diff --git a/doc/source/zuul.rst b/doc/source/zuul.rst
index 7a10ca92a1..9be4deb5b8 100644
--- a/doc/source/zuul.rst
+++ b/doc/source/zuul.rst
@@ -809,6 +809,47 @@ each job as it builds a list from the project specification.
   file patterns listed here.  This field is treated as a regular
   expression and multiple expressions may be listed.
 
+**skip-if (optional)**
+
+  This job should not be run if all the patterns specified by the
+  optional fields listed below match on their targets.  When multiple
+  sets of parameters are provided, this job will be skipped if any set
+  matches.  For example: ::
+
+    jobs:
+      - name: check-tempest-dsvm-neutron
+        skip-if:
+          - project: ^openstack/neutron$
+            branch: ^stable/juno$
+            all-files-match-any:
+              - ^neutron/tests/.*$
+              - ^tools/.*$
+          - all-files-match-any:
+              - ^doc/.*$
+              - ^.*\.rst$
+
+  With this configuration, the job would be skipped for a neutron
+  patchset for the stable/juno branch provided that every file in the
+  change matched at least one of the specified file regexes.  The job
+  will also be skipped for any patchset that modified only the doc
+  tree or rst files.
+
+  *project* (optional)
+    The regular expression to match against the project of the change.
+
+  *branch* (optional)
+    The regular expression to match against the branch or ref of the
+    change.
+
+  *all-files-match-any* (optional)
+    A list of regular expressions intended to match the files involved
+    in the change.  This parameter will be considered matching a
+    change only if all files in a change match at least one of these
+    expressions.
+
+    The pattern for '/COMMIT_MSG' is always matched on and does not
+    have to be included.
+
 **voting (optional)**
   Boolean value (``true`` or ``false``) that indicates whatever
   a job is voting or not.  Default: ``true``.
diff --git a/tests/base.py b/tests/base.py
index 5ae0d3e215..18d5f5a84f 100755
--- a/tests/base.py
+++ b/tests/base.py
@@ -811,11 +811,11 @@ class FakeSwiftClientConnection(swiftclient.client.Connection):
         return endpoint, ''
 
 
-class ZuulTestCase(testtools.TestCase):
+class BaseTestCase(testtools.TestCase):
     log = logging.getLogger("zuul.test")
 
