diff --git a/cli/cmdlineparser.cpp b/cli/cmdlineparser.cpp
index 48592a3e5c0..2343652fa61 100644
--- a/cli/cmdlineparser.cpp
+++ b/cli/cmdlineparser.cpp
@@ -382,6 +382,7 @@ CmdLineParser::Result CmdLineParser::parseFromArgs(int argc, const char* const a
     bool def = false;
     bool maxconfigs = false;
     bool debug = false;
+    bool inputAsFilter = false; // set by: --file-filter=+
 
     ImportProject::Type projectType = ImportProject::Type::NONE;
     ImportProject project;
@@ -768,6 +769,8 @@ CmdLineParser::Result CmdLineParser::parseFromArgs(int argc, const char* const a
                     mLogger.printError("Failed: --file-filter=-");
                     return Result::Fail;
                 }
+            } else if (std::strcmp(filter, "+") == 0) {
+                inputAsFilter = true;
             } else {
                 mSettings.fileFilters.emplace_back(filter);
             }
@@ -1582,6 +1585,11 @@ CmdLineParser::Result CmdLineParser::parseFromArgs(int argc, const char* const a
         //mLogger.printMessage("whole program analysis requires --cppcheck-build-dir to be active with -j.");
     }
 
+    if (inputAsFilter) {
+        mSettings.fileFilters.insert(mSettings.fileFilters.end(), mPathNames.cbegin(), mPathNames.cend());
+        mPathNames.clear();
+    }
+
     if (!mPathNames.empty() && projectType != ImportProject::Type::NONE) {
         mLogger.printError("--project cannot be used in conjunction with source files.");
         return Result::Fail;
@@ -1777,10 +1785,12 @@ void CmdLineParser::printHelp() const
         "    --exitcode-suppressions=<file>\n"
         "                         Used when certain messages should be displayed but\n"
         "                         should not cause a non-zero exitcode.\n"
-        "    --file-filter=<str>  Analyze only those files matching the given filter str\n"
-        "                         Can be used multiple times\n"
+        "    --file-filter=<str>  Analyze only those files matching the given filter str.\n"
+        "                         Can be used multiple times. When str is '-', the file\n"
+        "                         filter will be read from standard input. When str is '+',\n"
+        "                         given files on CLI will be treated as file filters.\n"
         "                         Example: --file-filter=*bar.cpp analyzes only files\n"
-        "                                  that end with bar.cpp.\n"
+        "                         that end with bar.cpp.\n"
         "    --file-list=<file>   Specify the files to check in a text file. Add one\n"
         "                         filename per line. When file is '-,' the file list will\n"
         "                         be read from standard input.\n"
diff --git a/test/cli/more-projects_test.py b/test/cli/more-projects_test.py
index 71959e7f4c8..f3ed273c4b9 100644
--- a/test/cli/more-projects_test.py
+++ b/test/cli/more-projects_test.py
@@ -295,7 +295,13 @@ def test_clang_tidy(tmpdir):
     assert stderr == ''
 
 
-def test_project_file_filter(tmpdir):
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("file_filter", [
+    ['--file-filter=test.cpp'],
+    ['--file-filter=*.cpp'],
+    ['--file-filter=+', 'test.cpp'],
+    ['--file-filter=+', '*.cpp'],
+])
+def test_project_file_filter(tmpdir, file_filter):
     test_file = os.path.join(tmpdir, 'test.cpp')
     with open(test_file, 'wt') as f:
         pass
@@ -310,7 +316,7 @@ def test_project_file_filter(tmpdir):
     </paths>
 </project>""".format(test_file))
 
-    args = ['--file-filter=*.cpp', '--project={}'.format(project_file)]
+    args = file_filter + ['--project={}'.format(project_file)]
     out_lines = [
         'Checking {} ...'.format(test_file)
     ]
@@ -318,7 +324,11 @@ def test_project_file_filter(tmpdir):
     assert_cppcheck(args, ec_exp=0, err_exp=[], out_exp=out_lines)
 
 
-def test_project_file_filter_2(tmpdir):
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("file_filter", [
+    ['--file-filter=*.cpp'],
+    ['--file-filter=+', '*.cpp'],
+])
+def test_project_file_filter_cpp(tmpdir, file_filter):
     test_file_1 = os.path.join(tmpdir, 'test.cpp')
     with open(test_file_1, 'wt') as f:
         pass
@@ -337,7 +347,7 @@ def test_project_file_filter_2(tmpdir):
     </paths>
 </project>""".format(test_file_1, test_file_2))
 
-    args = ['--file-filter=*.cpp', '--project={}'.format(project_file)]
+    args = file_filter + ['--project={}'.format(project_file)]
     out_lines = [
         'Checking {} ...'.format(test_file_1)
     ]
@@ -345,7 +355,11 @@ def test_project_file_filter_2(tmpdir):
     assert_cppcheck(args, ec_exp=0, err_exp=[], out_exp=out_lines)
 
 
-def test_project_file_filter_3(tmpdir):
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("file_filter", [
+    ['--file-filter=*.c'],
+    ['--file-filter=+', '*.c'],
+])
+def test_project_file_filter_c(tmpdir, file_filter):
     test_file_1 = os.path.join(tmpdir, 'test.cpp')
     with open(test_file_1, 'wt') as f:
         pass
@@ -364,7 +378,7 @@ def test_project_file_filter_3(tmpdir):
     </paths>
 </project>""".format(test_file_1, test_file_2))
 
-    args = ['--file-filter=*.c', '--project={}'.format(project_file)]
+    args = file_filter + ['--project={}'.format(project_file)]
     out_lines = [
         'Checking {} ...'.format(test_file_2)
     ]
diff --git a/test/testcmdlineparser.cpp b/test/testcmdlineparser.cpp
index 65bf6906841..3527ff6cc76 100644
--- a/test/testcmdlineparser.cpp
+++ b/test/testcmdlineparser.cpp
@@ -208,6 +208,7 @@ class TestCmdlineParser : public TestFixture {
         TEST_CASE(fileFilterFileWithDetailsSimplifiedPath);
         TEST_CASE(fileFilterFileWithDetailsCase);
         TEST_CASE(fileFilterStdin);
+        TEST_CASE(fileFilterPlus);
         TEST_CASE(fileFilterNoMatch);
         TEST_CASE(fileList);
         TEST_CASE(fileListNoFile);
@@ -1233,6 +1234,19 @@ class TestCmdlineParser : public TestFixture {
         ASSERT_EQUALS("file2.cpp", settings->fileFilters[1]);
     }
 
+    void fileFilterPlus() {
+        REDIRECT;
+        ScopedFile file("project.cppcheck",
+                        "<project>\n"
+                        "<paths>\n"
+                        "<dir name=\"src\"/>\n"
+                        "</paths>\n"
+                        "</project>");
+        const char * const argv[] = {"cppcheck", "--project=project.cppcheck", "--file-filter=+", "src/file.cpp"};
+        ASSERT_EQUALS_ENUM(CmdLineParser::Result::Success, parseFromArgs(argv));
+        ASSERT_EQUALS("src/file.cpp", settings->fileFilters.front());
+    }
+
     void fileFilterNoMatch() {
         REDIRECT;
         RedirectInput input("notexist1.c\nnotexist2.cpp\n");