diff --git a/Documentation/git-apply.txt b/Documentation/git-apply.txt
index feb51f124a..e726510ab1 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-apply.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-apply.txt
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ SYNOPSIS
 	  [--allow-binary-replacement | --binary] [--reject] [-z]
 	  [-pNUM] [-CNUM] [--inaccurate-eof] [--recount] [--cached]
 	  [--whitespace=<nowarn|warn|fix|error|error-all>]
-	  [--exclude=PATH] [--directory=<root>] [--verbose] [<patch>...]
+	  [--exclude=PATH] [--include=PATH] [--directory=<root>]
+	  [--verbose] [<patch>...]
 
 DESCRIPTION
 -----------
@@ -137,6 +138,17 @@ discouraged.
 	be useful when importing patchsets, where you want to exclude certain
 	files or directories.
 
+--include=<path-pattern>::
+	Apply changes to files matching the given path pattern. This can
+	be useful when importing patchsets, where you want to include certain
+	files or directories.
++
+When --exclude and --include patterns are used, they are examined in the
+order they appear on the command line, and the first match determines if a
+patch to each path is used.  A patch to a path that does not match any
+include/exclude pattern is used by default if there is no include pattern
+on the command line, and ignored if there is any include pattern.
+
 --whitespace=<action>::
 	When applying a patch, detect a new or modified line that has
 	whitespace errors.  What are considered whitespace errors is
diff --git a/builtin-apply.c b/builtin-apply.c
index 20bef1f21d..2ab4aba5a0 100644
--- a/builtin-apply.c
+++ b/builtin-apply.c
@@ -2994,29 +2994,45 @@ static int write_out_results(struct patch *list, int skipped_patch)
 
 static struct lock_file lock_file;
 
-static struct excludes {
-	struct excludes *next;
-	const char *path;
-} *excludes;
+static struct string_list limit_by_name;
+static int has_include;
+static void add_name_limit(const char *name, int exclude)
+{
+	struct string_list_item *it;
+
+	it = string_list_append(name, &limit_by_name);
+	it->util = exclude ? NULL : (void *) 1;
+}
 
 static int use_patch(struct patch *p)
 {
 	const char *pathname = p->new_name ? p->new_name : p->old_name;
-	struct excludes *x = excludes;
-	while (x) {
-		if (fnmatch(x->path, pathname, 0) == 0)
-			return 0;
-		x = x->next;
-	}
+	int i;
+
+	/* Paths outside are not touched regardless of "--include" */
 	if (0 < prefix_length) {
 		int pathlen = strlen(pathname);
 		if (pathlen <= prefix_length ||
 		    memcmp(prefix, pathname, prefix_length))
 			return 0;
 	}
-	return 1;
+
+	/* See if it matches any of exclude/include rule */
+	for (i = 0; i < limit_by_name.nr; i++) {
+		struct string_list_item *it = &limit_by_name.items[i];
+		if (!fnmatch(it->string, pathname, 0))
+			return (it->util != NULL);
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * If we had any include, a path that does not match any rule is
+	 * not used.  Otherwise, we saw bunch of exclude rules (or none)
+	 * and such a path is used.
+	 */
+	return !has_include;
 }
 
+
 static void prefix_one(char **name)
 {
 	char *old_name = *name;
@@ -3157,10 +3173,12 @@ int cmd_apply(int argc, const char **argv, const char *unused_prefix)
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (!prefixcmp(arg, "--exclude=")) {
-			struct excludes *x = xmalloc(sizeof(*x));
-			x->path = arg + 10;
-			x->next = excludes;
-			excludes = x;
+			add_name_limit(arg + 10, 1);
+			continue;
+		}
+		if (!prefixcmp(arg, "--include=")) {
+			add_name_limit(arg + 10, 0);
+			has_include = 1;
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (!prefixcmp(arg, "-p")) {