     def setUp(self):
-        super(ZuulTestCase, self).setUp()
+        super(BaseTestCase, self).setUp()
         test_timeout = os.environ.get('OS_TEST_TIMEOUT', 0)
         try:
             test_timeout = int(test_timeout)
@@ -839,6 +839,12 @@ class ZuulTestCase(testtools.TestCase):
                 level=logging.DEBUG,
                 format='%(asctime)s %(name)-32s '
                 '%(levelname)-8s %(message)s'))
+
+
+class ZuulTestCase(BaseTestCase):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(ZuulTestCase, self).setUp()
         if USE_TEMPDIR:
             tmp_root = self.useFixture(fixtures.TempDir(
                 rootdir=os.environ.get("ZUUL_TEST_ROOT"))
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layout-skip-if.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layout-skip-if.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0cfb445cd9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layout-skip-if.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+pipelines:
+  - name: check
+    manager: IndependentPipelineManager
+    trigger:
+      gerrit:
+        - event: patchset-created
+    success:
+      gerrit:
+        verified: 1
+    failure:
+      gerrit:
+        verified: -1
+
+
+jobs:
+  # Defining a metajob will validate that the skip-if attribute of the
+  # metajob is correctly copied to the job.
+  - name: ^.*skip-if$
+    skip-if:
+      - project: ^org/project$
+        branch: ^master$
+        all-files-match-any:
+          - ^README$
+  - name: project-test-skip-if
+
+projects:
+  - name: org/project
+    check:
+      - project-test-skip-if
diff --git a/tests/test_change_matcher.py b/tests/test_change_matcher.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1f4ab93d61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_change_matcher.py
@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+# Copyright 2015 Red Hat, Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+# not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+# a copy of the License at
+#
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+from zuul import change_matcher as cm
+from zuul import model
+
+from tests.base import BaseTestCase
+
+
+class BaseTestMatcher(BaseTestCase):
+
+    project = 'project'
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(BaseTestMatcher, self).setUp()
+        self.change = model.Change(self.project)
+
+
+class TestAbstractChangeMatcher(BaseTestMatcher):
+
+    def test_str(self):
+        matcher = cm.ProjectMatcher(self.project)
+        self.assertEqual(str(matcher), '{ProjectMatcher:project}')
+
+    def test_repr(self):
+        matcher = cm.ProjectMatcher(self.project)
+        self.assertEqual(repr(matcher), '<ProjectMatcher project>')
+
+
+class TestProjectMatcher(BaseTestMatcher):
+
+    def test_matches_returns_true(self):
+        matcher = cm.ProjectMatcher(self.project)
+        self.assertTrue(matcher.matches(self.change))
+
+    def test_matches_returns_false(self):
+        matcher = cm.ProjectMatcher('not_project')
+        self.assertFalse(matcher.matches(self.change))
+
+
+class TestBranchMatcher(BaseTestMatcher):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(TestBranchMatcher, self).setUp()
+        self.matcher = cm.BranchMatcher('foo')
+
+    def test_matches_returns_true_on_matching_branch(self):
+        self.change.branch = 'foo'
+        self.assertTrue(self.matcher.matches(self.change))
+
+    def test_matches_returns_true_on_matching_ref(self):
+        self.change.branch = 'bar'
+        self.change.ref = 'foo'
+        self.assertTrue(self.matcher.matches(self.change))
+
+    def test_matches_returns_false_for_no_match(self):
+        self.change.branch = 'bar'
+        self.change.ref = 'baz'
+        self.assertFalse(self.matcher.matches(self.change))
+
+    def test_matches_returns_false_for_missing_attrs(self):
+        delattr(self.change, 'branch')
+        # ref is by default not an attribute
+        self.assertFalse(self.matcher.matches(self.change))
+
+
+class TestFileMatcher(BaseTestMatcher):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(TestFileMatcher, self).setUp()
+        self.matcher = cm.FileMatcher('filename')
+
+    def test_matches_returns_true(self):
+        self.change.files = ['filename']
+        self.assertTrue(self.matcher.matches(self.change))
+
+    def test_matches_returns_false_when_no_files(self):
+        self.assertFalse(self.matcher.matches(self.change))
+
+    def test_matches_returns_false_when_files_attr_missing(self):
+        delattr(self.change, 'files')
+        self.assertFalse(self.matcher.matches(self.change))
+
+
+class TestAbstractMatcherCollection(BaseTestMatcher):
+
+    def test_str(self):
+        matcher = cm.MatchAll([cm.FileMatcher('foo')])
+        self.assertEqual(str(matcher), '{MatchAll:{FileMatcher:foo}}')
+
+    def test_repr(self):
+        matcher = cm.MatchAll([])
+        self.assertEqual(repr(matcher), '<MatchAll>')
+
+
+class TestMatchAllFiles(BaseTestMatcher):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(TestMatchAllFiles, self).setUp()
+        self.matcher = cm.MatchAllFiles([cm.FileMatcher('^docs/.*$')])
+
+    def _test_matches(self, expected, files=None):
+        if files is not None:
+            self.change.files = files
+        self.assertEqual(expected, self.matcher.matches(self.change))
+
+    def test_matches_returns_false_when_files_attr_missing(self):
+        delattr(self.change, 'files')
+        self._test_matches(False)
+
+    def test_matches_returns_false_when_no_files(self):
+        self._test_matches(False)
+
+    def test_matches_returns_false_when_not_all_files_match(self):
+        self._test_matches(False, files=['docs/foo', 'foo/bar'])
+
+    def test_matches_returns_true_when_commit_message_matches(self):
+        self._test_matches(True, files=['/COMMIT_MSG'])
+
+    def test_matches_returns_true_when_all_files_match(self):
+        self._test_matches(True, files=['docs/foo'])
+
+
+class TestMatchAll(BaseTestMatcher):
+
+    def test_matches_returns_true(self):
+        matcher = cm.MatchAll([cm.ProjectMatcher(self.project)])
+        self.assertTrue(matcher.matches(self.change))
+
+    def test_matches_returns_false_for_missing_matcher(self):
+        matcher = cm.MatchAll([cm.ProjectMatcher('not_project')])
+        self.assertFalse(matcher.matches(self.change))
+
+
+class TestMatchAny(BaseTestMatcher):
+
+    def test_matches_returns_true(self):
+        matcher = cm.MatchAny([cm.ProjectMatcher(self.project)])
+        self.assertTrue(matcher.matches(self.change))
+
+    def test_matches_returns_false(self):
+        matcher = cm.MatchAny([cm.ProjectMatcher('not_project')])
+        self.assertFalse(matcher.matches(self.change))
diff --git a/tests/test_model.py b/tests/test_model.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a97f0a073f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_model.py
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+# Copyright 2015 Red Hat, Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+# not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+# a copy of the License at
+#
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+from zuul import change_matcher as cm
+from zuul import model
+
+from tests.base import BaseTestCase
+
+
+class TestJob(BaseTestCase):
+
+    @property
+    def job(self):
+        job = model.Job('job')
+        job.skip_if_matcher = cm.MatchAll([
+            cm.ProjectMatcher('^project$'),
+            cm.MatchAllFiles([cm.FileMatcher('^docs/.*$')]),
+        ])
+        return job
+
+    def test_change_matches_returns_false_for_matched_skip_if(self):
+        change = model.Change('project')
+        change.files = ['docs/foo']
+        self.assertFalse(self.job.changeMatches(change))
+
+    def test_change_matches_returns_true_for_unmatched_skip_if(self):
+        change = model.Change('project')
+        change.files = ['foo']
+        self.assertTrue(self.job.changeMatches(change))
+
+    def test_copy_retains_skip_if(self):
+        job = model.Job('job')
+        job.copy(self.job)
+        self.assertTrue(job.skip_if_matcher)
diff --git a/tests/test_scheduler.py b/tests/test_scheduler.py
index dcf7a8bf7d..4c8c832f7c 100755
--- a/tests/test_scheduler.py
+++ b/tests/test_scheduler.py
@@ -22,22 +22,62 @@ import shutil
 import time
 import urllib
 import urllib2
+import yaml
 
