diff --git a/infer/lib/python/inferlib/analyze.py b/infer/lib/python/inferlib/analyze.py
index ae08dbbce..ac8ba25bd 100644
--- a/infer/lib/python/inferlib/analyze.py
+++ b/infer/lib/python/inferlib/analyze.py
@@ -156,6 +156,11 @@ infer_group.add_argument('--specs-dir',
                           help='add dir to the list of directories to be '
                                'searched for spec files. Repeat the argument '
                                'in case multiple folders are needed')
+infer_group.add_argument('--specs-dir-list-file',
+                         metavar='<file>',
+                         help='add the newline-separated directories listed '
+                              'in <file> to the list of directories to be '
+                              'searched for spec files')
 
 def detect_javac(args):
     for index, arg in enumerate(args):
@@ -279,6 +284,14 @@ class Infer:
                                     (['-lib', os.path.abspath(path)] for path in
                                      self.args.specs_dirs)
                                     for item in argument]
+        if self.args.specs_dir_list_file:
+            # Convert the path to the file list to an absolute path, because
+            # the analyzer will run from different paths and may not find the
+            # file otherwise.
+            self.args.specs_dir_list_file = \
+                ['-specs-dir-list-file',
+                 os.path.abspath(self.args.specs_dir_list_file)]
+
 
     def clean_exit(self):
         if os.path.isdir(self.args.infer_out):
@@ -376,6 +389,9 @@ class Infer:
         if self.args.specs_dirs:
             infer_options += self.args.specs_dirs
 
+        if self.args.specs_dir_list_file:
+            infer_options += self.args.specs_dir_list_file
+
         exit_status = os.EX_OK
 
         if self.args.buck:
diff --git a/infer/src/backend/utils.ml b/infer/src/backend/utils.ml
index c461946ed..14f42f701 100644
--- a/infer/src/backend/utils.ml
+++ b/infer/src/backend/utils.ml
@@ -622,6 +622,17 @@ type arg_list = (string * Arg.spec * string option * string) list
 let arg_desc_filter options_to_keep =
   IList.filter (function (option_name, _, _, _) -> IList.mem string_equal option_name options_to_keep)
 
+(* Given a filename with a list of paths, convert it into a list of string iff they are absolute *)
+let read_specs_dir_list_file fname =
+  let validate_path path =
+    if Filename.is_relative path then
+      failwith ("Failing because path " ^ path ^ " is not absolute") in
+  match read_file fname with
+  | Some pathlist ->
+      IList.iter validate_path pathlist;
+      pathlist
+  | None -> failwith ("cannot read file " ^ fname)
+
 let base_arg_desc =
   [
     "-results_dir",
@@ -636,6 +647,11 @@ let base_arg_desc =
     Arg.String (fun s -> Config.specs_library := filename_to_absolute s :: !Config.specs_library),
     Some "dir",
     "add dir to the list of directories to be searched for spec files";
+    "-specs-dir-list-file",
+    Arg.String (fun s -> Config.specs_library := (read_specs_dir_list_file s) @ !Config.specs_library),
+    Some "file",
+    "add the newline-separated directories listed in <file> to the list of directories to \
+     be searched for spec files";
     "-models",
     Arg.String (fun s -> Config.add_models (filename_to_absolute s)),
     Some "zip file",