diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/cli.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/cli.py
index 8ad4eb916b..9e1e82c265 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/cli.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/cli.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from io import BytesIO
 from threading import Event
 
 from calibre import prints
+from calibre.customize.ui import all_metadata_plugins
 from calibre.utils.config import OptionParser
 from calibre.utils.img import save_cover_data_to
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata import string_to_authors
@@ -40,6 +41,11 @@ of title, authors or ISBN.
             help=_('Specify a filename. The cover, if available, will be saved to it. Without this option, no cover will be downloaded.'))
     parser.add_option('-d', '--timeout', default='30',
             help=_('Timeout in seconds. Default is 30'))
+    parser.add_option('-p', '--allowed-plugin', action='append', default=[],
+            help=_('Specify the name of a metadata download plugin to use.'
+                   ' By default, all metadata plugins will be used.'
+                   ' Can be specified multiple times for multiple plugins.'
+                   ' All plugin names: {}').format(', '.join(p.name for p in all_metadata_plugins())))
 
     return parser
 
@@ -61,8 +67,10 @@ def main(args=sys.argv):
     if opts.isbn:
         identifiers['isbn'] = opts.isbn
 
+    allowed_plugins = frozenset(opts.allowed_plugin)
     results = identify(log, abort, title=opts.title, authors=authors,
-            identifiers=identifiers, timeout=int(opts.timeout))
+            identifiers=identifiers, timeout=int(opts.timeout),
+            allowed_plugins=allowed_plugins or None)
 
     if not results:
         print (log, file=sys.stderr)
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/identify.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/identify.py
index af0000ea2a..9267b1db57 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/identify.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/identify.py
@@ -369,13 +369,15 @@ def merge_identify_results(result_map, log):
 
 
 def identify(log, abort,  # {{{
-        title=None, authors=None, identifiers={}, timeout=30):
+        title=None, authors=None, identifiers={}, timeout=30, allowed_plugins=None):
     if title == _('Unknown'):
         title = None
     if authors == [_('Unknown')]:
         authors = None
     start_time = time.time()
-    plugins = [p for p in metadata_plugins(['identify']) if p.is_configured()]
+
+    plugins = [p for p in metadata_plugins(['identify'])
+        if p.is_configured() and (allowed_plugins is None or p.name in allowed_plugins)]
 
     kwargs = {
         'title': title,