diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 959b8d5..4243522 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 
 # Changelog
 
+## 1.1.0 - (2023-08-01)
+
+**New features**:
+
+- New argument `forbidden_segments` (list or vector of 2-tuple) or `None` to `Control`. If not `None`, `changeforest` will not split on split points contained in segments `(a, b]` in `forbidden_segments` (rust and Python only). Thanks @enzbus!
+
 ## 1.0.1 - (2022-06-01)
 
 **Bug fixes:**
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 3e42c56..5fb94f8 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ name = "changeforest"
 description = "Random Forests for Change Point Detection"
 authors = ["Malte Londschien <malte@londschien.ch>"]
 repository = "https://github.com/mlondschien/changeforest/"
-version = "1.0.1"
+version = "1.1.0"
 edition = "2021"
 readme = "README.md"
 license = "BSD-3-Clause"
diff --git a/changeforest-py/Cargo.toml b/changeforest-py/Cargo.toml
index db79a90..1d51fcb 100644
--- a/changeforest-py/Cargo.toml
+++ b/changeforest-py/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "changeforest_py"
-version = "1.0.1"
+version = "1.1.0"
 edition = "2021"
 
 [lib]
diff --git a/changeforest-py/changeforest/control.py b/changeforest-py/changeforest/control.py
index c46f227..99f2bcf 100644
--- a/changeforest-py/changeforest/control.py
+++ b/changeforest-py/changeforest/control.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ def __init__(
         random_forest_max_depth="default",
         random_forest_max_features="default",
         random_forest_n_jobs="default",
+        forbidden_segments="default",
     ):
         self.minimal_relative_segment_length = _to_float(
             minimal_relative_segment_length
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.random_forest_max_depth = _to_int(random_forest_max_depth)
         self.random_forest_max_features = _to_int(random_forest_max_features)
         self.random_forest_n_jobs = _to_int(random_forest_n_jobs)
+        self.forbidden_segments = _to_segments(forbidden_segments)
 
 
 def _to_float(value):
@@ -50,3 +52,16 @@ def _to_int(value):
         return value
     else:
         return int(value)
+
+
+def _to_segments(value):
+    if (value is None) or isinstance(value, str):
+        return value
+    else:
+        try:
+            return [(int(el1), int(el2)) for (el1, el2) in value]
+        except Exception:
+            raise SyntaxError(
+                "forbidden_segments must be provided as [(a,b), ...] where a and b are "
+                "integers."
+            )
diff --git a/changeforest-py/pyproject.toml b/changeforest-py/pyproject.toml
index 7ceecb2..d2a5941 100644
--- a/changeforest-py/pyproject.toml
+++ b/changeforest-py/pyproject.toml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 name = "changeforest"
 description = "Random Forests for Change Point Detection"
 readme = "README.md"
-version = "1.0.1"
+version = "1.1.0"
 requires-python = ">=3.7"
 author = "Malte Londschien <malte@londschien.ch>"
 urls = {homepage = "https://github.com/mlondschien/changeforest/"}
diff --git a/changeforest-py/src/control.rs b/changeforest-py/src/control.rs
index 00a7041..7bf98b9 100644
--- a/changeforest-py/src/control.rs
+++ b/changeforest-py/src/control.rs
@@ -86,6 +86,12 @@ pub fn control_from_pyobj(py: Python, obj: Option<PyObject>) -> PyResult<Control
                     control.random_forest_parameters.with_n_jobs(value);
             }
         };
+
+        if let Ok(pyvalue) = obj.getattr(py, "forbidden_segments") {
+            if let Ok(value) = pyvalue.extract::<Option<Vec<(usize, usize)>>>(py) {
+                control = control.with_forbidden_segments(value);
+            }
+        };
     }
 
