diff --git a/Documentation/git-pack-refs.txt b/Documentation/git-pack-refs.txt
index c0f7426e519..85874a5f5dc 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-pack-refs.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-pack-refs.txt
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ git-pack-refs - Pack heads and tags for efficient repository access
 SYNOPSIS
 --------
 [verse]
-'git pack-refs' [--all] [--no-prune] [--exclude <pattern>]
+'git pack-refs' [--all] [--no-prune] [--include <pattern>] [--exclude <pattern>]
 
 DESCRIPTION
 -----------
@@ -60,6 +60,15 @@ interests.
 The command usually removes loose refs under `$GIT_DIR/refs`
 hierarchy after packing them.  This option tells it not to.
 
+--include <pattern>::
+
+Pack refs based on a `glob(7)` pattern. Repetitions of this option
+accumulate inclusion patterns. If a ref is both included in `--include` and
+`--exclude`, `--exclude` takes precedence. Using `--include` will preclude all
+tags from being included by default. Symbolic refs and broken refs will never
+be packed. When used with `--all`, it will be a noop. Use `--no-include` to clear
+and reset the list of patterns.
+
 --exclude <pattern>::
 
 Do not pack refs matching the given `glob(7)` pattern. Repetitions of this option
@@ -70,6 +79,9 @@ unpack it.
 When used with `--all`, it will use the difference between the set of all refs,
 and what is provided to `--exclude`.
 
+When used with `--include`, refs provided to `--include`, minus refs that are
+provided to `--exclude` will be packed.
+
 
 BUGS
 ----
diff --git a/builtin/pack-refs.c b/builtin/pack-refs.c
index 2464575a665..5062206f22e 100644
--- a/builtin/pack-refs.c
+++ b/builtin/pack-refs.c
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@
 #include "refs.h"
 #include "repository.h"
 #include "revision.h"
+#include "trace.h"
 
 static char const * const pack_refs_usage[] = {
-	N_("git pack-refs [--all] [--no-prune] [--exclude <pattern>]"),
+	N_("git pack-refs [--all] [--no-prune] [--include <pattern>] [--exclude <pattern>]"),
 	NULL
 };
 
@@ -15,13 +16,17 @@ int cmd_pack_refs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	unsigned int flags = PACK_REFS_PRUNE;
 	static struct ref_visibility visibility = REF_VISIBILITY_INIT;
-	struct pack_refs_opts pack_refs_opts = {.visibility = &visibility, .flags = flags};
+	struct pack_refs_opts pack_refs_opts = { .visibility = &visibility,
+						 .flags = flags };
 	static struct string_list option_excluded_refs = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
+	static struct string_list option_included_refs = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
 	struct string_list_item *item;
 
 	struct option opts[] = {
 		OPT_BIT(0, "all",   &pack_refs_opts.flags, N_("pack everything"), PACK_REFS_ALL),
 		OPT_BIT(0, "prune", &pack_refs_opts.flags, N_("prune loose refs (default)"), PACK_REFS_PRUNE),
+		OPT_STRING_LIST(0, "include", &option_included_refs, N_("pattern"),
+			N_("references to include")),
 		OPT_STRING_LIST(0, "exclude", &option_excluded_refs, N_("pattern"),
 			N_("references to exclude")),
 		OPT_END(),
@@ -33,5 +38,14 @@ int cmd_pack_refs(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	for_each_string_list_item(item, &option_excluded_refs)
 		add_ref_exclusion(pack_refs_opts.visibility, item->string);
 
