diff --git a/Assistant/Threads/Exporter.hs b/Assistant/Threads/Exporter.hs
index 983c46747e..ab0da5b128 100644
--- a/Assistant/Threads/Exporter.hs
+++ b/Assistant/Threads/Exporter.hs
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ exportToRemotes rs = do
 		forM rs $ \r -> do
 			Annex.changeState $ \st -> st { Annex.errcounter = 0 }
 			start <- liftIO getCurrentTime
-			void $ Command.Sync.seekExportContent rs
+			void $ Command.Sync.seekExportContent Nothing rs
 				=<< getCurrentBranch
 			-- Look at command error counter to see if the export
 			-- didn't work.
diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 00652a6e7f..e2d0b11dc3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ git-annex (7.20190220) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
     themselves.
   * Remote tracking branches are updated when importing and exporting to
     special remotes, in ways analagous to how git fetch and git push do.
+  * sync, assistant: --no-push and remote.name.annex-push prevent exporting
+    trees to special remotes.
   * Fix storage of metadata values containing newlines.
     (Reversion introduced in version 7.20190122.)
   * Sped up git-annex export in repositories with lots of keys.
diff --git a/Command/Sync.hs b/Command/Sync.hs
index 8c886b2cb0..9663101f39 100644
--- a/Command/Sync.hs
+++ b/Command/Sync.hs
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ import Annex.Content
 import Command.Get (getKey')
 import qualified Command.Move
 import qualified Command.Export
+import qualified Command.Import
 import Annex.Drop
 import Annex.UUID
 import Logs.UUID
@@ -191,8 +192,10 @@ seek o = allowConcurrentOutput $ do
 				-- Send content to any exports first, in 
 				-- case that lets content be dropped from
 				-- other repositories.
-				exportedcontent <- withbranch $ seekExportContent exportremotes
-				syncedcontent <- withbranch $ seekSyncContent o dataremotes
+				exportedcontent <- withbranch $
+					seekExportContent (Just o) exportremotes
+				syncedcontent <- withbranch $
+					seekSyncContent o dataremotes
 				-- Transferring content can take a while,
 				-- and other changes can be pushed to the
 				-- git-annex branch on the remotes in the
@@ -687,13 +690,16 @@ syncFile ebloom rs af k = onlyActionOn' k $ do
  - 
  - Returns True if any file transfers were made.
  -}
-seekExportContent :: [Remote] -> CurrBranch -> Annex Bool
-seekExportContent rs (currbranch, _) = or <$> forM rs go
+seekExportContent :: Maybe SyncOptions -> [Remote] -> CurrBranch -> Annex Bool
+seekExportContent o rs (currbranch, _) = or <$> forM rs go
   where
-	go r = bracket
-		(Export.openDb (Remote.uuid r))
-		Export.closeDb
-		(\db -> Export.writeLockDbWhile db (go' r db))
+	go r
+		| not (maybe True pullOption o) = return False
+		| not (remoteAnnexPush (Remote.gitconfig r)) = return False
+		| otherwise = bracket
+			(Export.openDb (Remote.uuid r))
+			Export.closeDb
+			(\db -> Export.writeLockDbWhile db (go' r db))
 	go' r db = do
 		(exported, mtbcommitsha) <- case remoteAnnexTrackingBranch (Remote.gitconfig r) of
 			Nothing -> nontracking r
diff --git a/doc/git-annex-sync.mdwn b/doc/git-annex-sync.mdwn
index a61de8c6a7..83969408c6 100644
--- a/doc/git-annex-sync.mdwn
+++ b/doc/git-annex-sync.mdwn
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ by running "git annex sync" on the remote.
 
 * `--pull`, `--no-pull`
 
-  By default, git pulls from remotes. Use --no-pull to disable all pulling.
+  By default, git pulls from remotes and imports from some special remotes.
+  Use --no-pull to disable all pulling.
 
   When `remote.<name>.annex-pull` or `remote.<name>.annex-sync`
   are set to false, pulling is disabled for those remotes, and using
@@ -59,8 +60,8 @@ by running "git annex sync" on the remote.
 
 * `--push`, `--no-push` 
 
-  By default, git pushes changes to remotes.
-  Use --no-push to disable all pushing.
+  By default, git pushes changes to remotes and exports to some 
+  special remotes. Use --no-push to disable all pushing.
   
   When `remote.<name>.annex-push` or `remote.<name>.annex-sync` are
   set to false, or `remote.<name>.annex-readonly` is set to true,