diff --git a/chatmastermind/message.py b/chatmastermind/message.py
index 157cd46..bc13b25 100644
--- a/chatmastermind/message.py
+++ b/chatmastermind/message.py
@@ -219,9 +219,12 @@ class Message():
                    file_path=data.get(cls.file_yaml_key, None))
 
     @classmethod
-    def tags_from_file(cls: Type[MessageInst], file_path: pathlib.Path) -> set[Tag]:
+    def tags_from_file(cls: Type[MessageInst],
+                       file_path: pathlib.Path,
+                       prefix: Optional[str] = None) -> set[Tag]:
         """
-        Return only the tags from the given Message file.
+        Return only the tags from the given Message file,
+        optionally filtered based on prefix.
         """
         if not file_path.exists():
             raise MessageError(f"Message file '{file_path}' does not exist")
@@ -229,11 +232,34 @@ class Message():
             raise MessageError(f"File type '{file_path.suffix}' is not supported")
         if file_path.suffix == '.txt':
             with open(file_path, "r") as fd:
-                tags = TagLine(fd.readline()).tags()
+                tags = TagLine(fd.readline()).tags(prefix)
         else:  # '.yaml'
             with open(file_path, "r") as fd:
                 data = yaml.load(fd, Loader=yaml.FullLoader)
-                tags = set(sorted(data[cls.tags_yaml_key]))
+                if prefix and len(prefix) > 0:
+                    tags = set(sorted([t.strip() for t in data[cls.tags_yaml_key] if t.startswith(prefix)]))
+                else:
+                    tags = set(sorted(data[cls.tags_yaml_key]))
+        return tags
+
+    @classmethod
+    def tags_from_dir(cls: Type[MessageInst],
+                      path: pathlib.Path,
+                      glob: Optional[str] = None,
+                      prefix: Optional[str] = None) -> set[Tag]:
+
+        """
+        Return only the tags from message files in the given directory.
+        The files can be filtered using 'glob', the tags by using 'prefix'.
+        """
+        tags: set[Tag] = set()
+        file_iter = path.glob(glob) if glob else path.iterdir()
+        for file_path in sorted(file_iter):
+            if file_path.is_file():
+                try:
+                    tags |= cls.tags_from_file(file_path, prefix)
+                except MessageError as e:
+                    print(f"Error processing message in '{file_path}': {str(e)}")
         return tags
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/chatmastermind/tags.py b/chatmastermind/tags.py
index 544270c..b03fa7f 100644
--- a/chatmastermind/tags.py
+++ b/chatmastermind/tags.py
@@ -118,9 +118,10 @@ class TagLine(str):
         """
         return cls(' '.join([cls.prefix] + sorted([t for t in tags])))
 
-    def tags(self) -> set[Tag]:
+    def tags(self, prefix: Optional[str] = None) -> set[Tag]:
         """
-        Returns all tags contained in this line as a set.
+        Returns all tags contained in this line as a set, optionally
+        filtered based on prefix.
         """
         tagstr = self[len(self.prefix):].strip()
         separator = Tag.default_separator
@@ -130,7 +131,10 @@ class TagLine(str):
             if s in tagstr:
                 separator = s
                 break
-        return set(sorted([Tag(t.strip()) for t in tagstr.split(separator)]))
+        if prefix and len(prefix) > 0:
+            return set(sorted([Tag(t.strip()) for t in tagstr.split(separator) if t.startswith(prefix)]))
+        else:
+            return set(sorted([Tag(t.strip()) for t in tagstr.split(separator)]))
 
     def merge(self, taglines: set['TagLine']) -> 'TagLine':
         """
diff --git a/tests/test_message.py b/tests/test_message.py
index 0e326b4..23e27f3 100644
--- a/tests/test_message.py
+++ b/tests/test_message.py
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ class TagsFromFileTestCase(CmmTestCase):
         self.file_txt = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(delete=False, suffix='.txt')
         self.file_path_txt = pathlib.Path(self.file_txt.name)
         with open(self.file_path_txt, "w") as fd:
-            fd.write(f"""{TagLine.prefix} tag1 tag2
+            fd.write(f"""{TagLine.prefix} tag1 tag2 ptag3
 {Question.txt_header}
 This is a question.
 {Answer.txt_header}
@@ -560,6 +560,7 @@ This is an answer.
 {Message.tags_yaml_key}:
   - tag1
   - tag2
+  - ptag3
 """)
 
     def tearDown(self) -> None:
@@ -570,11 +571,19 @@ This is an answer.
 
     def test_tags_from_file_txt(self) -> None:
         tags = Message.tags_from_file(self.file_path_txt)
-        self.assertSetEqual(tags, {Tag('tag1'), Tag('tag2')})
+        self.assertSetEqual(tags, {Tag('tag1'), Tag('tag2'), Tag('ptag3')})
 
     def test_tags_from_file_yaml(self) -> None:
         tags = Message.tags_from_file(self.file_path_yaml)
-        self.assertSetEqual(tags, {Tag('tag1'), Tag('tag2')})
+        self.assertSetEqual(tags, {Tag('tag1'), Tag('tag2'), Tag('ptag3')})
+
+    def test_tags_from_file_txt_prefix(self) -> None:
+        tags = Message.tags_from_file(self.file_path_txt, prefix='p')
+        self.assertSetEqual(tags, {Tag('ptag3')})
+
+    def test_tags_from_file_yaml_prefix(self) -> None:
+        tags = Message.tags_from_file(self.file_path_yaml, prefix='p')
+        self.assertSetEqual(tags, {Tag('ptag3')})
 
 
 class MessageIDTestCase(CmmTestCase):
diff --git a/tests/test_tags.py b/tests/test_tags.py
index 9ac9746..44e3a83 100644
--- a/tests/test_tags.py
+++ b/tests/test_tags.py
@@ -49,6 +49,13 @@ class TestTagLine(CmmTestCase):
         tags = tagline.tags()
         self.assertEqual(tags, {Tag('tag1'), Tag('tag2')})
 
+    def test_tags_prefix(self) -> None:
+        tagline = TagLine('TAGS: atag1 stag2 stag3')
+        tags = tagline.tags(prefix='a')
+        self.assertEqual(tags, {Tag('atag1')})
+        tags = tagline.tags(prefix='s')
+        self.assertEqual(tags, {Tag('stag2'), Tag('stag3')})
+
     def test_merge(self) -> None:
         tagline1 = TagLine('TAGS: tag1 tag2')
         tagline2 = TagLine('TAGS: tag2 tag3')