 import git
 import testtools
 
+import zuul.change_matcher
 import zuul.scheduler
 import zuul.rpcclient
 import zuul.reporter.gerrit
 import zuul.reporter.smtp
 
-from tests.base import ZuulTestCase, repack_repo
+from tests.base import (
+    BaseTestCase,
+    ZuulTestCase,
+    repack_repo,
+)
 
 logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG,
                     format='%(asctime)s %(name)-32s '
                     '%(levelname)-8s %(message)s')
 
 
+class TestSchedulerConfigParsing(BaseTestCase):
+
+    def test_parse_skip_if(self):
+        job_yaml = """
+jobs:
+  - name: job_name
+    skip-if:
+      - project: ^project_name$
+        branch: ^stable/icehouse$
+        all-files-match-any:
+          - ^filename$
+      - project: ^project2_name$
+        all-files-match-any:
+          - ^filename2$
+    """.strip()
+        data = yaml.load(job_yaml)
+        config_job = data.get('jobs')[0]
+        sched = zuul.scheduler.Scheduler()
+        cm = zuul.change_matcher
+        expected = cm.MatchAny([
+            cm.MatchAll([
+                cm.ProjectMatcher('^project_name$'),
+                cm.BranchMatcher('^stable/icehouse$'),
+                cm.MatchAllFiles([cm.FileMatcher('^filename$')]),
+            ]),
+            cm.MatchAll([
+                cm.ProjectMatcher('^project2_name$'),
+                cm.MatchAllFiles([cm.FileMatcher('^filename2$')]),
+            ]),
+        ])
+        matcher = sched._parseSkipIf(config_job)
+        self.assertEqual(expected, matcher)
+
+
 class TestScheduler(ZuulTestCase):
 
     def test_jobs_launched(self):
@@ -1965,6 +2005,33 @@ class TestScheduler(ZuulTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(B.data['status'], 'MERGED')
         self.assertEqual(B.reported, 2)
 
