diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a0cbf0e..58dd4d8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ of information. See more in the [events section](#events).
 This package overwrites the default `artisan down` command, with more options:
 
 ```bash
-$ php artisan down [--message=MESSAGE] [--retry=RETRY] [--view=VIEW]
+$ php artisan down [--message=MESSAGE] [--retry=RETRY] [--view=VIEW] [--allow*=ALLOW]
 ```
 
 For example,
@@ -202,7 +202,12 @@ exemptions that might be useful to your application.
 ##### IP Whitelist
 
 This exemption allows you to check the user's IP address against a whitelist. This is useful for
-always including your office IP(s) so that your staff doesn't see the maintenance page.
+always including your office IP(s) so that your staff doesn't see the maintenance page. This is similar 
+to the `allow` option that is offered in Laravel 5.6+ (and is backported to 5.5 with this package), however
+the `allow` option requires you to pass the IPs every time, vs. this method allows for you to have IPs stored 
+in the configuration. Both methods can be used with each other, e.g. a static internal network should always be 
+allowed via the config, while an additional IP for a vendor or remote employee can temporarily be added via the 
+`allow` option.
 
 Configuration values included with this exemption are:
 
@@ -330,4 +335,4 @@ protected $listen = [
 ];
 ```
 
-The original `message`, `time` the app went down, `retry` length, and `view` are all properties available on both events.
\ No newline at end of file
+The original `message`, `time` the app went down, `retry` length, `view`, and `allowed` are all properties available on both events.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/MisterPhilip/MaintenanceMode/Console/Commands/StartMaintenanceCommand.php b/src/MisterPhilip/MaintenanceMode/Console/Commands/StartMaintenanceCommand.php
index e1378c6..78e7e48 100644
--- a/src/MisterPhilip/MaintenanceMode/Console/Commands/StartMaintenanceCommand.php
+++ b/src/MisterPhilip/MaintenanceMode/Console/Commands/StartMaintenanceCommand.php
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ class StartMaintenanceCommand extends DownCommand
      */
     protected $signature = 'down {--message= : The message for the maintenance mode. }
             {--retry= : The number of seconds after which the request may be retried.}
-            {--view= : The view to use for this instance of maintenance mode.}';
+	    {--view= : The view to use for this instance of maintenance mode.}
+	    {--allow=* : IP or networks allowed to access the application while in maintenance mode.}';
 
     /**
      * Execute the maintenance mode command
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ public function handle()
 
         // Fire an event
         $payload = $this->getDownFilePayload();
-        Event::fire(new MaintenanceModeEnabled($payload['time'], $payload['message'], $payload['view'], $payload['retry']));
+        Event::fire(new MaintenanceModeEnabled($payload['time'], $payload['message'], $payload['view'], $payload['retry'], $payload['allowed']));
     }
 
     /**
@@ -59,6 +60,10 @@ protected function getDownFilePayload()
         // Get the Laravel file data & add ours (selected view)
         $data = parent::getDownFilePayload();
         $data['view'] = $this->getSelectedView();
+
+        if(!isset($data['allowed'])) {
+            $data['allowed'] =  $this->option('allow');
+        }
         return $data;
     }
 
@@ -87,4 +92,4 @@ protected function getSelectedView()
 
         return $view;
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/MisterPhilip/MaintenanceMode/Events/MaintenanceModeChanged.php b/src/MisterPhilip/MaintenanceMode/Events/MaintenanceModeChanged.php
index 6f84845..7a345c3 100644
--- a/src/MisterPhilip/MaintenanceMode/Events/MaintenanceModeChanged.php
+++ b/src/MisterPhilip/MaintenanceMode/Events/MaintenanceModeChanged.php
@@ -35,6 +35,13 @@ abstract class MaintenanceModeChanged
      */
     public $retry;
 
+    /**
+     * Any allowed IPs or networks that can access the site during maintenance mode
+     *
+     * @var array
+     */
+    public $allowed;
+
     /**
      * Build a new event when Maintenance Mode is disabled
      *
@@ -42,12 +49,14 @@ abstract class MaintenanceModeChanged
      * @param string|null $message
      * @param string|null $view
      * @param int|null $retry
+     * @param array $allowed
      */
-    public function __construct($time = null, $message = null, $view = null, $retry = null)
+    public function __construct($time = null, $message = null, $view = null, $retry = null, $allowed = [])
     {
         $this->time = Carbon::createFromTimestamp($time);
         $this->message = $message;
         $this->view = $view;
         $this->retry = $retry;
+        $this->allowed = $allowed;
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/MisterPhilip/MaintenanceMode/Http/Middleware/CheckForMaintenanceMode.php b/src/MisterPhilip/MaintenanceMode/Http/Middleware/CheckForMaintenanceMode.php
index 4e2ed6a..d1419d2 100644
--- a/src/MisterPhilip/MaintenanceMode/Http/Middleware/CheckForMaintenanceMode.php
+++ b/src/MisterPhilip/MaintenanceMode/Http/Middleware/CheckForMaintenanceMode.php
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 use Carbon\Carbon;
 use Closure;
 use Illuminate\Http\Response;
+use Symfony\Component\HttpFoundation\IpUtils;
 
 use Illuminate\Foundation\Http\Middleware\CheckForMaintenanceMode as LaravelMaintenanceMode;
 
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ public function handle($request, Closure $next)
             // Inject the information into the views before the exception
             $this->injectIntoViews($info);
 
-            if(!$this->isExempt())
+            if(!$this->isExempt($data, $request))
             {
                 // The user isn't exempt, so show them the error page
                 throw new MaintenanceModeException($data['time'], $data['retry'], $data['message'],  $data['view']);
@@ -133,11 +134,14 @@ protected function injectIntoViews($info)
     /**
      * Check if a user is exempt from the maintenance mode page
      *
+     * @param $data
+     * @param $request
+     *
      * @return bool
      * @throws ExemptionDoesNotExist
      * @throws InvalidExemption
      */
-    protected function isExempt()
+    protected function isExempt($data, $request)
     {
         // Grab all of the exemption classes to create/execute against
         $exemptions = $this->app['config']->get('maintenancemode.exemptions', []);
@@ -166,6 +170,12 @@ protected function isExempt()
                 throw new ExemptionDoesNotExist($this->app['translator']->get($this->language . '.exceptions.missing', ['class' => $className]));
             }
         }
+
+        // Check for IP via the "allow" option
+        if (isset($data['allowed']) && IpUtils::checkIp($request->ip(), (array) $data['allowed'])) {
+            return true;
+        }
+
         return false;
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file