diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 2b011e0112..fcc69d1ee8 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,3 +1,14 @@
+git-annex (6.20180808) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
+
+  * When --batch is used with matching options like --in, --metadata,
+    etc, only operate on the provided files when they match those options.
+    Otherwise, a blank line is output in the batch protocol.
+    Affected commands: find, add, whereis, drop, copy, move, get
+  * Make metadata --batch combined with matching options refuse to run,
+    since it does not seem worth supporting that combination.
+
+ -- Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>  Wed, 08 Aug 2018 11:24:08 -0400
+
 git-annex (6.20180807) upstream; urgency=medium
 
   * S3: Support credential-less download from remotes configured
diff --git a/CmdLine/Batch.hs b/CmdLine/Batch.hs
index 82038314c0..cea108f126 100644
--- a/CmdLine/Batch.hs
+++ b/CmdLine/Batch.hs
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ import Types.Command
 import CmdLine.Action
 import CmdLine.GitAnnex.Options
 import Options.Applicative
+import Limit
+import Types.FileMatcher
 
 data BatchMode = Batch | NoBatch
 
@@ -72,5 +74,18 @@ batchCommandAction a = maybe (batchBadInput Batch) (const noop)
 
 -- Reads lines of batch input and passes the filepaths to a CommandStart
 -- to handle them.
-batchFiles :: (FilePath -> CommandStart) -> Annex ()
-batchFiles a = batchInput Right $ batchCommandAction . a
+--
+-- File matching options are not checked.
+allBatchFiles :: (FilePath -> CommandStart) -> Annex ()
+allBatchFiles a = batchInput Right $ batchCommandAction . a
+
+-- Like allBatchFiles, but checks the file matching options
+-- and skips non-matching files.
+batchFilesMatching :: (FilePath -> CommandStart) -> Annex ()
+batchFilesMatching a = do
+	matcher <- getMatcher
+	allBatchFiles $ \f ->
+		ifM (matcher $ MatchingFile $ FileInfo f f)
+			( a f
+			, return Nothing
+			)
diff --git a/Command/Add.hs b/Command/Add.hs
index 10148ad50a..de602a9a7c 100644
--- a/Command/Add.hs
+++ b/Command/Add.hs
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ seek o = allowConcurrentOutput $ do
 		Batch
 			| updateOnly o ->
 				giveup "--update --batch is not supported"
-			| otherwise -> batchFiles gofile
+			| otherwise -> batchFilesMatching gofile
 		NoBatch -> do
 			l <- workTreeItems (addThese o)
 			let go a = a gofile l
diff --git a/Command/Copy.hs b/Command/Copy.hs
index daf2e66bcb..d3248f42c6 100644
--- a/Command/Copy.hs
+++ b/Command/Copy.hs
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ seek :: CopyOptions -> CommandSeek
 seek o = allowConcurrentOutput $ do
 	let go = whenAnnexed $ start o
 	case batchOption o of
-		Batch -> batchInput Right (batchCommandAction . go)
+		Batch -> batchFilesMatching go
 		NoBatch -> withKeyOptions
 			(keyOptions o) (autoMode o)
 			(Command.Move.startKey (fromToOptions o) Command.Move.RemoveNever)
diff --git a/Command/Drop.hs b/Command/Drop.hs
index baeae66eeb..4d7f13f687 100644
--- a/Command/Drop.hs
+++ b/Command/Drop.hs
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ parseDropFromOption = parseRemoteOption <$> strOption
 seek :: DropOptions -> CommandSeek
 seek o = allowConcurrentOutput $
 	case batchOption o of
-		Batch -> batchInput Right (batchCommandAction . go)
+		Batch -> batchFilesMatching go
 		NoBatch -> withKeyOptions (keyOptions o) (autoMode o)
 			(startKeys o)
 			(withFilesInGit go)
diff --git a/Command/Find.hs b/Command/Find.hs
index 10eff3527a..9d7c040d27 100644
--- a/Command/Find.hs
+++ b/Command/Find.hs
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ parseFormatOption =
 seek :: FindOptions -> CommandSeek
 seek o = case batchOption o of
 	NoBatch -> withFilesInGit go =<< workTreeItems (findThese o)
-	Batch -> batchFiles go
+	Batch -> batchFilesMatching go
   where
 	go = whenAnnexed $ start o
 