+    def _test_skip_if_jobs(self, branch, should_skip):
+        "Test that jobs with a skip-if filter run only when appropriate"
+        self.config.set('zuul', 'layout_config',
+                        'tests/fixtures/layout-skip-if.yaml')
+        self.sched.reconfigure(self.config)
+        self.registerJobs()
+
+        change = self.fake_gerrit.addFakeChange('org/project',
+                                                branch,
+                                                'test skip-if')
+        self.fake_gerrit.addEvent(change.getPatchsetCreatedEvent(1))
+        self.waitUntilSettled()
+
+        tested_change_ids = [x.changes[0] for x in self.history
+                             if x.name == 'project-test-skip-if']
+
+        if should_skip:
+            self.assertEqual([], tested_change_ids)
+        else:
+            self.assertIn(change.data['number'], tested_change_ids)
+
+    def test_skip_if_match_skips_job(self):
+        self._test_skip_if_jobs(branch='master', should_skip=True)
+
+    def test_skip_if_no_match_runs_job(self):
+        self._test_skip_if_jobs(branch='mp', should_skip=False)
+
     def test_test_config(self):
         "Test that we can test the config"
         sched = zuul.scheduler.Scheduler()
diff --git a/zuul/change_matcher.py b/zuul/change_matcher.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ed380f0ae5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zuul/change_matcher.py
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+# Copyright 2015 Red Hat, Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+# not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+# a copy of the License at
+#
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+"""
+This module defines classes used in matching changes based on job
+configuration.
+"""
+
+import re
+
+
+class AbstractChangeMatcher(object):
+
+    def __init__(self, regex):
+        self._regex = regex
+        self.regex = re.compile(regex)
+
+    def matches(self, change):
+        """Return a boolean indication of whether change matches
+        implementation-specific criteria.
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
+    def copy(self):
+        return self.__class__(self._regex)
+
+    def __eq__(self, other):
+        return str(self) == str(other)
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return '{%s:%s}' % (self.__class__.__name__, self._regex)
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return '<%s %s>' % (self.__class__.__name__, self._regex)
+
+
+class ProjectMatcher(AbstractChangeMatcher):
+
+    def matches(self, change):
+        return self.regex.match(str(change.project))
+
+
+class BranchMatcher(AbstractChangeMatcher):
+
+    def matches(self, change):
+        return (
+            (hasattr(change, 'branch') and self.regex.match(change.branch)) or
+            (hasattr(change, 'ref') and self.regex.match(change.ref))
+        )
+
+
+class FileMatcher(AbstractChangeMatcher):
+
+    def matches(self, change):
+        if not hasattr(change, 'files'):
+            return False
+        for file_ in change.files:
+            if self.regex.match(file_):
+                return True
+        return False
+
+
+class AbstractMatcherCollection(AbstractChangeMatcher):
+
+    def __init__(self, matchers):
+        self.matchers = matchers
+
+    def __eq__(self, other):
+        return str(self) == str(other)
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return '{%s:%s}' % (self.__class__.__name__,
+                            ','.join([str(x) for x in self.matchers]))
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return '<%s>' % self.__class__.__name__
+
+    def copy(self):
+        return self.__class__(self.matchers[:])
+
+
+class MatchAllFiles(AbstractMatcherCollection):
+
+    commit_regex = re.compile('^/COMMIT_MSG$')
+
+    @property
+    def regexes(self):
+        for matcher in self.matchers:
+            yield matcher.regex
+        yield self.commit_regex
+
+    def matches(self, change):
+        if not (hasattr(change, 'files') and change.files):
+            return False
+        for file_ in change.files:
+            matched_file = False
+            for regex in self.regexes:
+                if regex.match(file_):
+                    matched_file = True
+                    break
+            if not matched_file:
+                return False
+        return True
+
+
+class MatchAll(AbstractMatcherCollection):
+
+    def matches(self, change):
+        for matcher in self.matchers:
+            if not matcher.matches(change):
+                return False
+        return True
+
+
+class MatchAny(AbstractMatcherCollection):
+
+    def matches(self, change):
+        for matcher in self.matchers:
+            if matcher.matches(change):
+                return True
+        return False
diff --git a/zuul/layoutvalidator.py b/zuul/layoutvalidator.py
index cc7080c02f..88d10e25bf 100644
--- a/zuul/layoutvalidator.py
+++ b/zuul/layoutvalidator.py
@@ -135,6 +135,11 @@ class LayoutSchema(object):
              'logserver-prefix': str,
              }
 