     Ok(control)
diff --git a/changeforest-py/tests/test_changeforest.py b/changeforest-py/tests/test_changeforest.py
index cb2e476..6a1c764 100644
--- a/changeforest-py/tests/test_changeforest.py
+++ b/changeforest-py/tests/test_changeforest.py
@@ -29,3 +29,43 @@ def test_changeforest_repr(iris_dataset):
      °--(100, 150]         136   -2.398   0.875\
 """
     )
+
+
+def test_changeforest_repr_segments(iris_dataset):
+    result = changeforest(
+        iris_dataset,
+        "random_forest",
+        "bs",
+        control=Control(forbidden_segments=[(0, 49), (101, 120)]),
+    )
+    assert (
+        result.__repr__()
+        == """\
+                    best_split max_gain p_value
+(0, 150]                    50     95.1   0.005
+ ¦--(0, 50]                                    
+ °--(50, 150]              100   52.799   0.005
+     ¦--(50, 100]           53    6.892   0.315
+     °--(100, 150]         136   -3.516    0.68\
+"""  # noqa: W291
+    )
+
+
+def test_changeforest_repr_segments2(iris_dataset):
+    result = changeforest(
+        iris_dataset,
+        "random_forest",
+        "bs",
+        control=Control(forbidden_segments=[(49, 101)]),
+    )
+    assert (
+        result.__repr__()
+        == """\
+                    best_split max_gain p_value
+(0, 150]                    49   87.462   0.005
+ ¦--(0, 49]                  2   -8.889   0.995
+ °--(49, 150]              102   41.237   0.005
+     ¦--(49, 102]                              
+     °--(102, 150]         136    1.114    0.36\
+"""  # noqa: W291
+    )
diff --git a/changeforest-py/tests/test_control.py b/changeforest-py/tests/test_control.py
index 07971de..f12d896 100644
--- a/changeforest-py/tests/test_control.py
+++ b/changeforest-py/tests/test_control.py
@@ -129,3 +129,22 @@ def test_control_defaults(iris_dataset, key, default_value, another_value):
 
     assert str(result) == str(default_result)
     assert str(result) != str(another_result)
+
+
+def test_control_segments():
+    with pytest.raises(SyntaxError):
+        Control(
+            forbidden_segments=[
+                (2),
+            ]
+        )
+
+    with pytest.raises(SyntaxError):
+        Control(
+            forbidden_segments=[
+                (2, 3, 4),
+            ]
+        )
+
+    with pytest.raises(SyntaxError):
+        Control(forbidden_segments=[2, 3])
diff --git a/changeforest-r/DESCRIPTION b/changeforest-r/DESCRIPTION
index b1d3d7e..f02c536 100644
--- a/changeforest-r/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/changeforest-r/DESCRIPTION
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 Package: changeforest
 Type: Package
 Title: Random Forests for Change Point Detection
-Version: 1.0.1
+Version: 1.1.0
 Author: Malte Londschien
 Maintainer: Malte Londschien <malte@londschien.ch>
 Description:
diff --git a/changeforest-r/src/rust/Cargo.toml b/changeforest-r/src/rust/Cargo.toml
index 7aad776..dbf2382 100644
--- a/changeforest-r/src/rust/Cargo.toml
+++ b/changeforest-r/src/rust/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = 'changeforestr'
-version = '1.0.1'
+version = '1.1.0'
 edition = '2021'
 
 [lib]
diff --git a/src/control.rs b/src/control.rs
index eebd4f5..761e552 100644
--- a/src/control.rs
+++ b/src/control.rs
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ pub struct Control {
     pub seed: u64,
     /// Hyperparameters for random forests.
     pub random_forest_parameters: RandomForestParameters,
+    /// Segments of indexes were no segmentation is allowed.
+    pub forbidden_segments: Option<Vec<(usize, usize)>>,
 }
 
 impl Control {
@@ -45,6 +47,7 @@ impl Control {
                 .with_max_depth(Some(8))
                 .with_max_features(MaxFeatures::Sqrt)
                 .with_n_jobs(Some(-1)),
+            forbidden_segments: None,
         }
     }
 
