diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9950a26cd0..641aeffa5f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -823,10 +823,13 @@ ifeq ($(NEED_WRAPPER),y)
 	$(Q)$(TOPDIR)/support/scripts/mkmakefile $(TOPDIR) $(O)
 endif
 
-# printvars prints all the variables currently defined in our Makefiles
+# printvars prints all the variables currently defined in our
+# Makefiles. Alternatively, if a non-empty VARS variable is passed,
+# only the variables matching the make pattern passed in VARS are
+# displayed.
 printvars:
 	@$(foreach V, \
-		$(sort $(.VARIABLES)), \
+		$(sort $(if $(VARS),$(filter $(VARS),$(.VARIABLES)),$(.VARIABLES))), \
 		$(if $(filter-out environment% default automatic, \
 				$(origin $V)), \
 		$(info $V=$($V) ($(value $V)))))