diff --git a/src/event.c b/src/event.c
index a76d70eb..ad06a950 100644
--- a/src/event.c
+++ b/src/event.c
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ static event_t *event_new(const char *trigger) {
 /* subsystem functions */
 static inline void _try_event(event_registration_t *er, event_t *event) {
     /* er is already locked */
-    if (strcmp(er->trigger, event->trigger) != 0)
+    if (!util_is_in_list(er->trigger, event->trigger))
         return;
 
     if (er->emit)
diff --git a/src/util_string.c b/src/util_string.c
index 7fa4cd09..6e8869db 100644
--- a/src/util_string.c
+++ b/src/util_string.c
@@ -309,3 +309,36 @@ int util_strtolower(char *str)
 
     return 0;
 }
+
+bool util_is_in_list(const char *list, const char *needle)
+{
+    while (*list) {
+        const char *t = needle;
+        bool positive = true;
+
+        for (; *list == ','; list++);
+
+        for (; *list == '!'; list++)
+            positive = !positive;
+
+        for (; *list; list++) {
+            if (*list == ',')
+                break;
+            if (*list == '*')
+                return positive;
+
+            if (*list == *t) {
+                t++;
+            } else {
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        if ((*list == 0 || *list == ',') && *t == 0) {
+            return positive;
+        }
+
+        for (; *list && *list != ','; list++);
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
diff --git a/src/util_string.h b/src/util_string.h
index d4d2d479..695c9a07 100644
--- a/src/util_string.h
+++ b/src/util_string.h
@@ -34,4 +34,7 @@ int util_replace_string(char **dst, const char *src);
 bool util_replace_string_url_escape(char **dst, const char *src); /* returns true on success */
 int util_strtolower(char *str);
 
+/* Supports wildcards, supports negatives matches. */
+bool util_is_in_list(const char *list, const char *needle);
+
 #endif  /* __UTIL_STRING_H__ */