diff --git a/babeld.man b/babeld.man
index 814e1834..5f07d21c 100644
--- a/babeld.man
+++ b/babeld.man
@@ -607,18 +607,13 @@ replies with one or more lines of data terminated by one of
 or
 .BR bad .
 
-The following requests are currently defined:
-.IP \(bu 2
-any configuration file directive, including
-.BR interface ;
+All configuration file directives are valid socket requests, including:
 .IP \(bu
-.BR "flush interface" ;
+.BR "[flush] interface"
 .IP \(bu
-.BR dump ;
+.BR "dump [neighbour|route|xroute|interface]"
 .IP \(bu
-.B monitor
-and
-.BR unmonitor ;
+.BR "[un]monitor [neighbour|route|xroute|interface]"
 .IP \(bu
 .BR quit .
 .SH EXAMPLES
diff --git a/configuration.c b/configuration.c
index e9787267..c0bb0877 100644
--- a/configuration.c
+++ b/configuration.c
@@ -969,6 +969,40 @@ parse_option(int c, gnc_t gnc, void *closure, char *token)
 
 }
 
+static int
+parse_monitor_dump_filter(int *action_return, int c, gnc_t *gnc, void *closure)
+{
+    int filter = 0;
+    char *token = NULL;
+
+    c = skip_whitespace(c, *gnc, closure);
+    c = getword(c, &token, *gnc, closure);
+    if(c < -1 || token == NULL) {
+        free(token);
+        return c;
+    }
+
+    if(strcmp(token, "route") == 0)
+        filter = FILTER(ROUTE);
+    else if(strcmp(token, "interface") == 0)
+        filter = FILTER(INTERFACE);
+    else if(strcmp(token, "xroute") == 0)
+        filter = FILTER(XROUTE);
+    else if(strcmp(token, "neighbour") == 0)
+        filter = FILTER(NEIGHBOUR);
+    else
+        filter = FILTER_INVALID;
+    free(token);
+
+    c = skip_eol(c, *gnc, closure);
+    if(filter < FILTER_INVALID) {
+        *action_return += filter;
+        if(!filter) // no (invalid) filters detected, show everything
+            return -1;
+    }
+    return -2;
+}
+
 static int
 parse_config_line(int c, gnc_t gnc, void *closure,
                   int *action_return, const char **message_return)
@@ -996,20 +1030,14 @@ parse_config_line(int c, gnc_t gnc, void *closure,
             goto fail;
         *action_return = CONFIG_ACTION_QUIT;
     } else if(strcmp(token, "dump") == 0) {
-        c = skip_eol(c, gnc, closure);
-        if(c < -1 || !action_return)
-            goto fail;
-        *action_return = CONFIG_ACTION_DUMP;
+        *action_return = CONFIG_ACTION_DUMP(0);
+        c = parse_monitor_dump_filter(action_return, c, &gnc, closure);
     } else if(strcmp(token, "monitor") == 0) {
-        c = skip_eol(c, gnc, closure);
-        if(c < -1 || !action_return)
-            goto fail;
-        *action_return = CONFIG_ACTION_MONITOR;
+        *action_return = CONFIG_ACTION_MONITOR(0);
+        c = parse_monitor_dump_filter(action_return, c, &gnc, closure);
     } else if(strcmp(token, "unmonitor") == 0) {
-        c = skip_eol(c, gnc, closure);
-        if(c < -1 || !action_return)
-            goto fail;
-        *action_return = CONFIG_ACTION_UNMONITOR;
+        *action_return = CONFIG_ACTION_UNMONITOR(0);
+        c = parse_monitor_dump_filter(action_return, c, &gnc, closure);
     } else if(config_finalised && !local_server_write) {
         /* The remaining directives are only allowed in read-write mode. */
         c = skip_to_eol(c, gnc, closure);
diff --git a/configuration.h b/configuration.h
index 0ebfd481..a2ee4e00 100644
--- a/configuration.h
+++ b/configuration.h
@@ -20,14 +20,21 @@ OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
 THE SOFTWARE.
 */
 
-/* Values returned by parse_config_from_string. */
+#define NEIGHBOUR 1
+#define ROUTE 2
+#define XROUTE 3
+#define INTERFACE 4
 
