diff --git a/src/wuttamess/sync.py b/src/wuttamess/sync.py
index fa48447..6147ca7 100644
--- a/src/wuttamess/sync.py
+++ b/src/wuttamess/sync.py
@@ -44,20 +44,41 @@ def make_root(path, dest='/'):
     return fabsync.load(path, dest)
 
 
-def isync(c, root, selector=None, echo=True, **kwargs):
+def make_selector(subpath=None, **kwargs):
+    """
+    Make and return an "item selector" for use with a sync call.
+
+    This is a convenience wrapper around
+    :meth:`fabsync:fabsync.ItemSelector.new()`.
+
+    :param subpath: (Optional) Relative subpath of the file tree to
+       sync, e.g. ``'etc/postfix'``.
+
+    :param tags: Optional iterable of tags to include; excluding any
+       files which are not so tagged.  E.g. ``{'foo'}``
+    """
+    return fabsync.ItemSelector.new(subpath, **kwargs)
+
+
+def isync(c, root, selector=None, tags=None, echo=True, **kwargs):
     """
     Sync files, yielding the result for each as it goes.
 
     This is a convenience wrapper around
     :func:`fabsync:fabsync.isync()`.
 
-    :param c: Connection object.
+    :param c: Fabric connection.
 
     :param root: File tree "root" object as obtained from
        :func:`make_root()`.
 
     :param selector: This can be a simple "subpath" string, indicating
-       a section of the file tree.  For instance: ``'etc/postfix'``
+       a section of the file tree (e.g. ``'etc/postfix'``).  Or can be
+       a :class:`fabsync.ItemSelector` instance.
+
+    :param tags: Optional iterable of tags to select.  If ``selector``
+       is a subpath string, and you specify ``tags`` then they will be
+       included when creating the actual selector.
 
     :param echo: Flag indicating whether the path for each file synced
        should be echoed to stdout.  Generally thought to be useful but
@@ -68,7 +89,10 @@ def isync(c, root, selector=None, echo=True, **kwargs):
     """
     if selector:
         if not isinstance(selector, fabsync.ItemSelector):
-            selector = fabsync.ItemSelector.new(selector)
+            kw = {}
+            if tags:
+                kw['tags'] = tags
+            selector = make_selector(selector, **kw)
         kwargs['selector'] = selector
 
     for result in fabsync.isync(c, root, **kwargs):
diff --git a/tests/test_sync.py b/tests/test_sync.py
index 23f4714..0a11084 100644
--- a/tests/test_sync.py
+++ b/tests/test_sync.py
@@ -18,6 +18,14 @@ class TestMakeRoot(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(root.dest, Path('/'))
 
 
+class TestMakeSelector(TestCase):
+
+    def test_basic(self):
+        selector = mod.make_selector('etc/postfix')
+        self.assertIsInstance(selector, ItemSelector)
+        self.assertEqual(selector.subpath, Path('etc/postfix'))
+
+
 class TestIsync(TestCase):
 
     def test_basic(self):
@@ -40,7 +48,7 @@ class TestIsync(TestCase):
             self.assertEqual(results, [result])
             fabsync.isync.assert_called_once_with(c, root)
 
-            # sync with selector
+            # sync with selector (subpath)
             fabsync.isync.reset_mock()
             result = MagicMock(path='/foo', modified=True)
             fabsync.isync.return_value = [result]
@@ -48,6 +56,14 @@ class TestIsync(TestCase):
             self.assertEqual(results, [result])
             fabsync.isync.assert_called_once_with(c, root, selector=fabsync.ItemSelector.new('foo'))
 
+            # sync with selector (subpath + tags)
+            fabsync.isync.reset_mock()
+            result = MagicMock(path='/foo', modified=True)
+            fabsync.isync.return_value = [result]
+            results = list(mod.isync(c, root, 'foo', tags={'bar'}))
+            self.assertEqual(results, [result])
+            fabsync.isync.assert_called_once_with(c, root, selector=fabsync.ItemSelector.new('foo', tags={'bar'}))
+
 
 class TestCheckIsync(TestCase):