diff --git a/Annex/FileMatcher.hs b/Annex/FileMatcher.hs
index 87cf49a244..d5e4016858 100644
--- a/Annex/FileMatcher.hs
+++ b/Annex/FileMatcher.hs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ module Annex.FileMatcher (
 	checkFileMatcher,
 	checkFileMatcher',
 	checkMatcher,
+	checkMatcher',
 	matchAll,
 	PreferredContentData(..),
 	preferredContentTokens,
@@ -63,7 +64,11 @@ checkMatcher matcher mkey afile notpresent notconfigured d
 		(Just key, _) -> go (MatchingKey key afile)
 		_ -> d
   where
-	go mi = matchMrun matcher $ \a -> a notpresent mi
+	go mi = checkMatcher' matcher mi notpresent
+
+checkMatcher' :: FileMatcher Annex -> MatchInfo -> AssumeNotPresent -> Annex Bool
+checkMatcher' matcher mi notpresent =
+	matchMrun matcher $ \a -> a notpresent mi
 
 fileMatchInfo :: FilePath -> Annex MatchInfo
 fileMatchInfo file = do
diff --git a/Command/Export.hs b/Command/Export.hs
index f4862cd2d0..64faa9a5db 100644
--- a/Command/Export.hs
+++ b/Command/Export.hs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import qualified Annex
 import qualified Git
 import qualified Git.DiffTree
 import qualified Git.LsTree
+import qualified Git.Tree
 import qualified Git.Ref
 import Git.Types
 import Git.FilePath
@@ -24,13 +25,17 @@ import Annex.Export
 import Annex.Content
 import Annex.Transfer
 import Annex.CatFile
+import Annex.FileMatcher
+import Types.FileMatcher
 import Annex.RemoteTrackingBranch
 import Logs.Location
 import Logs.Export
+import Logs.PreferredContent
 import Database.Export
 import Config
 import Utility.Tmp
 import Utility.Metered
+import Utility.Matcher
 
 import qualified Data.ByteString.Lazy as L
 import qualified Data.Map as M
@@ -79,7 +84,8 @@ seek o = do
 		setConfig (remoteConfig r "annex-tracking-branch")
 			(fromRef $ exportTreeish o)
 	
-	tree <- fromMaybe (giveup "unknown tree") <$>
+	tree <- filterPreferredContent r =<<
+		fromMaybe (giveup "unknown tree") <$>
 		inRepo (Git.Ref.tree (exportTreeish o))
 	
 	mtbcommitsha <- getExportCommit r (exportTreeish o)
@@ -112,8 +118,8 @@ getExportCommit r treeish
 
 -- | Changes what's exported to the remote. Does not upload any new
 -- files, but does delete and rename files already exported to the remote.
-changeExport :: Remote -> ExportHandle -> Git.Ref -> CommandSeek
-changeExport r db new = do
+changeExport :: Remote -> ExportHandle -> PreferredFiltered Git.Ref -> CommandSeek
+changeExport r db (PreferredFiltered new) = do
 	old <- getExport (uuid r)
 	recordExportBeginning (uuid r) new
 	
