diff --git a/bin/ansible-playbook b/bin/ansible-playbook
index 0e44ffe592..4fac717c36 100755
--- a/bin/ansible-playbook
+++ b/bin/ansible-playbook
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ def main(args):
     parser = utils.base_parser(constants=C, usage=usage, connect_opts=True, runas_opts=True)
     parser.add_option('-e', '--extra-vars', dest="extra_vars", default=None,
         help="set additional key=value variables from the CLI")
+    parser.add_option('-t', '--tags', dest='tags', default='all',
+        help="only run plays and tasks tagged with these values")
 
     options, args = parser.parse_args(args)
 
@@ -53,6 +55,7 @@ def main(args):
         options.sudo = True
     options.sudo_user = options.sudo_user or C.DEFAULT_SUDO_USER
     extra_vars = utils.parse_kv(options.extra_vars)
+    only_tags = options.tags.split(",")
 
     # run all playbooks specified on the command line
     for playbook in args:
@@ -78,7 +81,8 @@ def main(args):
             sudo_user=options.sudo_user,
             sudo_pass=sudopass,
             extra_vars=extra_vars,
-            private_key_file=options.private_key_file            
+            private_key_file=options.private_key_file,
+            only_tags=only_tags,
         )
         try:
 
diff --git a/examples/playbooks/tags.yml b/examples/playbooks/tags.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..82eaa83333
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/playbooks/tags.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+---
+# tags allow us to run all of a playbook or part of it.
+#
+# assume: ansible-playbook tags.yml --tags foo
+#
+# only tags with the given tags will be run when --tags is specified
+#
+# (an include statement will also be able to set tags on all included
+# tasks at some point in the future)
+
+
+- name: example play
+  hosts: all
+  user: root
+  tasks:
+  - name: hi
+    tags: foo
+    action: shell echo "first play ran"
+
+- name: example play
+  hosts: all
+  user: root
+  tasks:
+  - name: hi
+    tags: bar
+    action: shell echo "second play ran"
+
+
+
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/__init__.py
index 738e38f9ba..0c1c9ec924 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/__init__.py
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ class PlayBook(object):
         stats            = None,
         sudo             = False,
         sudo_user        = C.DEFAULT_SUDO_USER,
-        extra_vars       = None):
+        extra_vars       = None,
+        only_tags        = None):
 
         """
         playbook:         path to a playbook file
@@ -87,7 +88,10 @@ class PlayBook(object):
 
         if extra_vars is None:
             extra_vars = {}
-       
+      
+        if only_tags is None:
+            only_tags = [ 'all' ]
+ 
         self.module_path      = module_path
         self.forks            = forks
         self.timeout          = timeout
@@ -105,6 +109,7 @@ class PlayBook(object):
         self.extra_vars       = extra_vars
         self.global_vars      = {}
         self.private_key_file = private_key_file
+        self.only_tags        = only_tags
 
         self.inventory = ansible.inventory.Inventory(host_list)
         
@@ -286,9 +291,17 @@ class PlayBook(object):
         if play.vars_files and len(play.vars_files) > 0:
             rc = self._do_setup_step(play, play.vars_files)
 
-        # run all the top level tasks, these get run on every node
         for task in play.tasks():
-            self._run_task(play, task, False)
+            
+            # only run the task if the requested tags match
+            should_run = False
+            for x in self.only_tags:
+                for y in task.tags:
+                    if (x==y):
+                        should_run = True
+                        break
+            if should_run:
+                self._run_task(play, task, False)
 
         # run notify actions
         for handler in play.handlers():
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
index 40274c5108..3acc76945c 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
@@ -26,8 +26,10 @@ import os
 class Play(object):
 
     __slots__ = [ 
-       'hosts', 'name', 'vars', 'vars_prompt', 'vars_files', 'handlers', 'remote_user', 'remote_port',
-       'sudo', 'sudo_user', 'transport', 'playbook', '_ds', '_handlers', '_tasks' 
+       'hosts', 'name', 'vars', 'vars_prompt', 'vars_files', 
+       'handlers', 'remote_user', 'remote_port',
+       'sudo', 'sudo_user', 'transport', 'playbook', 
+       '_ds', '_handlers', '_tasks'
     ]
 
     # *************************************************
@@ -37,6 +39,7 @@ class Play(object):
 
         # TODO: more error handling
 
+
         hosts = ds.get('hosts')
         if hosts is None:
             raise errors.AnsibleError('hosts declaration is required')
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
index 304b8ef803..c65de2235c 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ class Task(object):
 
     __slots__ = [ 
         'name', 'action', 'only_if', 'async_seconds', 'async_poll_interval',
-        'notify', 'module_name', 'module_args', 'module_vars', 'play', 'notified_by',
+        'notify', 'module_name', 'module_args', 'module_vars', 
+        'play', 'notified_by', 'tags'
     ]
 
     def __init__(self, play, ds, module_vars=None):
@@ -38,6 +39,8 @@ class Task(object):
         self.play        = play
         self.name        = ds.get('name', None)
         self.action      = ds.get('action', '')
+        self.tags        = [ 'all' ]
+
         self.notified_by = []
 
         if self.name is None:
@@ -67,4 +70,15 @@ class Task(object):
         if 'first_available_file' in ds:
             self.module_vars['first_available_file'] = ds.get('first_available_file')
 
+        # tags allow certain parts of a playbook to be run without
+        # running the whole playbook
+        apply_tags = ds.get('tags', None)
+        if apply_tags is not None:
+            if type(apply_tags) in [ str, unicode ]:
+                self.tags.append(apply_tags)
+            elif type(apply_tags) == list:
+                self.tags.extend(apply_tags)
+
+                
+