diff --git a/go/flags/endtoend/vtgate.txt b/go/flags/endtoend/vtgate.txt
index 16f6ba455ae..bb6b232cd9e 100644
--- a/go/flags/endtoend/vtgate.txt
+++ b/go/flags/endtoend/vtgate.txt
@@ -159,6 +159,8 @@ Usage of vtgate:
       --stderrthreshold severityFlag                                     logs at or above this threshold go to stderr (default 1)
       --stream_buffer_size int                                           the number of bytes sent from vtgate for each stream call. It's recommended to keep this value in sync with vttablet's query-server-config-stream-buffer-size. (default 32768)
       --structured-logging                                               whether to use structured logging (PlanetScale Log) logger or the original (glog) logger
+      --table-refresh-interval int                                       interval in milliseconds to refresh tables in status page with refreshRequired class
+      --tablet-filter-tags StringMap                                     Specifies a comma-separated list of tablet tags (as key:value pairs) to filter the tablets to watch.
       --tablet_filters strings                                           Specifies a comma-separated list of 'keyspace|shard_name or keyrange' values to filter the tablets to watch.
       --tablet_grpc_ca string                                            the server ca to use to validate servers when connecting
       --tablet_grpc_cert string                                          the cert to use to connect
diff --git a/go/vt/discovery/healthcheck.go b/go/vt/discovery/healthcheck.go
index 9ffd90ad649..6374ecd5078 100644
--- a/go/vt/discovery/healthcheck.go
+++ b/go/vt/discovery/healthcheck.go
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/pflag"
 	"golang.org/x/sync/semaphore"
 
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/flagutil"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/netutil"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/stats"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/log"
@@ -80,6 +81,9 @@ var (
 	// tabletFilters are the keyspace|shard or keyrange filters to apply to the full set of tablets.
 	tabletFilters []string
 
+	// tabletFilterTags are the tablet tag filters (as key:value pairs) to apply to the full set of tablets.
+	tabletFilterTags flagutil.StringMapValue
+
 	// refreshInterval is the interval at which healthcheck refreshes its list of tablets from topo.
 	refreshInterval = 1 * time.Minute
 
@@ -161,6 +165,7 @@ func init() {
 
 func registerDiscoveryFlags(fs *pflag.FlagSet) {
 	fs.StringSliceVar(&tabletFilters, "tablet_filters", []string{}, "Specifies a comma-separated list of 'keyspace|shard_name or keyrange' values to filter the tablets to watch.")
+	fs.Var(&tabletFilterTags, "tablet-filter-tags", "Specifies a comma-separated list of tablet tags (as key:value pairs) to filter the tablets to watch.")
 	fs.Var((*topoproto.TabletTypeListFlag)(&AllowedTabletTypes), "allowed_tablet_types", "Specifies the tablet types this vtgate is allowed to route queries to. Should be provided as a comma-separated set of tablet types.")
 	fs.StringSliceVar(&KeyspacesToWatch, "keyspaces_to_watch", []string{}, "Specifies which keyspaces this vtgate should have access to while routing queries or accessing the vschema.")
 }
@@ -331,13 +336,13 @@ func NewHealthCheck(ctx context.Context, retryDelay, healthCheckTimeout time.Dur
 		cellAliases:        make(map[string]string),
 	}
 	var topoWatchers []*TopologyWatcher
-	var filter TabletFilter
 	cells := strings.Split(cellsToWatch, ",")
 	if cellsToWatch == "" {
 		cells = append(cells, localCell)
 	}
 
 	for _, c := range cells {
+		var filters TabletFilters
 		log.Infof("Setting up healthcheck for cell: %v", c)
 		if c == "" {
 			continue
@@ -351,11 +356,14 @@ func NewHealthCheck(ctx context.Context, retryDelay, healthCheckTimeout time.Dur
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Exitf("Cannot parse tablet_filters parameter: %v", err)
 			}
-			filter = fbs
+			filters = append(filters, fbs)
 		} else if len(KeyspacesToWatch) > 0 {
-			filter = NewFilterByKeyspace(KeyspacesToWatch)
+			filters = append(filters, NewFilterByKeyspace(KeyspacesToWatch))
+		}
+		if len(tabletFilterTags) > 0 {
+			filters = append(filters, NewFilterByTabletTags(tabletFilterTags))
 		}
-		topoWatchers = append(topoWatchers, NewCellTabletsWatcher(ctx, topoServer, hc, filter, c, refreshInterval, refreshKnownTablets, topoReadConcurrency))
+		topoWatchers = append(topoWatchers, NewCellTabletsWatcher(ctx, topoServer, hc, filters, c, refreshInterval, refreshKnownTablets, topoReadConcurrency))
 	}
 
 	hc.topoWatchers = topoWatchers
diff --git a/go/vt/discovery/topology_watcher.go b/go/vt/discovery/topology_watcher.go
index 78d5f696f6f..57a29679633 100644
--- a/go/vt/discovery/topology_watcher.go
+++ b/go/vt/discovery/topology_watcher.go
@@ -293,6 +293,19 @@ type TabletFilter interface {
 	IsIncluded(tablet *topodata.Tablet) bool
 }
 
+// TabletFilters contains filters for tablets.
+type TabletFilters []TabletFilter
+
+// IsIncluded returns true if a tablet passes all filters.
+func (tf TabletFilters) IsIncluded(tablet *topodata.Tablet) bool {
+	for _, filter := range tf {
+		if !filter.IsIncluded(tablet) {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
 // FilterByShard is a filter that filters tablets by
 // keyspace/shard.
 type FilterByShard struct {
@@ -394,3 +407,32 @@ func (fbk *FilterByKeyspace) IsIncluded(tablet *topodata.Tablet) bool {
 	_, exist := fbk.keyspaces[tablet.Keyspace]
 	return exist
 }
+
+// FilterByTabletTags is a filter that filters tablets by tablet tag key/values.
+type FilterByTabletTags struct {
+	tags map[string]string
+}
+
+// NewFilterByTabletTags creates a new FilterByTabletTags. All tablets that match
+// all tablet tags will be forwarded to the TopologyWatcher's consumer.
+func NewFilterByTabletTags(tabletTags map[string]string) *FilterByTabletTags {
+	return &FilterByTabletTags{
+		tags: tabletTags,
+	}
+}
+
+// IsIncluded returns true if the tablet's tags match what we expect.
+func (fbtg *FilterByTabletTags) IsIncluded(tablet *topodata.Tablet) bool {
+	if fbtg.tags == nil {
+		return true
+	}
+	if tablet.Tags == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	for key, val := range fbtg.tags {
+		if tabletVal, found := tablet.Tags[key]; !found || tabletVal != val {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
diff --git a/go/vt/discovery/topology_watcher_test.go b/go/vt/discovery/topology_watcher_test.go
index dff8ba720c7..c372365626c 100644
--- a/go/vt/discovery/topology_watcher_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/discovery/topology_watcher_test.go
@@ -614,3 +614,30 @@ func TestFilterByKeypsaceSkipsIgnoredTablets(t *testing.T) {
 
 	tw.Stop()
 }
+
+func TestNewFilterByTabletTags(t *testing.T) {
+	// no required tags == true
+	filter := NewFilterByTabletTags(nil)
+	assert.True(t, filter.IsIncluded(&topodatapb.Tablet{}))
+
+	tags := map[string]string{
+		"instance_type": "i3.xlarge",
+		"some_key":      "some_value",
+	}
+	filter = NewFilterByTabletTags(tags)
+
+	assert.False(t, filter.IsIncluded(&topodatapb.Tablet{
+		Tags: nil,
+	}))
+	assert.False(t, filter.IsIncluded(&topodatapb.Tablet{
+		Tags: map[string]string{},
+	}))
+	assert.False(t, filter.IsIncluded(&topodatapb.Tablet{
+		Tags: map[string]string{
+			"instance_type": "i3.xlarge",
+		},
+	}))
+	assert.True(t, filter.IsIncluded(&topodatapb.Tablet{
+		Tags: tags,
+	}))
+}