diff --git a/gateways/common/config.go b/gateways/common/config.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..212e7aa06f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gateways/common/config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+package common
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"path"
+	"regexp"
+)
+
+type WatchPathConfig struct {
+	// Directory to watch for events
+	Directory string `json:"directory"`
+	// Path is relative path of object to watch with respect to the directory
+	Path string `json:"path,omitempty"`
+	// PathRegexp is regexp of relative path of object to watch with respect to the directory
+	PathRegexp string `json:"pathRegexp,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// Validate validates WatchPathConfig
+func (c *WatchPathConfig) Validate() error {
+	if c.Directory == "" {
+		return errors.New("directory is required")
+	}
+	if !path.IsAbs(c.Directory) {
+		return errors.New("directory must be an absolute file path")
+	}
+	if c.Path == "" && c.PathRegexp == "" {
+		return errors.New("either path or pathRegexp must be specified")
+	}
+	if c.Path != "" && c.PathRegexp != "" {
+		return errors.New("path and pathRegexp cannot be specified together")
+	}
+	if c.Path != "" && path.IsAbs(c.Path) {
+		return errors.New("path must be a relative file path")
+	}
+	if c.PathRegexp != "" {
+		_, err := regexp.Compile(c.PathRegexp)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/gateways/common/config_test.go b/gateways/common/config_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..78d75d3a5b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gateways/common/config_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+package common
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestPathConfigValidate(t *testing.T) {
+	var validConfigs []WatchPathConfig
+	validConfigs = append(validConfigs, WatchPathConfig{
+		Directory:  "/foo",
+		Path:       "bar",
+		PathRegexp: "",
+	})
+	validConfigs = append(validConfigs, WatchPathConfig{
+		Directory:  "/foo",
+		Path:       "",
+		PathRegexp: "bar",
+	})
+	for _, config := range validConfigs {
+		err := config.Validate()
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+	}
+
+	var invalidConfigs []WatchPathConfig
+	// empty dir
+	invalidConfigs = append(invalidConfigs, WatchPathConfig{
+		Directory:  "",
+		Path:       "",
+		PathRegexp: "",
+	})
+	// relative dir
+	invalidConfigs = append(invalidConfigs, WatchPathConfig{
+		Directory:  "foo",
+		Path:       "bar",
+		PathRegexp: "",
+	})
+	// both path and path regexp
+	invalidConfigs = append(invalidConfigs, WatchPathConfig{
+		Directory:  "/foo",
+		Path:       "bar",
+		PathRegexp: "bar",
+	})
+	// absolute path
+	invalidConfigs = append(invalidConfigs, WatchPathConfig{
+		Directory:  "/foo",
+		Path:       "/bar",
+		PathRegexp: "",
+	})
+	// invalid regexp
+	invalidConfigs = append(invalidConfigs, WatchPathConfig{
+		Directory:  "/foo",
+		Path:       "",
+		PathRegexp: "][",
+	})
+	for _, config := range invalidConfigs {
+		err := config.Validate()
+		assert.Error(t, err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/gateways/community/hdfs/config.go b/gateways/community/hdfs/config.go
index 00408eb84f..beb745a0e1 100644
--- a/gateways/community/hdfs/config.go
+++ b/gateways/community/hdfs/config.go
@@ -1,10 +1,14 @@
 package hdfs
 
 import (
+	"errors"
+
 	"github.com/ghodss/yaml"
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog"
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
+
+	"github.com/argoproj/argo-events/gateways/common"
 )
 
 // EventSourceExecutor implements Eventing
@@ -18,10 +22,8 @@ type EventSourceExecutor struct {
 
