diff --git a/tools/libinput-debug-events.man b/tools/libinput-debug-events.man
index 582f3375..e5a39e2e 100644
--- a/tools/libinput-debug-events.man
+++ b/tools/libinput-debug-events.man
@@ -49,8 +49,14 @@ The default behavior is equivalent to \-\-udev "seat0".
 Use verbose output
 .SS libinput configuration options
 .TP 8
+.B \-\-apply-to="pattern"
+Configuration options are only applied where the device name matches the
+pattern. This pattern has no effect on the \fB\-\-disable-sendevents\fR
+option.
+.TP 8
 .B \-\-disable-sendevents="pattern"
 Set the send-events option to disabled for the devices matching patterns.
+This option is not affected by the \fB\-\-apply-to="pattern"\fR option.
 .TP 8
 .B \-\-enable\-tap|\-\-disable\-tap
 Enable or disable tap-to-click
diff --git a/tools/shared.c b/tools/shared.c
index ee8e6ae0..10dda8ce 100644
--- a/tools/shared.c
+++ b/tools/shared.c
@@ -219,6 +219,15 @@ tools_parse_option(int option,
 			 "%s",
 			 optarg);
 		break;
+	case OPT_APPLY_TO:
+		if (!optarg)
+			return 1;
+
+		snprintf(options->match,
+			 sizeof(options->match),
+			 "%s",
+			 optarg);
+		break;
 	}
 
 	return 0;
@@ -349,6 +358,19 @@ void
 tools_device_apply_config(struct libinput_device *device,
 			  struct tools_options *options)
 {
+	const char *name = libinput_device_get_name(device);
+
+	if (libinput_device_config_send_events_get_modes(device) &
+	      LIBINPUT_CONFIG_SEND_EVENTS_DISABLED &&
+	    fnmatch(options->disable_pattern, name, 0) != FNM_NOMATCH) {
+		libinput_device_config_send_events_set_mode(device,
+					    LIBINPUT_CONFIG_SEND_EVENTS_DISABLED);
+	}
+
+	if (strlen(options->match) > 0 &&
+	    fnmatch(options->match, name, 0) == FNM_NOMATCH)
+		return;
+
 	if (options->tapping != -1)
 		libinput_device_config_tap_set_enabled(device, options->tapping);
 	if (options->tap_map != (enum libinput_config_tap_button_map)-1)
@@ -389,15 +411,6 @@ tools_device_apply_config(struct libinput_device *device,
 			libinput_device_config_accel_set_profile(device,
 								 options->profile);
 	}
-
-	if (libinput_device_config_send_events_get_modes(device) &
-	      LIBINPUT_CONFIG_SEND_EVENTS_DISABLED &&
-	    fnmatch(options->disable_pattern,
-		    libinput_device_get_name(device),
-		   0) !=  FNM_NOMATCH) {
-		libinput_device_config_send_events_set_mode(device,
-					    LIBINPUT_CONFIG_SEND_EVENTS_DISABLED);
-	}
 }
 
 static char*
diff --git a/tools/shared.h b/tools/shared.h
index df7d6f15..e2a6d662 100644
--- a/tools/shared.h
+++ b/tools/shared.h
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ enum configuration_options {
 	OPT_SPEED,
 	OPT_PROFILE,
 	OPT_DISABLE_SENDEVENTS,
+	OPT_APPLY_TO,
 };
 
 #define CONFIGURATION_OPTIONS \
@@ -77,7 +78,8 @@ enum configuration_options {
 	{ "set-scroll-button",         required_argument, 0, OPT_SCROLL_BUTTON }, \
 	{ "set-profile",               required_argument, 0, OPT_PROFILE }, \
 	{ "set-tap-map",               required_argument, 0, OPT_TAP_MAP }, \
-	{ "set-speed",                 required_argument, 0, OPT_SPEED }
+	{ "set-speed",                 required_argument, 0, OPT_SPEED },\
+	{ "apply-to",                  required_argument, 0, OPT_APPLY_TO }
 
 enum tools_backend {
 	BACKEND_NONE,
@@ -86,6 +88,8 @@ enum tools_backend {
 };
 
 struct tools_options {
+	char match[256];
+
 	int tapping;
 	int drag;
 	int drag_lock;
diff --git a/tools/test-tool-option-parsing.py b/tools/test-tool-option-parsing.py
index 169bef8f..64a9ce0b 100755
--- a/tools/test-tool-option-parsing.py
+++ b/tools/test-tool-option-parsing.py
@@ -175,6 +175,12 @@ class TestToolWithOptions(object):
             self.run_command_success(['--{}'.format(option), str(maximum)])
             self.run_command_success(['--{}={}'.format(option, maximum)])
 
+    def test_apply_to(self):
+        self.run_command_missing_arg(['--apply-to'])
+        self.run_command_success(['--apply-to', '*foo*'])
+        self.run_command_success(['--apply-to', 'foobar'])
+        self.run_command_success(['--apply-to', 'any'])
+
 
 class TestDebugEvents(TestToolWithOptions, TestLibinputTool):
     subtool = 'debug-events'