+/* Values returned by parse_config_from_string. */
 #define CONFIG_ACTION_DONE 0
 #define CONFIG_ACTION_QUIT 1
-#define CONFIG_ACTION_DUMP 2
-#define CONFIG_ACTION_MONITOR 3
-#define CONFIG_ACTION_UNMONITOR 4
-#define CONFIG_ACTION_NO 5
+#define CONFIG_ACTION_DUMP(thing) (2 + (thing))
+#define CONFIG_ACTION_NO 7
+#define CONFIG_ACTION_MONITOR(thing) (8 + (thing))
+#define CONFIG_ACTION_UNMONITOR(thing) (13 + (thing))
+
+#define FILTER(thing) (thing)
+#define FILTER_INVALID 255
 
 struct filter_result {
     unsigned int add_metric; /* allow = 0, deny = INF, metric = <0..INF> */
diff --git a/local.c b/local.c
index 45d07679..5040620a 100644
--- a/local.c
+++ b/local.c
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
 #include "local.h"
 #include "version.h"
 
+#define SHOW(thing) (1U << ((thing)-1))
+
 int local_server_socket = -1;
 struct local_socket local_sockets[MAX_LOCAL_SOCKETS];
 int num_local_sockets = 0;
@@ -133,7 +135,7 @@ local_notify_interface(struct interface *ifp, int kind)
 {
     int i;
     for(i = 0; i < num_local_sockets; i++) {
-        if(local_sockets[i].monitor)
+        if((local_sockets[i].monitor & SHOW(INTERFACE)) != 0)
             local_notify_interface_1(&local_sockets[i], ifp, kind);
     }
 }
@@ -188,7 +190,7 @@ local_notify_neighbour(struct neighbour *neigh, int kind)
 {
     int i;
     for(i = 0; i < num_local_sockets; i++) {
-        if(local_sockets[i].monitor)
+        if((local_sockets[i].monitor & SHOW(NEIGHBOUR)) != 0)
             local_notify_neighbour_1(&local_sockets[i], neigh, kind);
     }
 }
@@ -225,7 +227,7 @@ local_notify_xroute(struct xroute *xroute, int kind)
 {
     int i;
     for(i = 0; i < num_local_sockets; i++) {
-        if(local_sockets[i].monitor)
+        if((local_sockets[i].monitor & SHOW(XROUTE)) != 0)
             local_notify_xroute_1(&local_sockets[i], xroute, kind);
     }
 }
@@ -270,26 +272,36 @@ local_notify_route(struct babel_route *route, int kind)
 {
     int i;
     for(i = 0; i < num_local_sockets; i++) {
-        if(local_sockets[i].monitor)
+        if((local_sockets[i].monitor & SHOW(ROUTE)) != 0)
             local_notify_route_1(&local_sockets[i], route, kind);
     }
 }
 
+
 static void
-local_notify_all_1(struct local_socket *s)
+local_notify_all_neighbour_1(struct local_socket *s)
 {
-    struct interface *ifp;
     struct neighbour *neigh;
-    struct xroute_stream *xroutes;
-    struct route_stream *routes;
+
+    FOR_ALL_NEIGHBOURS(neigh) {
+        local_notify_neighbour_1(s, neigh, LOCAL_ADD);
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+local_notify_all_interface_1(struct local_socket *s)
+{
+    struct interface *ifp;
 
     FOR_ALL_INTERFACES(ifp) {
         local_notify_interface_1(s, ifp, LOCAL_ADD);
     }
+}
 
-    FOR_ALL_NEIGHBOURS(neigh) {
-        local_notify_neighbour_1(s, neigh, LOCAL_ADD);
-    }
+static void
+local_notify_all_xroute_1(struct local_socket *s)
+{
+    struct xroute_stream *xroutes;
 
     xroutes = xroute_stream();
     if(xroutes) {
@@ -301,6 +313,12 @@ local_notify_all_1(struct local_socket *s)
         }
         xroute_stream_done(xroutes);
     }
+}
+
+static void
+local_notify_all_route_1(struct local_socket *s)
+{
+    struct route_stream *routes;
 
