diff --git a/deb-git-version-gen b/deb-git-version-gen
index e9a1fea676548580c90107a0d1ca041bffb81208..e84bcb11a9dc44f3df05f43e8bb2df1978d9d68b 100755
--- a/deb-git-version-gen
+++ b/deb-git-version-gen
@@ -65,7 +65,8 @@ class Versioner:
             dch=False,
             debug=False,
             release=True,               # type: typing.Optional[bool]
-            upstream=True
+            upstream=True,
+            distro=None
     ):
         # type: (...) -> None
         self.branch_marker = branch_marker
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@ class Versioner:
         self.debug = debug
         self.release = release
         self.upstream = upstream
+        self.distro = distro
 
     def parse_description(self, description):
         # type: (str) -> typing.Tuple[str, Version, int, str]
@@ -245,9 +247,10 @@ class Versioner:
                 mangled_version = tagged_version.replace(':', '%')
                 mangled_version = mangled_version.replace('~', '_')
                 try:
+                    prefix = self.distro if self.distro else '*'
                     raw_description = check_output([
                         'git', 'describe', '--tags',
-                        '--match=*/' + mangled_version,
+                        '--match=' + prefix + '/' + mangled_version,
                         '--long',
                     ], universal_newlines=True, stderr=diag_sink).strip()
                 except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
@@ -481,6 +484,10 @@ def main():
         help='run debchange to update debian/changelog',
         action='store_true', default=False)
 
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--distro', help='distribution prefix',
+        default=None)
+
     parser.add_argument(
         '--counter-based',
         help='base version numbers on commit count (default)',
@@ -516,6 +523,7 @@ def main():
             debug=args.debug,
             release=args.release,
             upstream=args.upstream,
+            distro=args.distro
         ).main()
     except (Failure, subprocess.CalledProcessError) as e:
         if args.debug: