diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 554592e0..6f1a9169 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ Options:
       --issue-pattern [regex]         # override regex pattern for issues in commit messages
       --breaking-pattern [regex]      # regex pattern for breaking change commits
       --merge-pattern [regex]         # add custom regex pattern for merge commits
+      --commit-pattern [regex]        # pattern to include when parsing commits
       --ignore-commit-pattern [regex] # pattern to ignore when parsing commits
       --tag-pattern [regex]           # override regex pattern for version tags
       --tag-prefix [prefix]           # prefix used in version tags, default: v
diff --git a/src/commits.js b/src/commits.js
index c5ad3685..664775f9 100644
--- a/src/commits.js
+++ b/src/commits.js
@@ -135,10 +135,13 @@ const getMerge = (commit, message, options = {}) => {
   return null
 }
 
-const filterCommit = (commit, { ignoreCommitPattern }) => {
+const filterCommit = (commit, { ignoreCommitPattern, commitPattern }) => {
   if (ignoreCommitPattern && new RegExp(ignoreCommitPattern).test(commit.subject)) {
     return false
   }
+  if (commitPattern) {
+    return new RegExp(commitPattern).test(commit.subject)
+  }
   return true
 }
 
diff --git a/src/run.js b/src/run.js
index 3ec4df9e..95e30b28 100644
--- a/src/run.js
+++ b/src/run.js
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ const getOptions = async argv => {
     .option('--issue-pattern <regex>', 'override regex pattern for issues in commit messages')
     .option('--breaking-pattern <regex>', 'regex pattern for breaking change commits')
     .option('--merge-pattern <regex>', 'add custom regex pattern for merge commits')
+    .option('--commit-pattern <regex>', 'pattern to include when parsing commits')
     .option('--ignore-commit-pattern <regex>', 'pattern to ignore when parsing commits')
     .option('--tag-pattern <regex>', 'override regex pattern for version tags')
     .option('--tag-prefix <prefix>', 'prefix used in version tags')
diff --git a/test/commits.js b/test/commits.js
index 60f1bee2..112688a4 100644
--- a/test/commits.js
+++ b/test/commits.js
@@ -65,6 +65,16 @@ describe('parseCommits', () => {
     const result = parseCommits(gitLog, options)
     expect(result.filter(c => c.subject === 'Some **BREAKING** change')).to.have.length(1)
   })
+
+  it('supports commitPattern option', async () => {
+    const gitLog = await readFile(join(__dirname, 'data', 'git-log.txt'))
+    const options = {
+      commitPattern: 'First',
+      ...remotes.github
+    }
+    const result = parseCommits(gitLog, options)
+    expect(result).to.have.length(1)
+  })
 })
 
 describe('getFixes', () => {