diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index 9041157..a350410 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ func Run(c *cobra.Command, names []string) {
 	httpAPI := api.New(apiToken)
 
 	if enableUpdateAPI {
-		updateHandler := update.New(func() { runUpdatesWithNotifications(filter) }, updateLock)
+		updateHandler := update.New(func(images []string) { runUpdatesWithNotifications(filters.FilterByImage(images, filter)) }, updateLock)
 		httpAPI.RegisterFunc(updateHandler.Path, updateHandler.Handle)
 		// If polling isn't enabled the scheduler is never started and
 		// we need to trigger the startup messages manually.
diff --git a/pkg/api/update/update.go b/pkg/api/update/update.go
index 4721e3e..ba044ab 100644
--- a/pkg/api/update/update.go
+++ b/pkg/api/update/update.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
+	"strings"
 
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
@@ -13,7 +14,7 @@ var (
 )
 
 // New is a factory function creating a new  Handler instance
-func New(updateFn func(), updateLock chan bool) *Handler {
+func New(updateFn func(images []string), updateLock chan bool) *Handler {
 	if updateLock != nil {
 		lock = updateLock
 	} else {
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ func New(updateFn func(), updateLock chan bool) *Handler {
 
 // Handler is an API handler used for triggering container update scans
 type Handler struct {
-	fn   func()
+	fn   func(images []string)
 	Path string
 }
 
@@ -43,12 +44,29 @@ func (handle *Handler) Handle(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	select {
-	case chanValue := <-lock:
+	var images []string
+	imageQueries, found := r.URL.Query()["image"]
+	if found {
+		for _, image := range imageQueries {
+			images = append(images, strings.Split(image, ",")...)
+		}
+
+	} else {
+		images = nil
+	}
+
+	if len(images) > 0 {
+		chanValue := <-lock
 		defer func() { lock <- chanValue }()
-		handle.fn()
-	default:
-		log.Debug("Skipped. Another update already running.")
+		handle.fn(images)
+	} else {
+		select {
+		case chanValue := <-lock:
+			defer func() { lock <- chanValue }()
+			handle.fn(images)
+		default:
+			log.Debug("Skipped. Another update already running.")
+		}
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/pkg/container/mocks/FilterableContainer.go b/pkg/container/mocks/FilterableContainer.go
index 1ae8125..fa863b5 100644
--- a/pkg/container/mocks/FilterableContainer.go
+++ b/pkg/container/mocks/FilterableContainer.go
@@ -78,3 +78,17 @@ func (_m *FilterableContainer) Scope() (string, bool) {
 
 	return r0, r1
 }
+
+// ImageName provides a mock function with given fields:
+func (_m *FilterableContainer) ImageName() string {
+	ret := _m.Called()
+
+	var r0 string
+	if rf, ok := ret.Get(0).(func() string); ok {
+		r0 = rf()
+	} else {
+		r0 = ret.Get(0).(string)
+	}
+
+	return r0
+}
diff --git a/pkg/filters/filters.go b/pkg/filters/filters.go
index 18f39c2..a283301 100644
--- a/pkg/filters/filters.go
+++ b/pkg/filters/filters.go
@@ -70,6 +70,24 @@ func FilterByScope(scope string, baseFilter t.Filter) t.Filter {
 	}
 }
 
+// FilterByImage returns all containers that have a specific image
+func FilterByImage(images []string, baseFilter t.Filter) t.Filter {
+	if images == nil {
+		return baseFilter
+	}
+
+	return func(c t.FilterableContainer) bool {
+		image := strings.Split(c.ImageName(), ":")[0]
+		for _, targetImage := range images {
+			if image == targetImage {
+				return baseFilter(c)
+			}
+		}
+
+		return false
+	}
+}
+
 // BuildFilter creates the needed filter of containers
 func BuildFilter(names []string, enableLabel bool, scope string) (t.Filter, string) {
 	sb := strings.Builder{}
diff --git a/pkg/filters/filters_test.go b/pkg/filters/filters_test.go
index 3b52b5e..c07b181 100644
--- a/pkg/filters/filters_test.go
+++ b/pkg/filters/filters_test.go
@@ -110,6 +110,43 @@ func TestFilterByDisabledLabel(t *testing.T) {
 	container.AssertExpectations(t)
 }
 
+func TestFilterByImage(t *testing.T) {
+	filterEmpty := FilterByImage(nil, NoFilter)
+	filterSingle := FilterByImage([]string{"registry"}, NoFilter)
+	filterMultiple := FilterByImage([]string{"registry", "bla"}, NoFilter)
+	assert.NotNil(t, filterSingle)
+	assert.NotNil(t, filterMultiple)
+
+	container := new(mocks.FilterableContainer)
+	container.On("ImageName").Return("registry:2")
+	assert.True(t, filterEmpty(container))
+	assert.True(t, filterSingle(container))
+	assert.True(t, filterMultiple(container))
+	container.AssertExpectations(t)
+
+	container = new(mocks.FilterableContainer)
+	container.On("ImageName").Return("registry:latest")
+	assert.True(t, filterEmpty(container))
+	assert.True(t, filterSingle(container))
+	assert.True(t, filterMultiple(container))
+	container.AssertExpectations(t)
+
+	container = new(mocks.FilterableContainer)
+	container.On("ImageName").Return("abcdef1234")
+	assert.True(t, filterEmpty(container))
+	assert.False(t, filterSingle(container))
+	assert.False(t, filterMultiple(container))
+	container.AssertExpectations(t)
+
+	container = new(mocks.FilterableContainer)
+	container.On("ImageName").Return("bla:latest")
+	assert.True(t, filterEmpty(container))
+	assert.False(t, filterSingle(container))
+	assert.True(t, filterMultiple(container))
+	container.AssertExpectations(t)
+
+}
+
 func TestBuildFilter(t *testing.T) {
 	var names []string
 	names = append(names, "test")
diff --git a/pkg/types/filterable_container.go b/pkg/types/filterable_container.go
index 3c46295..b410b1c 100644
--- a/pkg/types/filterable_container.go
+++ b/pkg/types/filterable_container.go
@@ -7,4 +7,5 @@ type FilterableContainer interface {
 	IsWatchtower() bool
 	Enabled() (bool, bool)
 	Scope() (string, bool)
+	ImageName() string
 }