diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 6503a17..ffbc783 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+1.7.0
+  - git_status() gains parameter pathspec
+
 1.6.0
   - We recommend at least libgit2 1.0 now
   - Windows: update to libgit2 1.4.2
diff --git a/R/commit.R b/R/commit.R
index ae59d4a..db4f2ce 100644
--- a/R/commit.R
+++ b/R/commit.R
@@ -153,10 +153,12 @@ git_rm <- function(files, repo = '.'){
 #' @useDynLib gert R_git_status_list
 #' @param staged return only staged (TRUE) or unstaged files (FALSE).
 #' Use `NULL` or `NA` to show both (default).
-git_status <- function(staged = NULL, repo = '.'){
+#' @param pathspec character vector with paths to match
+git_status <- function(staged = NULL, pathspec = NULL, repo = '.'){
   repo <- git_open(repo)
   staged <- as.logical(staged)
-  df <- .Call(R_git_status_list, repo, staged)
+  pathspec <- as.character(pathspec)
+  df <- .Call(R_git_status_list, repo, staged, pathspec)
   df[order(df$file), ,drop = FALSE]
 }
 
diff --git a/man/git_commit.Rd b/man/git_commit.Rd
index 8f1ad25..18cf177 100644
--- a/man/git_commit.Rd
+++ b/man/git_commit.Rd
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ git_add(files, force = FALSE, repo = ".")
 
 git_rm(files, repo = ".")
 
-git_status(staged = NULL, repo = ".")
+git_status(staged = NULL, pathspec = NULL, repo = ".")
 
 git_conflicts(repo = ".")
 
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ Use \code{"."} to stage all changed files.}
 \item{staged}{return only staged (TRUE) or unstaged files (FALSE).
 Use \code{NULL} or \code{NA} to show both (default).}
 
+\item{pathspec}{character vector with paths to match}
+
 \item{max}{lookup at most latest n parent commits}
 
 \item{after}{date or timestamp: only include commits starting this date}
diff --git a/src/files.c b/src/files.c
index 45e6d40..a4abc35 100644
--- a/src/files.c
+++ b/src/files.c
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ static void extract_entry_data(const git_status_entry *file, char *status, char
   }
 }
 
-SEXP R_git_status_list(SEXP ptr, SEXP show_staged){
+SEXP R_git_status_list(SEXP ptr, SEXP show_staged, SEXP path_spec){
   git_status_list *list = NULL;
   git_repository *repo = get_git_repository(ptr);
   git_status_options opts = GIT_STATUS_OPTIONS_INIT;
@@ -174,6 +174,11 @@ SEXP R_git_status_list(SEXP ptr, SEXP show_staged){
   } else {
     opts.show = Rf_asLogical(show_staged) ? GIT_STATUS_SHOW_INDEX_ONLY : GIT_STATUS_SHOW_WORKDIR_ONLY;
   }
+  if(Rf_length(path_spec)){
+    git_strarray *pathspec = files_to_array(path_spec);
+    git_strarray_copy(&opts.pathspec, pathspec);
+    git_strarray_free(pathspec);
+  }
   opts.flags = GIT_STATUS_OPT_INCLUDE_UNTRACKED |
     GIT_STATUS_OPT_RENAMES_HEAD_TO_INDEX |
     GIT_STATUS_OPT_SORT_CASE_SENSITIVELY;
diff --git a/src/init.c b/src/init.c
index 010a31b..52e8cf5 100644
--- a/src/init.c
+++ b/src/init.c
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ extern SEXP R_git_stash_list(SEXP);
 extern SEXP R_git_stash_pop(SEXP, SEXP);
 extern SEXP R_git_stash_save(SEXP, SEXP, SEXP, SEXP, SEXP);
 extern SEXP R_git_stat_files(SEXP, SEXP, SEXP);
-extern SEXP R_git_status_list(SEXP, SEXP);
+extern SEXP R_git_status_list(SEXP, SEXP, SEXP);
 extern SEXP R_git_submodule_info(SEXP, SEXP);
 extern SEXP R_git_submodule_init(SEXP, SEXP, SEXP);
 extern SEXP R_git_submodule_list(SEXP);
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ static const R_CallMethodDef CallEntries[] = {
   {"R_git_stash_pop",           (DL_FUNC) &R_git_stash_pop,           2},
   {"R_git_stash_save",          (DL_FUNC) &R_git_stash_save,          5},
   {"R_git_stat_files",          (DL_FUNC) &R_git_stat_files,          3},
-  {"R_git_status_list",         (DL_FUNC) &R_git_status_list,         2},
+  {"R_git_status_list",         (DL_FUNC) &R_git_status_list,         3},
   {"R_git_submodule_info",      (DL_FUNC) &R_git_submodule_info,      2},
   {"R_git_submodule_init",      (DL_FUNC) &R_git_submodule_init,      3},
   {"R_git_submodule_list",      (DL_FUNC) &R_git_submodule_list,      1},