+	for_each_string_list_item(item, &option_included_refs)
+		add_ref_inclusion(pack_refs_opts.visibility, item->string);
+
+	if (pack_refs_opts.flags & PACK_REFS_ALL)
+		add_ref_inclusion(pack_refs_opts.visibility, "*");
+
+	if (!pack_refs_opts.visibility->included_refs.nr)
+		add_ref_inclusion(pack_refs_opts.visibility, "refs/tags/*");
+
 	return refs_pack_refs(get_main_ref_store(the_repository), &pack_refs_opts);
 }
diff --git a/refs/files-backend.c b/refs/files-backend.c
index 3ef19199788..c669cf8001a 100644
--- a/refs/files-backend.c
+++ b/refs/files-backend.c
@@ -1183,13 +1183,6 @@ static int should_pack_ref(const char *refname,
 	    REF_WORKTREE_SHARED)
 		return 0;
 
-	if (opts->visibility && ref_excluded(opts->visibility, refname))
-		return 0;
-
-	/* Do not pack non-tags unless PACK_REFS_ALL is set: */
-	if (!(opts->flags & PACK_REFS_ALL) && !starts_with(refname, "refs/tags/"))
-		return 0;
-
 	/* Do not pack symbolic refs: */
 	if (ref_flags & REF_ISSYMREF)
 		return 0;
@@ -1198,7 +1191,13 @@ static int should_pack_ref(const char *refname,
 	if (!ref_resolves_to_object(refname, the_repository, oid, ref_flags))
 		return 0;
 
-	return 1;
+	if (opts->visibility && ref_excluded(opts->visibility, refname))
+		return 0;
+
+	if (opts->visibility && ref_included(opts->visibility, refname))
+		return 1;
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int files_pack_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store,
diff --git a/t/helper/test-ref-store.c b/t/helper/test-ref-store.c
index de4197708d9..0dec1223362 100644
--- a/t/helper/test-ref-store.c
+++ b/t/helper/test-ref-store.c
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include "worktree.h"
 #include "object-store.h"
 #include "repository.h"
+#include "revision.h"
 
 struct flag_definition {
 	const char *name;
@@ -116,7 +117,12 @@ static struct flag_definition pack_flags[] = { FLAG_DEF(PACK_REFS_PRUNE),
 static int cmd_pack_refs(struct ref_store *refs, const char **argv)
 {
 	unsigned int flags = arg_flags(*argv++, "flags", pack_flags);
-	struct pack_refs_opts pack_opts = { .flags = flags };
+	static struct ref_visibility visibility = REF_VISIBILITY_INIT;
+	struct pack_refs_opts pack_opts = { .flags = flags,
+					    .visibility = &visibility };
+
+	if (pack_opts.flags & PACK_REFS_ALL)
+		add_ref_inclusion(pack_opts.visibility, "*");
 
 	return refs_pack_refs(refs, &pack_opts);
 }
diff --git a/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh b/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh
index ddfc1b6e5f1..9ff6326b646 100755
--- a/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh
+++ b/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh
@@ -124,6 +124,27 @@ test_expect_success 'test --no-exclude refs clears excluded refs' '
 	! test -f .git/refs/heads/dont_pack3 &&
 	! test -f .git/refs/heads/dont_pack4'
 
+test_expect_success 'test only included refs are packed' '
+	git branch pack_this1 &&
+	git branch pack_this2 &&
+	git tag dont_pack5 &&
+	git pack-refs --include "refs/heads/pack_this*" &&
+	test -f .git/refs/tags/dont_pack5 &&
+	! test -f ./git/refs/heads/pack_this1 &&
+	! test -f ./git/refs/heads/pack_this2'
+
+test_expect_success 'test --no-include refs clears included refs' '
+	git branch pack1 &&
+	git branch pack2 &&
+	git pack-refs --include "refs/heads/pack*" --no-include &&
+	test -f .git/refs/heads/pack1 &&
+	test -f .git/refs/heads/pack2'
+
+test_expect_success 'test --exclude takes precedence over --include' '
+	git branch dont_pack5 &&
+	git pack-refs --include "refs/heads/pack*" --exclude "refs/heads/pack*" &&
+	test -f .git/refs/heads/dont_pack5'
+
 test_expect_success \
 	'see if up-to-date packed refs are preserved' \
 	'git branch q &&