+    skip_if = {'project': str,
+               'branch': str,
+               'all-files-match-any': toList(str),
+               }
+
     job = {v.Required('name'): str,
            'queue-name': str,
            'failure-message': str,
@@ -147,6 +152,7 @@ class LayoutSchema(object):
            'branch': toList(str),
            'files': toList(str),
            'swift': toList(swift),
+           'skip-if': toList(skip_if),
            }
     jobs = [job]
 
diff --git a/zuul/model.py b/zuul/model.py
index 4514e7d3be..1786fd9bd1 100644
--- a/zuul/model.py
+++ b/zuul/model.py
@@ -458,6 +458,7 @@ class Job(object):
         self._branches = []
         self.files = []
         self._files = []
+        self.skip_if_matcher = None
         self.swift = {}
 
     def __str__(self):
@@ -483,6 +484,8 @@ class Job(object):
         if other.files:
             self.files = other.files[:]
             self._files = other._files[:]
+        if other.skip_if_matcher:
+            self.skip_if_matcher = other.skip_if_matcher.copy()
         if other.swift:
             self.swift.update(other.swift)
         self.hold_following_changes = other.hold_following_changes
@@ -507,6 +510,9 @@ class Job(object):
         if self.files and not matches_file:
             return False
 
+        if self.skip_if_matcher and self.skip_if_matcher.matches(change):
+            return False
+
         return True
 
 
diff --git a/zuul/scheduler.py b/zuul/scheduler.py
index 08a9147707..25f8192636 100644
--- a/zuul/scheduler.py
+++ b/zuul/scheduler.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import layoutvalidator
 import model
 from model import ActionReporter, Pipeline, Project, ChangeQueue
 from model import EventFilter, ChangeishFilter
+from zuul import change_matcher
 from zuul import version as zuul_version
 
 statsd = extras.try_import('statsd.statsd')
@@ -166,6 +167,14 @@ class MergeCompletedEvent(ResultEvent):
         self.commit = commit
 
 
+def toList(item):
+    if not item:
+        return []
+    if isinstance(item, list):
+        return item
+    return [item]
+
+
 class Scheduler(threading.Thread):
     log = logging.getLogger("zuul.Scheduler")
 
@@ -199,17 +208,38 @@ class Scheduler(threading.Thread):
     def testConfig(self, config_path):
         return self._parseConfig(config_path)
 
+    def _parseSkipIf(self, config_job):
+        cm = change_matcher
+        skip_matchers = []
+
+        for config_skip in config_job.get('skip-if', []):
+            nested_matchers = []
+
+            project_regex = config_skip.get('project')
+            if project_regex:
+                nested_matchers.append(cm.ProjectMatcher(project_regex))
+
+            branch_regex = config_skip.get('branch')
+            if branch_regex:
+                nested_matchers.append(cm.BranchMatcher(branch_regex))
+
+            file_regexes = toList(config_skip.get('all-files-match-any'))
+            if file_regexes:
+                file_matchers = [cm.FileMatcher(x) for x in file_regexes]
+                all_files_matcher = cm.MatchAllFiles(file_matchers)
+                nested_matchers.append(all_files_matcher)
+
+            # All patterns need to match a given skip-if predicate
+            skip_matchers.append(cm.MatchAll(nested_matchers))
+
+        if skip_matchers:
+            # Any skip-if predicate can be matched to trigger a skip
+            return cm.MatchAny(skip_matchers)
+
     def _parseConfig(self, config_path):
         layout = model.Layout()
         project_templates = {}
 
-        def toList(item):
-            if not item:
-                return []
-            if isinstance(item, list):
-                return item
-            return [item]
-
         if config_path:
             config_path = os.path.expanduser(config_path)
             if not os.path.exists(config_path):
@@ -397,6 +427,9 @@ class Scheduler(threading.Thread):
             if files:
                 job._files = files
                 job.files = [re.compile(x) for x in files]
+            skip_if_matcher = self._parseSkipIf(config_job)
+            if skip_if_matcher:
+                job.skip_if_matcher = skip_if_matcher
             swift = toList(config_job.get('swift'))
             if swift:
                 for s in swift:
@@ -979,6 +1012,8 @@ class BasePipelineManager(object):
                     efilters += str(b)
                 for f in tree.job._files:
                     efilters += str(f)
+                if tree.job.skip_if_matcher:
+                    efilters += str(tree.job.skip_if_matcher)
                 if efilters:
                     efilters = ' ' + efilters
                 hold = ''