diff --git a/plugins/inventory/ec2.ini b/plugins/inventory/ec2.ini
index a0c8672394c..c66bf309b1e 100644
--- a/plugins/inventory/ec2.ini
+++ b/plugins/inventory/ec2.ini
@@ -73,3 +73,23 @@ nested_groups = False
 
 # If you want to exclude any hosts that match a certain regular expression
 # pattern_exclude = stage-*
+
+# Instance filters can be used to control which instances are retrieved for
+# inventory. For the full list of possible filters, please read the EC2 API
+# docs: http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/APIReference/ApiReference-query-DescribeInstances.html#query-DescribeInstances-filters
+# Filters are key/value pairs separated by '=', to list multiple filters use
+# a list separated by commas. See examples below.
+
+# Retrieve only instances with (key=value) env=stage tag
+# instance_filters = tag:env=stage
+
+# Retrieve only instances with role=webservers OR role=dbservers tag
+# instance_filters = tag:role=webservers,tag:role=dbservers
+
+# Retrieve only t1.micro instances OR instances with tag env=stage
+# instance_filters = instance-type=t1.micro,tag:env=stage
+
+# You can use wildcards in filter values also. Below will list instances which
+# tag Name value matches webservers1*
+# (ex. webservers15, webservers1a, webservers123 etc) 
+# instance_filters = tag:Name=webservers1*
diff --git a/plugins/inventory/ec2.py b/plugins/inventory/ec2.py
index f4e98f6dd73..aec6473be67 100755
--- a/plugins/inventory/ec2.py
+++ b/plugins/inventory/ec2.py
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ from boto import ec2
 from boto import rds
 from boto import route53
 import ConfigParser
+from collections import defaultdict
 
 try:
     import json
@@ -272,6 +273,13 @@ class Ec2Inventory(object):
         except ConfigParser.NoOptionError, e:
             self.pattern_exclude = None
 
+        # Instance filters (see boto and EC2 API docs)
+        self.ec2_instance_filters = defaultdict(list)
+        if config.has_option('ec2', 'instance_filters'):
+            for x in config.get('ec2', 'instance_filters', '').split(','):
+                filter_key, filter_value = x.split('=')
+                self.ec2_instance_filters[filter_key].append(filter_value)
+
     def parse_cli_args(self):
         ''' Command line argument processing '''
 
@@ -316,7 +324,13 @@ class Ec2Inventory(object):
                 print("region name: %s likely not supported, or AWS is down.  connection to region failed." % region)
                 sys.exit(1)
 
-            reservations = conn.get_all_instances()
+            reservations = []
+            if self.ec2_instance_filters:
+                for filter_key, filter_values in self.ec2_instance_filters.iteritems():
+                    reservations.extend(conn.get_all_instances(filters = { filter_key : filter_values }))
+            else:
+                reservations = conn.get_all_instances()
+
             for reservation in reservations:
                 for instance in reservation.instances:
                     self.add_instance(instance, region)