diff --git a/changelog/unreleased/issue-2942 b/changelog/unreleased/issue-2942
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c79c1f226
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/unreleased/issue-2942
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+Bugfix: Make --exclude-larger-than handle disappearing files
+
+There was a small bug in the backup command's --exclude-larger-than
+option where files that disappeared between scanning and actually
+backing them up to the repository caused a panic. This is now fixed.
+
+https://github.com/restic/restic/issues/2942
diff --git a/cmd/restic/exclude.go b/cmd/restic/exclude.go
index cb96d7b5c..0b800d32e 100644
--- a/cmd/restic/exclude.go
+++ b/cmd/restic/exclude.go
@@ -301,6 +301,10 @@ func rejectBySize(maxSizeStr string) (RejectFunc, error) {
 	}
 
 	return func(item string, fi os.FileInfo) bool {
+		if fi == nil {
+			return false
+		}
+
 		// directory will be ignored
 		if fi.IsDir() {
 			return false