diff --git a/Command/Get.hs b/Command/Get.hs
index eac8e88a44..fde65c5018 100644
--- a/Command/Get.hs
+++ b/Command/Get.hs
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ seek o = allowConcurrentOutput $ do
 	from <- maybe (pure Nothing) (Just <$$> getParsed) (getFrom o)
 	let go = whenAnnexed $ start o from
 	case batchOption o of
-		Batch -> batchInput Right (batchCommandAction . go)
+		Batch -> batchFilesMatching go
 		NoBatch -> withKeyOptions (keyOptions o) (autoMode o)
 			(startKeys from)
 			(withFilesInGit go)
diff --git a/Command/MetaData.hs b/Command/MetaData.hs
index 282b7fda05..23f16a53a0 100644
--- a/Command/MetaData.hs
+++ b/Command/MetaData.hs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import Annex.WorkTree
 import Messages.JSON (JSONActionItem(..))
 import Types.Messages
 import Utility.Aeson
+import Limit
 
 import qualified Data.Set as S
 import qualified Data.Map as M
@@ -83,8 +84,11 @@ seek o = case batchOption o of
 			(seeker $ whenAnnexed $ start c o)
 			=<< workTreeItems (forFiles o)
 	Batch -> withMessageState $ \s -> case outputType s of
-		JSONOutput _ -> batchInput parseJSONInput $
-			commandAction . startBatch
+		JSONOutput _ -> ifM limited
+			( giveup "combining --batch with file matching options is not currently supported"
+			, batchInput parseJSONInput $
+				commandAction . startBatch
+			)
 		_ -> giveup "--batch is currently only supported in --json mode"
 
 start :: VectorClock -> MetaDataOptions -> FilePath -> Key -> CommandStart
diff --git a/Command/Move.hs b/Command/Move.hs
index b50c877bcc..f5de2c9636 100644
--- a/Command/Move.hs
+++ b/Command/Move.hs
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ seek :: MoveOptions -> CommandSeek
 seek o = allowConcurrentOutput $ do
 	let go = whenAnnexed $ start (fromToOptions o) (removeWhen o)
 	case batchOption o of
-		Batch -> batchInput Right (batchCommandAction . go)
+		Batch -> batchFilesMatching go
 		NoBatch -> withKeyOptions (keyOptions o) False
 			(startKey (fromToOptions o) (removeWhen o))
 			(withFilesInGit go)
diff --git a/Command/Whereis.hs b/Command/Whereis.hs
index b14e231c17..988c4aaf5a 100644
--- a/Command/Whereis.hs
+++ b/Command/Whereis.hs
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ seek o = do
 	m <- remoteMap id
 	let go = whenAnnexed $ start m
 	case batchOption o of
-		Batch -> batchFiles go
+		Batch -> batchFilesMatching go
 		NoBatch -> 
 			withKeyOptions (keyOptions o) False
 				(startKeys m)
diff --git a/doc/bugs/find_with_batch_does_not_apply_matching_options.mdwn b/doc/bugs/find_with_batch_does_not_apply_matching_options.mdwn
index 767f1db481..813ae9caf1 100644
--- a/doc/bugs/find_with_batch_does_not_apply_matching_options.mdwn
+++ b/doc/bugs/find_with_batch_does_not_apply_matching_options.mdwn
@@ -8,3 +8,6 @@ Using `git annex find --batch` with matching options seems to not apply them.
 
 ### What version of git-annex are you using? On what operating system?
 I'd rather not say ~~because it is ancient~~. Joey says this is reproducible on recent git-annex versions though.
+
+> Not only find, but a bunch of commands supporting --batch had this
+> oversight. Fixed them all. [[done]] --[[Joey]]
diff --git a/doc/git-annex-add.mdwn b/doc/git-annex-add.mdwn
index ff7bc40045..f24ec761d5 100644
--- a/doc/git-annex-add.mdwn
+++ b/doc/git-annex-add.mdwn
@@ -77,8 +77,9 @@ annexed content, and other symlinks.
   the file is added, and repeat.
 
