diff --git a/doc/source/zuul.rst b/doc/source/zuul.rst
index b5b8d7b..d8d72e6 100644
--- a/doc/source/zuul.rst
+++ b/doc/source/zuul.rst
@@ -765,6 +765,12 @@
   Boolean value (``true`` or ``false``) that indicates whatever
   a job is voting or not.  Default: ``true``.
 
+**tags (optional)**
+  A list of arbitrary strings which will be associated with the job.
+  Can be used by the parameter-function to alter behavior based on
+  their presence on a job.  If the job name is a regular expression,
+  tags will accumulate on jobs that match.
+
 **parameter-function (optional)**
   Specifies a function that should be applied to the parameters before
   the job is launched.  The function should be defined in a python file
diff --git a/tests/base.py b/tests/base.py
index f3bfa4e..405caa0 100755
--- a/tests/base.py
+++ b/tests/base.py
@@ -620,6 +620,7 @@
             BuildHistory(name=self.name, number=self.number,
                          result=result, changes=changes, node=self.node,
                          uuid=self.unique, description=self.description,
+                         parameters=self.parameters,
                          pipeline=self.parameters['ZUUL_PIPELINE'])
         )
 
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layout-tags.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layout-tags.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d5b8bf9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layout-tags.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+includes:
+  - python-file: tags_custom_functions.py
+
+pipelines:
+  - name: check
+    manager: IndependentPipelineManager
+    trigger:
+      gerrit:
+        - event: patchset-created
+    success:
+      gerrit:
+        verified: 1
+    failure:
+      gerrit:
+        verified: -1
+
+jobs:
+  - name: ^.*$
+    parameter-function: apply_tags
+  - name: ^.*-merge$
+    failure-message: Unable to merge change
+    hold-following-changes: true
+    tags: merge
+  - name: project1-merge
+    tags:
+      - project1
+      - extratag
+
+projects:
+  - name: org/project1
+    check:
+      - project1-merge:
+        - project1-test1
+        - project1-test2
+        - project1-project2-integration
+
+  - name: org/project2
+    check:
+      - project2-merge:
+        - project2-test1
+        - project2-test2
+        - project1-project2-integration
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layout.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layout.yaml
index e8f035e..2e48ff1 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/layout.yaml
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layout.yaml
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@
   - name: ^.*-merge$
     failure-message: Unable to merge change
     hold-following-changes: true
+    tags: merge
   - name: nonvoting-project-test2
     voting: false
   - name: project-testfile
@@ -120,6 +121,10 @@
     mutex: test-mutex
   - name: mutex-two
     mutex: test-mutex
+  - name: project1-merge
+    tags:
+      - project1
+      - extratag
 
 project-templates:
   - name: test-one-and-two
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/tags_custom_functions.py b/tests/fixtures/tags_custom_functions.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..67e7ef1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/tags_custom_functions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+def apply_tags(item, job, params):
+    params['BUILD_TAGS'] = ' '.join(sorted(job.tags))
diff --git a/tests/test_scheduler.py b/tests/test_scheduler.py
index 81c2948..a67c62d 100755
--- a/tests/test_scheduler.py
+++ b/tests/test_scheduler.py
@@ -2747,6 +2747,25 @@
         self.assertEqual(B.data['status'], 'MERGED')
         self.assertEqual(B.reported, 2)
 
+    def test_tags(self):
+        "Test job tags"
+        self.config.set('zuul', 'layout_config',
+                        'tests/fixtures/layout-tags.yaml')
+        self.sched.reconfigure(self.config)
+
+        A = self.fake_gerrit.addFakeChange('org/project1', 'master', 'A')
+        B = self.fake_gerrit.addFakeChange('org/project2', 'master', 'B')
+        self.fake_gerrit.addEvent(A.getPatchsetCreatedEvent(1))
+        self.fake_gerrit.addEvent(B.getPatchsetCreatedEvent(1))
+        self.waitUntilSettled()
+
+        results = {'project1-merge': 'extratag merge project1',
+                   'project2-merge': 'merge'}
+
+        for build in self.history:
+            self.assertEqual(results.get(build.name, ''),
+                             build.parameters.get('BUILD_TAGS'))
+
     def test_timer(self):
         "Test that a periodic job is triggered"
         self.worker.hold_jobs_in_build = True
diff --git a/zuul/layoutvalidator.py b/zuul/layoutvalidator.py
index a01eed3..e1e8ac6 100644
--- a/zuul/layoutvalidator.py
+++ b/zuul/layoutvalidator.py
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@
            'hold-following-changes': bool,
            'voting': bool,
            'mutex': str,
+           'tags': toList(str),
            'parameter-function': str,
            'branch': toList(str),
            'files': toList(str),
diff --git a/zuul/model.py b/zuul/model.py
index 75f727d..d2cf13b 100644
--- a/zuul/model.py
+++ b/zuul/model.py
@@ -444,6 +444,7 @@
         self.failure_pattern = None
         self.success_pattern = None
         self.parameter_function = None
+        self.tags = set()
         self.mutex = None
         # A metajob should only supply values for attributes that have
         # been explicitly provided, so avoid setting boolean defaults.
@@ -493,6 +494,11 @@
             self.swift.update(other.swift)
         if other.mutex:
             self.mutex = other.mutex
+        # Tags are merged via a union rather than a destructive copy
+        # because they are intended to accumulate as metajobs are
+        # applied.
+        if other.tags:
+            self.tags = self.tags.union(other.tags)
         # Only non-None values should be copied for boolean attributes.
         if other.hold_following_changes is not None:
             self.hold_following_changes = other.hold_following_changes
diff --git a/zuul/scheduler.py b/zuul/scheduler.py
index e1aa0c2..d44006b 100644
--- a/zuul/scheduler.py
+++ b/zuul/scheduler.py
@@ -527,6 +527,13 @@
             m = config_job.get('mutex', None)
             if m is not None:
                 job.mutex = m
+            tags = toList(config_job.get('tags'))
+            if tags:
+                # Tags are merged via a union rather than a
+                # destructive copy because they are intended to
+                # accumulate onto any previously applied tags from
+                # metajobs.
+                job.tags = job.tags.union(set(tags))
             fname = config_job.get('parameter-function', None)
             if fname:
                 func = config_env.get(fname, None)