     routes = route_stream(ROUTE_ALL);
     if(routes) {
@@ -312,7 +330,56 @@ local_notify_all_1(struct local_socket *s)
         }
         route_stream_done(routes);
     }
-    return;
+}
+
+static void
+local_notify_all(struct local_socket *s, unsigned int mask)
+{
+    if((mask & SHOW(INTERFACE)) != 0)
+        local_notify_all_interface_1(s);
+    if((mask & SHOW(NEIGHBOUR)) != 0)
+        local_notify_all_neighbour_1(s);
+    if((mask & SHOW(ROUTE)) != 0)
+        local_notify_all_route_1(s);
+    if((mask & SHOW(XROUTE)) != 0)
+        local_notify_all_xroute_1(s);
+}
+
+static void
+local_notify_all_1(struct local_socket *s)
+{
+    local_notify_all_interface_1(s);
+    local_notify_all_neighbour_1(s);
+    local_notify_all_xroute_1(s);
+    local_notify_all_route_1(s);
+}
+
+static unsigned int
+show_flags_map(int rc)
+{
+    switch(rc) {
+    case CONFIG_ACTION_MONITOR(ROUTE):
+    case CONFIG_ACTION_UNMONITOR(ROUTE):
+    case CONFIG_ACTION_DUMP(ROUTE):
+        return SHOW(ROUTE);
+    case CONFIG_ACTION_MONITOR(INTERFACE):
+    case CONFIG_ACTION_UNMONITOR(INTERFACE):
+    case CONFIG_ACTION_DUMP(INTERFACE):
+        return SHOW(INTERFACE);
+    case CONFIG_ACTION_MONITOR(XROUTE):
+    case CONFIG_ACTION_UNMONITOR(XROUTE):
+    case CONFIG_ACTION_DUMP(XROUTE):
+        return SHOW(XROUTE);
+    case CONFIG_ACTION_MONITOR(NEIGHBOUR):
+    case CONFIG_ACTION_UNMONITOR(NEIGHBOUR):
+    case CONFIG_ACTION_DUMP(NEIGHBOUR):
+        return SHOW(NEIGHBOUR);
+    case CONFIG_ACTION_MONITOR(0):
+    case CONFIG_ACTION_UNMONITOR(0):
+    case CONFIG_ACTION_DUMP(0):
+        return ~0U;
+    }
+    return 0U;
 }
 
 int
@@ -352,15 +419,32 @@ local_read(struct local_socket *s)
             shutdown(s->fd, 1);
             reply[0] = '\0';
             break;
-        case CONFIG_ACTION_DUMP:
-            local_notify_all_1(s);
+        case CONFIG_ACTION_DUMP(INTERFACE):
+        case CONFIG_ACTION_DUMP(ROUTE):
+        case CONFIG_ACTION_DUMP(XROUTE):
+        case CONFIG_ACTION_DUMP(NEIGHBOUR):
+        case CONFIG_ACTION_DUMP(0):
+            local_notify_all(s, show_flags_map(rc));
             break;
-        case CONFIG_ACTION_MONITOR:
+        case CONFIG_ACTION_MONITOR(0):
+            s->monitor = 0xff;
             local_notify_all_1(s);
-            s->monitor = 1;
             break;
-        case CONFIG_ACTION_UNMONITOR:
-            s->monitor = 0;
+        case CONFIG_ACTION_MONITOR(NEIGHBOUR):
+        case CONFIG_ACTION_MONITOR(INTERFACE):
+        case CONFIG_ACTION_MONITOR(ROUTE):
+        case CONFIG_ACTION_MONITOR(XROUTE):
+            s->monitor |= show_flags_map(rc);
+            local_notify_all(s, show_flags_map(rc));
+            break;
+        case CONFIG_ACTION_UNMONITOR(NEIGHBOUR):
+        case CONFIG_ACTION_UNMONITOR(INTERFACE):
+        case CONFIG_ACTION_UNMONITOR(ROUTE):
+        case CONFIG_ACTION_UNMONITOR(XROUTE):
+            s->monitor &= ~show_flags_map(rc);
+            break;
+        case CONFIG_ACTION_UNMONITOR(0):
+            s->monitor = 0U;
             break;
         case CONFIG_ACTION_NO:
             snprintf(reply, sizeof(reply), "no%s%s\n",
diff --git a/local.h b/local.h
index 23161111..53d230c2 100644
--- a/local.h
+++ b/local.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ struct local_socket {
     int fd;
     char *buf;
     int n;
-    int monitor;
+    unsigned int monitor;
 };
 
 extern int local_server_socket;