   Note that if a file is skipped (due to not existing, being gitignored,
-  already being in git etc), an empty line will be output instead of the
-  normal output produced when adding a file.
+  already being in git, or doesn't meet the matching options), 
+  an empty line will be output instead of the normal output produced
+  when adding a file.
 
 # SEE ALSO
 
diff --git a/doc/git-annex-copy.mdwn b/doc/git-annex-copy.mdwn
index fedeaa067e..9a5b48be98 100644
--- a/doc/git-annex-copy.mdwn
+++ b/doc/git-annex-copy.mdwn
@@ -80,8 +80,9 @@ Copies the content of files from or to another remote.
   are read from stdin.
 
   As each specified file is processed, the usual progress output is
-  displayed. If a file's content does not need to be copied or it
-  is not an annexed file, a blank line is output in response instead.
+  displayed. If a file's content does not need to be copied, or it does not
+  match specified matching options, or it is not an annexed file,
+  a blank line is output in response instead.
 
   Since the usual output while copying a file is verbose and not
   machine-parseable, you may want to use --json in combination with
diff --git a/doc/git-annex-drop.mdwn b/doc/git-annex-drop.mdwn
index 6975e4a08d..7074ca5cc9 100644
--- a/doc/git-annex-drop.mdwn
+++ b/doc/git-annex-drop.mdwn
@@ -82,6 +82,11 @@ safe to do so.
   Enables batch mode, in which lines containing names of files to drop
   are read from stdin.
 
+  As each specified file is processed, the usual output is
+  displayed. If a file's content is not present, or it does not
+  match specified matching options, or it is not an annexed file,
+  a blank line is output in response instead.
+
 * `--json`
 
   Enable JSON output. This is intended to be parsed by programs that use
diff --git a/doc/git-annex-get.mdwn b/doc/git-annex-get.mdwn
index 89c5388fb6..1287fa13d7 100644
--- a/doc/git-annex-get.mdwn
+++ b/doc/git-annex-get.mdwn
@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ or transferring them from some kind of key-value store.
   are read from stdin.
 
   As each specified file is processed, the usual progress output is
-  displayed. If the specified file's content is already present, or
+  displayed. If the specified file's content is already present, 
+  or it does not match specified matching options, or
   it is not an annexed file, a blank line is output in response instead.
 
   Since the usual output while getting a file is verbose and not
diff --git a/doc/git-annex-metadata.mdwn b/doc/git-annex-metadata.mdwn
index 5e86077cc1..a672b104ce 100644
--- a/doc/git-annex-metadata.mdwn
+++ b/doc/git-annex-metadata.mdwn
@@ -152,6 +152,9 @@ automatically.
 
 	{"file":"foo","fields":{"author":[]}}
 
+  Note that file matching options do not affect the files that are
+  processed when in batch mode.
+
 # EXAMPLES
 
 To set some tags on a file and also its author:
diff --git a/doc/git-annex-move.mdwn b/doc/git-annex-move.mdwn
index 661edba1d9..3af858f8df 100644
--- a/doc/git-annex-move.mdwn
+++ b/doc/git-annex-move.mdwn
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@ Moves the content of files from or to another remote.
   are read from stdin.
 
   As each specified file is processed, the usual progress output is
-  displayed. If a file's content does not need to be moved or it
+  displayed. If a file's content does not need to be moved,
+  or it does not match specified matching options, or it
   is not an annexed file, a blank line is output in response instead.
 
   Since the usual output while moving a file is verbose and not
diff --git a/doc/git-annex-whereis.mdwn b/doc/git-annex-whereis.mdwn
index 9822c57039..5c3a774ef3 100644
--- a/doc/git-annex-whereis.mdwn
+++ b/doc/git-annex-whereis.mdwn
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ For example:
   Enables batch mode, in which a file is read in a line from stdin,
   its information displayed, and repeat.
 
-  Note that if the file is not an annexed file, an empty line will be
+  Note that if the file is not an annexed file, or does not match
+  specified file matching options, an empty line will be
   output instead.
 
 * `--json`