default_template = "article"
 
diff --git a/pelican/generators.py b/pelican/generators.py
index 548c494fee..7ff8a7a088 100644
--- a/pelican/generators.py
+++ b/pelican/generators.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 )
 
 from pelican.cache import FileStampDataCacher
-from pelican.contents import Article, Page, Static
+from pelican.contents import Article, Page, Static, SkipStub
 from pelican.plugins import signals
 from pelican.plugins._utils import plugin_enabled
 from pelican.readers import Readers
@@ -690,6 +690,10 @@ def generate_context(self):
                     self._add_failed_source_path(f)
                     continue
 
+                if isinstance(article, SkipStub):
+                    logger.debug("Safely skipping %s", f)
+                    continue
+
                 if not article.is_valid():
                     self._add_failed_source_path(f)
                     continue
@@ -702,6 +706,8 @@ def generate_context(self):
                 all_drafts.append(article)
             elif article.status == "hidden":
                 hidden_articles.append(article)
+            elif article.status == "skip":
+                raise AssertionError("Documents with 'skip' status should be skipped")
 
             self.add_source_path(article)
             self.add_static_links(article)
@@ -899,6 +905,10 @@ def generate_context(self):
                     self._add_failed_source_path(f)
                     continue
 
+                if isinstance(page, SkipStub):
+                    logger.debug("Safely skipping %s", f)
+                    continue
+
                 if not page.is_valid():
                     self._add_failed_source_path(f)
                     continue
@@ -911,6 +921,9 @@ def generate_context(self):
                 hidden_pages.append(page)
             elif page.status == "draft":
                 draft_pages.append(page)
+            elif page.status == "skip":
+                raise AssertionError("Documents with 'skip' status should be skipped")
+
             self.add_source_path(page)
             self.add_static_links(page)
 
diff --git a/pelican/readers.py b/pelican/readers.py
index 3d0e8d5807..ffe707758f 100644
--- a/pelican/readers.py
+++ b/pelican/readers.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 
 from pelican import rstdirectives  # NOQA
 from pelican.cache import FileStampDataCacher
-from pelican.contents import Author, Category, Page, Tag
+from pelican.contents import Author, Category, Page, Tag, SkipStub
 from pelican.plugins import signals
 from pelican.utils import file_suffix, get_date, pelican_open, posixize_path
 
@@ -669,6 +669,9 @@ def typogrify_wrapper(text):
             )
             context_signal.send(context_sender, metadata=metadata)
 
+        if metadata.get("status") == "skip":
+            content_class = SkipStub
+
         return content_class(
             content=content,
             metadata=metadata,