diff --git a/core/jvm/src/test/scala/org/specs2/runner/SbtSelectorSpec.scala b/core/jvm/src/test/scala/org/specs2/runner/SbtSelectorSpec.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8108dd100
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/jvm/src/test/scala/org/specs2/runner/SbtSelectorSpec.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+package org.specs2
+package runner
+
+import sbt.testing.{Event, EventHandler, Logger, Selector, Status, SuiteSelector, TaskDef, TestSelector}
+
+import scala.collection.mutable.ArrayBuffer
+
+class SbtSelectorSpec extends Specification:
+  def is = s2"""
+
+ An sbt runner executes the examples passed in the `TestSelector`s
+   when there is a single `TestSelector`       $singleTestSelector
+   when there are 2 `TestSelector`s            $twoTestSelectors
+   run everything if there are other selectors $otherSelectors
+   run nothing if there are no matches         $noMatches
+   regexes in test selectors are escaped       $regexesAreEscaped
+"""
+
+  private def singleTestSelector =
+    val wholeSuiteEvents = runWithSelectors(new SuiteSelector :: Nil)
+    wholeSuiteEvents.length === 3
+    val failEvents = wholeSuiteEvents.filter(_.status == Status.Failure)
+    val singleExampleEvents = runWithSelectors(failEvents.map(_.selector()))
+
+    (failEvents must haveSize(1)) and
+      (testName(failEvents.head) === "has a failing test") and
+      (singleExampleEvents must haveSize(1)) and
+      (singleExampleEvents.head.status() === Status.Failure)
+
+  private def twoTestSelectors =
+    val events = runWithSelectors(
+      List(new TestSelector("has a successful test"), new TestSelector("has a failing test"))
+    )
+    (events must haveSize(2)) and
+      (events.map(testName) must contain("has a successful test", "has a failing test"))
+
+  private def otherSelectors =
+    val events = runWithSelectors(List(new SuiteSelector, new TestSelector("hello")))
+    (events must haveSize(3)) and
+      (events.map(testName) must contain("has a successful test", "has a failing test", ".*"))
+
+  private def noMatches =
+    val events = runWithSelectors(List(new TestSelector("won't match anything")))
+    events must beEmpty
+
+  private def regexesAreEscaped =
+    val events = runWithSelectors(new TestSelector(".*") :: Nil)
+    (events must haveSize(1)) and
+      (events.head.status() === Status.Success) and
+      (testName(events.head) === ".*")
+
+  private def runWithSelectors(selectors: List[Selector]): List[Event] =
+    val loggers = Array(NoLogger: Logger)
+    val events = ArrayBuffer.empty[Event]
+    val handler: EventHandler = (e: Event) => events.append(e)
+    val framework = new Specs2Framework()
+    val runner = framework.runner(Array.empty, Array.empty, getClass.getClassLoader)
+    val fqcn = classOf[HelperSpec].getName
+
+    val taskDef = new TaskDef(fqcn, Fingerprints.fp1m, true, selectors.toArray)
+    val tasks = runner.tasks(Array(taskDef))
+    tasks.foreach(_.execute(handler, loggers))
+
+    events.toList
+
+  private def testName(event: Event): String =
+    event.selector() match
+      case ts: TestSelector => ts.testName()
+
+private class HelperSpec extends Specification:
+  def is = s2"""
+ The helper spec
+   has a successful test $ok
+   has a failing test $ko
+   .* $ok
+"""
+
+private object NoLogger extends Logger:
+  override def ansiCodesSupported(): Boolean = false
+  override def error(msg: String): Unit = ()
+  override def warn(msg: String): Unit = ()
+  override def info(msg: String): Unit = ()
+  override def debug(msg: String): Unit = ()
+  override def trace(t: Throwable): Unit = ()
diff --git a/core/shared/src/main/scala/org/specs2/runner/SbtRunner.scala b/core/shared/src/main/scala/org/specs2/runner/SbtRunner.scala
index 30d8da41f..4922bab62 100644
--- a/core/shared/src/main/scala/org/specs2/runner/SbtRunner.scala
+++ b/core/shared/src/main/scala/org/specs2/runner/SbtRunner.scala
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ import org.specs2.fp.*, syntax.*
 import org.specs2.concurrent.ExecutionEnv
 import org.specs2.data.NamedTag
 import scala.util.*
+
+import java.util.regex.Pattern
+
 import scala.concurrent.duration.Duration
 import scala.concurrent.{Await, Future, ExecutionContext}
 
@@ -38,7 +41,14 @@ abstract class BaseSbtRunner(args: Array[String], remoteArgs: Array[String], loa
 
   /** create a new test task */
   def newTask(aTaskDef: TaskDef): Task =
-    SbtTask(aTaskDef, env, loader, this)
+    val fullEnv =
+      if (env.arguments.select._ex.isDefined || aTaskDef.selectors().exists(!_.isInstanceOf[TestSelector])) env
+      else
+        val names = aTaskDef.selectors().toList.collect { case ts: TestSelector => Pattern.quote(ts.testName()) }
+        val select = env.arguments.select.copy(_ex = Some(names.mkString("|")))
+        env.setArguments(env.arguments.copy(select = select))
+
+    SbtTask(aTaskDef, fullEnv, loader, this)
 
   def done =
     val result = env.shutdown()