@@ -223,8 +229,8 @@ newtype AllFilled = AllFilled { fromAllFilled :: Bool }
 --
 -- Once all exported files have reached the remote, updates the
 -- remote tracking branch.
-fillExport :: Remote -> ExportHandle -> Git.Ref -> Maybe (RemoteTrackingBranch, Sha) -> Annex Bool
-fillExport r db newtree mtbcommitsha = do
+fillExport :: Remote -> ExportHandle -> PreferredFiltered Git.Ref -> Maybe (RemoteTrackingBranch, Sha) -> Annex Bool
+fillExport r db (PreferredFiltered newtree) mtbcommitsha = do
 	(l, cleanup) <- inRepo $ Git.LsTree.lsTree Git.LsTree.LsTreeRecursive newtree
 	cvar <- liftIO $ newMVar (FileUploaded False)
 	allfilledvar <- liftIO $ newMVar (AllFilled True)
@@ -431,3 +437,34 @@ removeEmptyDirectories r db loc ks
 			( removeexportdirectory d
 			, return True
 			)
+
+-- | A value that has been filtered through the remote's preferred content
+-- expression.
+newtype PreferredFiltered t = PreferredFiltered t
+
+filterPreferredContent :: Remote -> Git.Ref -> Annex (PreferredFiltered Git.Ref)
+filterPreferredContent r tree = do
+	m <- preferredContentMap
+	case M.lookup (uuid r) m of
+		Just matcher | not (isEmpty matcher) -> 
+			PreferredFiltered <$> go matcher
+		_ -> return (PreferredFiltered tree)
+  where
+	go matcher = do
+		g <- Annex.gitRepo
+		Git.Tree.adjustTree (checkmatcher matcher) [] [] tree g
+	
+	checkmatcher matcher ti@(Git.Tree.TreeItem topf _ sha) =
+		catKey sha >>= \case
+			Just k -> do
+				-- Match filename relative to the
+				-- top of the tree.
+				let af = AssociatedFile $ Just $
+					getTopFilePath topf
+				let mi = MatchingKey k af
+				ifM (checkMatcher' matcher mi mempty)
+					( return (Just ti)
+					, return Nothing
+					)
+			-- Always export non-annexed files.
+			Nothing -> return (Just ti)
diff --git a/Command/Sync.hs b/Command/Sync.hs
index 99410629f4..fd83f354e4 100644
--- a/Command/Sync.hs
+++ b/Command/Sync.hs
@@ -723,23 +723,22 @@ seekExportContent o rs (currbranch, _) = or <$> forM rs go
 			(Export.openDb (Remote.uuid r))
 			Export.closeDb
 			(\db -> Export.writeLockDbWhile db (go' r db))
-	go' r db = do
-		(exported, mtbcommitsha) <- case remoteAnnexTrackingBranch (Remote.gitconfig r) of
-			Nothing -> nontracking r
-			Just b -> do
-				mtree <- inRepo $ Git.Ref.tree b
-				mtbcommitsha <- Command.Export.getExportCommit r b
-				case (mtree, mtbcommitsha) of
-					(Just tree, Just _) -> do
-						Command.Export.changeExport r db tree
-						return ([mkExported tree []], mtbcommitsha)
-					_ -> nontracking r
-		fillexport r db (exportedTreeishes exported) mtbcommitsha
-		
-	nontracking r = do
+	go' r db = case remoteAnnexTrackingBranch (Remote.gitconfig r) of
+		Nothing -> nontracking r db
+		Just b -> do
+			mtree <- inRepo $ Git.Ref.tree b
+			mtbcommitsha <- Command.Export.getExportCommit r b
+			case (mtree, mtbcommitsha) of
+				(Just tree, Just _) -> do
+					filteredtree <- Command.Export.filterPreferredContent r tree
+					Command.Export.changeExport r db filteredtree
+					Command.Export.fillExport r db filteredtree mtbcommitsha
+				_ -> nontracking r db
+	
+	nontracking r db = do
 		exported <- getExport (Remote.uuid r)
 		maybe noop (warnnontracking r exported) currbranch
-		return (exported, Nothing)
+		fillexport r db (exportedTreeishes exported) Nothing
 	
 	warnnontracking r exported currb = inRepo (Git.Ref.tree currb) >>= \case
 		Just currt | not (any (== currt) (exportedTreeishes exported)) ->
@@ -754,7 +753,9 @@ seekExportContent o rs (currbranch, _) = or <$> forM rs go
 		gitconfig = show (remoteConfig r "tracking-branch")
 
 	fillexport _ _ [] _ = return False
-	fillexport r db (t:[]) mtbcommitsha = Command.Export.fillExport r db t mtbcommitsha
+	fillexport r db (tree:[]) mtbcommitsha = do
+		let filteredtree = Command.Export.PreferredFiltered tree
+		Command.Export.fillExport r db filteredtree mtbcommitsha
 	fillexport r _ _ _ = do
 		warnExportImportConflict r
 		return False