@@ -111,4 +114,20 @@ impl Control {
         self.random_forest_parameters = random_forest_parameters;
         self
     }
+
+    pub fn with_forbidden_segments(
+        mut self,
+        forbidden_segments: Option<Vec<(usize, usize)>>,
+    ) -> Self {
+        // check that segments are well specified
+        if let Some(ref _forbidden_segments) = forbidden_segments {
+            for el in _forbidden_segments.iter() {
+                if el.0 > el.1 {
+                    panic!("Forbidden segments must be specified as [(a,b), ...] where a <= b!");
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        self.forbidden_segments = forbidden_segments;
+        self
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/optimizer/grid_search.rs b/src/optimizer/grid_search.rs
index 31e4375..6441aa7 100644
--- a/src/optimizer/grid_search.rs
+++ b/src/optimizer/grid_search.rs
@@ -93,4 +93,37 @@ mod tests {
             expected
         );
     }
+
+    #[rstest]
+    #[case(0, 10, Some(vec![(0, 3)]), 0.09, vec![4, 5, 6, 7, 8])]
+    #[case(1, 10, Some(vec![(6, 10)]), 0.15, vec![3, 4, 5, 6])]
+    #[case(0, 10, Some(vec![(2, 4), (5, 7)]), 0.09, vec![1, 2, 5, 8])]
+    #[case(1, 7, Some(vec![(2, 4), (5, 7)]), 0.09, vec![2, 5])]
+    fn test_split_candidates(
+        #[case] start: usize,
+        #[case] stop: usize,
+        #[case] forbidden_segments: Option<Vec<(usize, usize)>>,
+        #[case] delta: f64,
+        #[case] expected: Vec<usize>,
+    ) {
+        let X = ndarray::array![
+            [0.0],
+            [0.0],
+            [0.0],
+            [0.0],
+            [-0.0],
+            [-0.0],
+            [-0.0],
+            [-0.0],
+            [-0.0],
+            [-0.0]
+        ];
+        let X_view = X.view();
+        let control = Control::default()
+            .with_minimal_relative_segment_length(delta)
+            .with_forbidden_segments(forbidden_segments);
+        let gain = testing::ChangeInMean::new(&X_view, &control);
+        let grid_search = GridSearch { gain };
+        assert_eq!(grid_search.split_candidates(start, stop).unwrap(), expected);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/optimizer/optimizer.rs b/src/optimizer/optimizer.rs
index 823a4d1..a13446f 100644
--- a/src/optimizer/optimizer.rs
+++ b/src/optimizer/optimizer.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,22 @@ pub trait Optimizer {
         if 2 * minimal_segment_length >= (stop - start) {
             Err("Segment too small.")
         } else {
-            Ok(((start + minimal_segment_length)..(stop - minimal_segment_length)).collect())
+            let mut split_candidates: Vec<usize> =
+                ((start + minimal_segment_length)..(stop - minimal_segment_length)).collect();
+
+            if let Some(forbidden_segments) = &self.control().forbidden_segments {
+                split_candidates.retain(|x| {
+                    forbidden_segments
+                        .iter()
+                        .all(|segment| x <= &segment.0 || x > &segment.1)
+                });
+            }
+
+            if split_candidates.is_empty() {
+                Err("No split_candidates left after filtering out forbidden_segments.")
+            } else {
+                Ok(split_candidates)
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/optimizer/two_step_search.rs b/src/optimizer/two_step_search.rs
index 10f4445..b7357c9 100644
--- a/src/optimizer/two_step_search.rs
+++ b/src/optimizer/two_step_search.rs
@@ -51,13 +51,46 @@ where
     fn find_best_split(&self, start: usize, stop: usize) -> Result<OptimizerResult, &str> {
         let split_candidates = self.split_candidates(start, stop)?;
 
-        let guesses = vec![
-            (3 * start + stop) / 4,
-            (start + stop) / 2,
-            (start + 3 * stop) / 4,
-        ];
+        let mut guesses = vec![];
         let mut results: Vec<GainResult> = vec![];
 
+        // if there are forbidden segments change the heuristics
+        // pick middle element of split_candidates, 1/4th and 3/4th
+        if let Some(_forbidden_segments) = &self.control().forbidden_segments {
+            // there is at least one element in split_candidates
+            guesses.push(
+                split_candidates
+                    .clone()
+                    .into_iter()
+                    .nth(split_candidates.len() / 4)
+                    .unwrap(),
+            );
+
+            // we add this if it is not equal to last
+            let cand = split_candidates
+                .clone()
+                .into_iter()
+                .nth(split_candidates.len() / 2)
+                .unwrap();
+            if cand > guesses[guesses.len() - 1] {
+                guesses.push(cand)
+            };
+
+            // same
+            let cand = split_candidates
+                .clone()
+                .into_iter()
+                .nth(3 * split_candidates.len() / 4)
+                .unwrap();
+            if cand > guesses[guesses.len() - 1] {
+                guesses.push(cand)
+            };
+        } else {
+            guesses.push((3 * start + stop) / 4);
+            guesses.push((start + stop) / 2);
+            guesses.push((start + 3 * stop) / 4);
+        }
+
         // Don't use first and last guess if stop - start / 4 < delta.
         for guess in guesses.iter().filter(|x| split_candidates.contains(x)) {
             results.push(self._single_find_best_split(start, stop, *guess, &split_candidates));
diff --git a/src/segmentation.rs b/src/segmentation.rs
index 3f53f7e..d62c680 100644
--- a/src/segmentation.rs
+++ b/src/segmentation.rs
@@ -60,7 +60,9 @@ impl<'a> Segmentation<'a> {
                         // start + segment_length > n through floating point errors in
                         // n_segments, e.g. for n = 20'000, alpha_k = 1/sqrt(2), k=6
                         stop = (start + (segment_length as f32).ceil() as usize).min(optimizer.n());
-                        segments.push(optimizer.find_best_split(start, stop).unwrap());
+                        if let Ok(optimizer_result) = optimizer.find_best_split(start, stop) {
+                            segments.push(optimizer_result)
+                        }
                     }
                 }
             }