diff --git a/etc/sample.fediblockhole.conf.toml b/etc/sample.fediblockhole.conf.toml
index 44cd6ff..a7a7b96 100644
--- a/etc/sample.fediblockhole.conf.toml
+++ b/etc/sample.fediblockhole.conf.toml
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@ blocklist_instance_destinations = [
 # merge_threshold_type = 'count'
 # merge_threshold = 0
 
+## set an override private comment
+# override_private_comment = 'Updated by Fediblockhole'
+
 ## Set which fields we import
 ## 'domain' and 'severity' are always imported, these are additional
 ## 
diff --git a/src/fediblockhole/__init__.py b/src/fediblockhole/__init__.py
index aec0a08..7949cea 100755
--- a/src/fediblockhole/__init__.py
+++ b/src/fediblockhole/__init__.py
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ def sync_blocklists(conf: argparse.Namespace):
             token = dest['token']
             scheme = dest.get('scheme', 'https')
             max_followed_severity = BlockSeverity(dest.get('max_followed_severity', 'silence'))
-            push_blocklist(token, target, merged, conf.dryrun, import_fields, max_followed_severity, scheme)
+            push_blocklist(token, target, merged, conf.dryrun, import_fields, max_followed_severity, scheme, conf.override_private_comment)
 
 def apply_allowlists(merged: Blocklist, conf: argparse.Namespace, allowlists: dict):
     """Apply allowlists
@@ -560,6 +560,7 @@ def push_blocklist(token: str, host: str, blocklist: list[DomainBlock],
                     import_fields: list=['domain', 'severity'],
                     max_followed_severity:BlockSeverity=BlockSeverity('silence'),
                     scheme: str='https',
+                    override_private_comment: str=None
                     ):
     """Push a blocklist to a remote instance.
     
@@ -575,6 +576,10 @@ def push_blocklist(token: str, host: str, blocklist: list[DomainBlock],
     # Force use of the admin API, and add 'id' to the list of fields
     if 'id' not in import_fields:
         import_fields.append('id')
+
+    # if we're overriding the private comment, we need to include it in the import
+    if override_private_comment:
+        import_fields.append('private_comment')
     serverblocks = fetch_instance_blocklist(host, token, True, import_fields, scheme)
 
     # # Convert serverblocks to a dictionary keyed by domain name
@@ -582,6 +587,10 @@ def push_blocklist(token: str, host: str, blocklist: list[DomainBlock],
 
     for newblock in blocklist.values():
 
+        # stamp this record with a private comment
+        if override_private_comment:
+            newblock.private_comment = override_private_comment
+
         log.debug(f"Processing block: {newblock}")
         if newblock.domain in serverblocks:
             log.debug(f"Block already exists for {newblock.domain}, checking for differences...")
@@ -741,6 +750,9 @@ def augment_args(args, tomldata: str=None):
 
     if not args.save_intermediate:
         args.save_intermediate = conf.get('save_intermediate', False)
+
+    if not args.override_private_comment:
+        args.override_private_comment = conf.get('override_private_comment', None)
     
     if not args.savedir:
         args.savedir = conf.get('savedir', '/tmp')
@@ -787,6 +799,7 @@ def setup_argparse():
     ap.add_argument('-b', '--block-audit-file', dest="blocklist_auditfile", help="Save blocklist auditfile to this location.")
     ap.add_argument('--merge-threshold', type=int, help="Merge threshold value")
     ap.add_argument('--merge-threshold-type', choices=['count', 'pct'], help="Type of merge threshold to use.")
+    ap.add_argument('--override-private-comment', dest='override_private_comment', help="Enforces a private comment for all blocks.")
 
     ap.add_argument('-I', '--import-field', dest='import_fields', action='append', help="Extra blocklist fields to import.")
     ap.add_argument('-E', '--export-field', dest='export_fields', action='append', help="Extra blocklist fields to export.")