diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1b922c0613..ed6d808314 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ lib-cov:
 
 test: test-unit
 
-test-all: test-bdd test-tdd test-qunit test-exports test-unit test-grep test-jsapi test-compilers test-glob test-requires test-reporters
+test-all: test-bdd test-tdd test-qunit test-exports test-unit test-grep test-jsapi test-compilers test-glob test-requires test-reporters test-only
 
 test-jsapi:
 	@node test/jsapi
@@ -118,6 +118,22 @@ test-reporters:
 		--reporter $(REPORTER) \
 		test/reporters/*.js
 
+test-only:
+	@./bin/mocha \
+		--reporter $(REPORTER) \
+		--ui tdd \
+		test/acceptance/misc/only/tdd
+
+	@./bin/mocha \
+		--reporter $(REPORTER) \
+		--ui bdd \
+		test/acceptance/misc/only/bdd
+
+	@./bin/mocha \
+		--reporter $(REPORTER) \
+		--ui qunit \
+		test/acceptance/misc/only/qunit
+
 non-tty:
 	@./bin/mocha \
 		--reporter dot \
diff --git a/lib/interfaces/bdd.js b/lib/interfaces/bdd.js
index 96b12c8ba2..e838109dd5 100644
--- a/lib/interfaces/bdd.js
+++ b/lib/interfaces/bdd.js
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
  */
 
 var Suite = require('../suite')
-  , Test = require('../test');
+  , Test = require('../test')
+  , utils = require('../utils');
 
 /**
  * BDD-style interface:
@@ -117,7 +118,8 @@ module.exports = function(suite){
 
     context.it.only = function(title, fn){
       var test = context.it(title, fn);
-      mocha.grep(test.fullTitle());
+      var reString = '^' + utils.escapeRegexp(test.fullTitle()) + '$';
+      mocha.grep(new RegExp(reString));
     };
 
     /**
diff --git a/lib/interfaces/qunit.js b/lib/interfaces/qunit.js
index 521a91cd7a..30f6748fbc 100644
--- a/lib/interfaces/qunit.js
+++ b/lib/interfaces/qunit.js
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
  */
 
 var Suite = require('../suite')
-  , Test = require('../test');
+  , Test = require('../test')
+  , utils = require('../utils');
 
 /**
  * QUnit-style interface:
@@ -106,7 +107,8 @@ module.exports = function(suite){
 
     context.test.only = function(title, fn){
       var test = context.test(title, fn);
-      mocha.grep(test.fullTitle());
+      var reString = '^' + utils.escapeRegexp(test.fullTitle()) + '$';
+      mocha.grep(new RegExp(reString));
     };
 
     /**
diff --git a/lib/interfaces/tdd.js b/lib/interfaces/tdd.js
index 7bf838b3a0..da5ca2c554 100644
--- a/lib/interfaces/tdd.js
+++ b/lib/interfaces/tdd.js
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
  */
 
 var Suite = require('../suite')
-  , Test = require('../test');
+  , Test = require('../test')
+  , utils = require('../utils');;
 
 /**
  * TDD-style interface:
@@ -122,7 +123,8 @@ module.exports = function(suite){
 
     context.test.only = function(title, fn){
       var test = context.test(title, fn);
-      mocha.grep(test.fullTitle());
+      var reString = '^' + utils.escapeRegexp(test.fullTitle()) + '$';
+      mocha.grep(new RegExp(reString));
     };
 
     /**
diff --git a/test/acceptance/misc/only/bdd.js b/test/acceptance/misc/only/bdd.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d2f1e7c725
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/acceptance/misc/only/bdd.js
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+
+describe('should only run .only test in this bdd suite', function() {
+  it('should not run this test', function() {
+    var zero = 0;
+    zero.should.equal(1, 'this test should have been skipped');
+  });
+  it.only('should run this test', function() {
+    var zero = 0;
+    zero.should.equal(0, 'this .only test should run');
+  });
+  it('should run this test, not (including a subset of the .only test title)', function() {
+    var zero = 0;
+    zero.should.equal(1, 'this test should have been skipped');
+  });
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/acceptance/misc/only/qunit.js b/test/acceptance/misc/only/qunit.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..944214d079
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/acceptance/misc/only/qunit.js
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+
+function ok(expr, msg) {
+  if (!expr) throw new Error(msg);
+}
+
+suite('should only run .only test in this qunit suite');
+
+test('should not run this test', function() {
+  ok(0 === 1, 'this test should have been skipped');
+});
+test.only('should run this test', function() {
+  ok(0 === 0, 'this .only test should run');
+});
+test('should run this test, not (including a subset of the .only test title)', function() {
+  ok(0 === 1, 'this test should have been skipped');
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/acceptance/misc/only/tdd.js b/test/acceptance/misc/only/tdd.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..85e247f0c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/acceptance/misc/only/tdd.js
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+
+suite('should only run .only test in this tdd suite', function() {
+  test('should not run this test', function() {
+    var zero = 0;
+    zero.should.equal(1, 'this test should have been skipped');
+  });
+  test.only('should run this test', function() {
+    var zero = 0;
+    zero.should.equal(0, 'this .only test should run');
+  });
+  test('should run this test, not (including a subset of the .only test title)', function() {
+    var zero = 0;
+    zero.should.equal(1, 'this test should have been skipped');
+  });
+});
\ No newline at end of file