 // GatewayConfig contains information to setup a HDFS integration
 type GatewayConfig struct {
-	// Directory to watch for events
-	Directory string `json:"directory"`
-	// Path is relative path of object to watch with respect to the directory
-	Path string `json:"path"`
+	common.WatchPathConfig `json:",inline"`
+
 	// Type of file operations to watch
 	Type string `json:"type"`
 	// CheckInterval is a string that describes an interval duration to check the directory state, e.g. 1s, 30m, 2h... (defaults to 1m)
@@ -72,3 +74,25 @@ func parseEventSource(eventSource string) (interface{}, error) {
 	}
 	return f, err
 }
+
+// Validate validates GatewayClientConfig
+func (c *GatewayClientConfig) Validate() error {
+	if len(c.Addresses) == 0 {
+		return errors.New("addresses is required")
+	}
+
+	hasKrbCCache := c.KrbCCacheSecret != nil
+	hasKrbKeytab := c.KrbKeytabSecret != nil
+
+	if c.HDFSUser == "" && !hasKrbCCache && !hasKrbKeytab {
+		return errors.New("either hdfsUser, krbCCacheSecret or krbKeytabSecret is required")
+	}
+	if hasKrbKeytab && (c.KrbServicePrincipalName == "" || c.KrbConfigConfigMap == nil || c.KrbUsername == "" || c.KrbRealm == "") {
+		return errors.New("krbServicePrincipalName, krbConfigConfigMap, krbUsername and krbRealm are required with krbKeytabSecret")
+	}
+	if hasKrbCCache && (c.KrbServicePrincipalName == "" || c.KrbConfigConfigMap == nil) {
+		return errors.New("krbServicePrincipalName and krbConfigConfigMap are required with krbCCacheSecret")
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/gateways/community/hdfs/start.go b/gateways/community/hdfs/start.go
index 6bce64cab0..5639a6230b 100644
--- a/gateways/community/hdfs/start.go
+++ b/gateways/community/hdfs/start.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -98,6 +99,14 @@ func (ese *EventSourceExecutor) listenEvents(config *GatewayConfig, eventSource
 	}
 
 	op := naivewatcher.NewOp(config.Type)
+	var pathRegexp *regexp.Regexp
+	if config.PathRegexp != "" {
+		pathRegexp, err = regexp.Compile(config.PathRegexp)
+		if err != nil {
+			errorCh <- err
+			return
+		}
+	}
 	ese.Log.Info().Str("event-source-name", eventSource.Name).Msg("starting to watch to HDFS notifications")
 	for {
 		select {
@@ -108,7 +117,14 @@ func (ese *EventSourceExecutor) listenEvents(config *GatewayConfig, eventSource
 				errorCh <- fmt.Errorf("HDFS watcher stopped")
 				return
 			}
-			if config.Path == strings.TrimPrefix(event.Name, config.Directory) && (op&event.Op != 0) {
+			matched := false
+			relPath := strings.TrimPrefix(event.Name, config.Directory)
+			if config.Path != "" && config.Path == relPath {
+				matched = true
+			} else if pathRegexp != nil && pathRegexp.MatchString(relPath) {
+				matched = true
+			}
+			if matched && (op&event.Op != 0) {
 				ese.Log.Debug().Str("config-key", eventSource.Name).Str("event-type", event.Op.String()).Str("descriptor-name", event.Name).Msg("HDFS event")
 				dataCh <- []byte(fmt.Sprintf("%v", event))
 			}
diff --git a/gateways/community/hdfs/validate.go b/gateways/community/hdfs/validate.go
index dee0954bff..62fa7ca882 100644
--- a/gateways/community/hdfs/validate.go
+++ b/gateways/community/hdfs/validate.go
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ package hdfs
 import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
-	"path"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/argoproj/argo-events/gateways/common/naivewatcher"
@@ -38,18 +37,6 @@ func validateGatewayConfig(config interface{}) error {
 	if gwc == nil {
 		return gwcommon.ErrNilEventSource
 	}
-	if gwc.Directory == "" {
-		return errors.New("directory is required")
-	}
-	if !path.IsAbs(gwc.Directory) {
-		return errors.New("directory must be an absolute file path")
-	}
-	if gwc.Path == "" {
-		return errors.New("path is required")
-	}
-	if path.IsAbs(gwc.Path) {
-		return errors.New("path must be a relative file path")
-	}
 	if gwc.Type == "" {
 		return errors.New("type is required")
 	}
@@ -63,29 +50,10 @@ func validateGatewayConfig(config interface{}) error {
 			return errors.New("failed to parse interval")
 		}
 	}
-
-	err := validateHDFSConfig(gwc)
-
-	return err
-}
-
-func validateHDFSConfig(gwc *GatewayConfig) error {
-	if len(gwc.Addresses) == 0 {
-		return errors.New("addresses is required")
-	}
-
-	hasKrbCCache := gwc.KrbCCacheSecret != nil
-	hasKrbKeytab := gwc.KrbKeytabSecret != nil
-
-	if gwc.HDFSUser == "" && !hasKrbCCache && !hasKrbKeytab {
-		return errors.New("either hdfsUser, krbCCacheSecret or krbKeytabSecret is required")
-	}
-	if hasKrbKeytab && (gwc.KrbServicePrincipalName == "" || gwc.KrbConfigConfigMap == nil || gwc.KrbUsername == "" || gwc.KrbRealm == "") {
-		return errors.New("krbServicePrincipalName, krbConfigConfigMap, krbUsername and krbRealm are required with krbKeytabSecret")
-	}
-	if hasKrbCCache && (gwc.KrbServicePrincipalName == "" || gwc.KrbConfigConfigMap == nil) {
-		return errors.New("krbServicePrincipalName and krbConfigConfigMap are required with krbCCacheSecret")
+	err := gwc.WatchPathConfig.Validate()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
-
-	return nil
+	err = gwc.GatewayClientConfig.Validate()
+	return err
 }
diff --git a/gateways/core/file/config.go b/gateways/core/file/config.go
index f609e10de4..e5fbebdf8b 100644
--- a/gateways/core/file/config.go
+++ b/gateways/core/file/config.go
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ package file
 import (
 	"github.com/ghodss/yaml"
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog"
+
+	"github.com/argoproj/argo-events/gateways/common"
 )
 
 // FileEventSourceExecutor implements Eventing
@@ -29,10 +31,8 @@ type FileEventSourceExecutor struct {
 // fileWatcher contains configuration information for this gateway
 // +k8s:openapi-gen=true
 type fileWatcher struct {
-	// Directory to watch for events
-	Directory string `json:"directory"`
-	// Path is relative path of object to watch with respect to the directory
-	Path string `json:"path"`
+	common.WatchPathConfig `json:",inline"`
+
 	// Type of file operations to watch
 	// Refer https://github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify/blob/master/fsnotify.go for more information
 	Type string `json:"type"`
diff --git a/gateways/core/file/start.go b/gateways/core/file/start.go
index 17de7d161a..2eb99b6e0f 100644
--- a/gateways/core/file/start.go
+++ b/gateways/core/file/start.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package file
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/argoproj/argo-events/gateways"
@@ -60,6 +61,14 @@ func (ese *FileEventSourceExecutor) listenEvents(fwc *fileWatcher, eventSource *
 		return
 	}
 
+	var pathRegexp *regexp.Regexp
+	if fwc.PathRegexp != "" {
+		pathRegexp, err = regexp.Compile(fwc.PathRegexp)
+		if err != nil {
+			errorCh <- err
+			return
+		}
+	}
 	ese.Log.Info().Str("event-source-name", eventSource.Name).Msg("starting to watch to file notifications")
 	for {
 		select {
@@ -71,7 +80,14 @@ func (ese *FileEventSourceExecutor) listenEvents(fwc *fileWatcher, eventSource *
 				return
 			}
 			// fwc.Path == event.Name is required because we don't want to send event when .swp files are created
-			if fwc.Path == strings.TrimPrefix(event.Name, fwc.Directory) && fwc.Type == event.Op.String() {
+			matched := false
+			relPath := strings.TrimPrefix(event.Name, fwc.Directory)
+			if fwc.Path != "" && fwc.Path == relPath {
+				matched = true
+			} else if pathRegexp != nil && pathRegexp.MatchString(relPath) {
+				matched = true
+			}
+			if matched && fwc.Type == event.Op.String() {
 				ese.Log.Debug().Str("config-key", eventSource.Name).Str("event-type", event.Op.String()).Str("descriptor-name", event.Name).Msg("fs event")
 				dataCh <- []byte(fmt.Sprintf("%v", event))
 			}
diff --git a/gateways/core/file/validate.go b/gateways/core/file/validate.go
index 3fa502aec6..ada546b2c7 100644
--- a/gateways/core/file/validate.go
+++ b/gateways/core/file/validate.go
@@ -37,11 +37,6 @@ func validateFileWatcher(config interface{}) error {
 	if fwc.Type == "" {
 		return fmt.Errorf("type must be specified")
 	}
-	if fwc.Directory == "" {
-		return fmt.Errorf("directory must be specified")
-	}
-	if fwc.Path == "" {
-		return fmt.Errorf("path must be specified")
-	}
-	return nil
+	err := fwc.WatchPathConfig.Validate()
+	return err
 }