diff --git a/cli/cmd/compose/compose.go b/cli/cmd/compose/compose.go
index 76eda7d9c..9108dc885 100644
--- a/cli/cmd/compose/compose.go
+++ b/cli/cmd/compose/compose.go
@@ -20,9 +20,9 @@ import (
 	"context"
 
 	"github.com/compose-spec/compose-go/cli"
-	"github.com/spf13/pflag"
-
+	"github.com/compose-spec/compose-go/types"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"github.com/spf13/pflag"
 
 	"github.com/docker/compose-cli/api/client"
 	"github.com/docker/compose-cli/errdefs"
@@ -100,3 +100,40 @@ func checkComposeSupport(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	return err
 }
+
+//
+func filter(project *types.Project, services []string) error {
+	if len(services) == 0 {
+		// All services
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	names := map[string]bool{}
+	err := addServiceNames(project, services, names)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	var filtered types.Services
+	for _, s := range project.Services {
+		if _, ok := names[s.Name]; ok {
+			filtered = append(filtered, s)
+		}
+	}
+	project.Services = filtered
+	return nil
+}
+
+func addServiceNames(project *types.Project, services []string, names map[string]bool) error {
+	for _, name := range services {
+		names[name] = true
+		service, err := project.GetService(name)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		err = addServiceNames(project, service.GetDependencies(), names)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/cli/cmd/compose/compose_test.go b/cli/cmd/compose/compose_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..49308d705
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/cmd/compose/compose_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+/*
+   Copyright 2020 Docker Compose CLI authors
+
+   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.
+*/
+
+package compose
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/compose-spec/compose-go/types"
+	"gotest.tools/v3/assert"
+)
+
+func TestFilterServices(t *testing.T) {
+	p := types.Project{
+		Services: []types.ServiceConfig{
+			{
+				Name:  "foo",
+				Links: []string{"bar"},
+			},
+			{
+				Name:        "bar",
+				NetworkMode: "service:zot",
+			},
+			{
+				Name: "zot",
+			},
+			{
+				Name: "qix",
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	err := filter(&p, []string{"bar"})
+	assert.NilError(t, err)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, len(p.Services), 2)
+	_, err = p.GetService("bar")
+	assert.NilError(t, err)
+	_, err = p.GetService("zot")
+	assert.NilError(t, err)
+}
diff --git a/cli/cmd/compose/up.go b/cli/cmd/compose/up.go
index 359810f7e..aabdf578d 100644
--- a/cli/cmd/compose/up.go
+++ b/cli/cmd/compose/up.go
@@ -19,9 +19,8 @@ package compose
 import (
 	"context"
 
-	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-
 	"github.com/compose-spec/compose-go/cli"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
 	"github.com/docker/compose-cli/api/client"
 	"github.com/docker/compose-cli/context/store"
@@ -31,9 +30,9 @@ import (
 func upCommand(contextType string) *cobra.Command {
 	opts := composeOptions{}
 	upCmd := &cobra.Command{
-		Use: "up",
+		Use: "up [SERVICE...]",
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			return runUp(cmd.Context(), opts)
+			return runUp(cmd.Context(), opts, args)
 		},
 	}
 	upCmd.Flags().StringVarP(&opts.Name, "project-name", "p", "", "Project name")
@@ -49,7 +48,7 @@ func upCommand(contextType string) *cobra.Command {
 	return upCmd
 }
 
-func runUp(ctx context.Context, opts composeOptions) error {
+func runUp(ctx context.Context, opts composeOptions, services []string) error {
 	c, err := client.New(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -61,10 +60,15 @@ func runUp(ctx context.Context, opts composeOptions) error {
 			return "", err
 		}
 		project, err := cli.ProjectFromOptions(options)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
 		if opts.DomainName != "" {
 			//arbitrarily set the domain name on the first service ; ACI backend will expose the entire project
 			project.Services[0].DomainName = opts.DomainName
 		}
+
+		err = filter(project, services)
 		if err != nil {
 			return "", err
 		}