diff --git a/roles/stage-output/README.rst b/roles/stage-output/README.rst
index 9e5e848dd..3dd8d37bc 100644
--- a/roles/stage-output/README.rst
+++ b/roles/stage-output/README.rst
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ intended to be used before output fetching in a base job's post-playbook.
 .. zuul:rolevar:: extensions_to_txt
    :default: null
 
-   A list of file extensions to be replaced with .txt when staging.
+   A dict of file extensions to be replaced with .txt when staging.
    This can be useful to ensure that text files with an extension not
    registered in the web server may be viewed via browser when uploaded
    to a file server.
@@ -43,8 +43,9 @@ intended to be used before output fetching in a base job's post-playbook.
    Example:
 
      extensions_to_txt:
-     - conf
-     - log
+       conf: True
+       log: True
+       txt: False
 
      zuul.conf --(staged as)--> zuul_conf.txt
 
diff --git a/roles/stage-output/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/stage-output/tasks/main.yaml
index fefc674ff..23eb19c14 100644
--- a/roles/stage-output/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/stage-output/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -4,9 +4,26 @@
   with_dict: "{{ zuul_copy_output }}"
   register: sources
 
-- name: Build the replace regex
+- name: Build the replace regex when the input is a list
   set_fact:
     extensions_regex: "{{ extensions_to_txt | join('|') | default('__do_not_replace__') }}"
+  when: extensions_to_txt | type_debug == 'list'
+
+- name: Output a warning when input is a list
+  debug:
+    msg: "WARNING: extensions_to_txt is a list, values defined by parents will be overwritten"
+  when: extensions_to_txt | type_debug == 'list'
+
+- name: Build a list when replace regex is a dict
+  set_fact:
+    extensions_regex: "{{ extensions_regex | default('___') }}|{{ item.key }}"
+  with_dict: extensions_to_txt
+  when:
+    - extensions_to_txt | type_debug == 'dict'
+    - item.value == True
+  # NOTE(andreaf) Even if this is only executed for type 'dict', with_dict is
+  # still invoked somehow and it's causing an error when the input is a list
+  ignore_errors: yes
 
 - debug:
     var: extensions_regex