diff --git a/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/geom/main.py b/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/geom/main.py
index 8421a389b7..32fcaae008 100644
--- a/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/geom/main.py
+++ b/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/geom/main.py
@@ -72,13 +72,30 @@ _iterator = ifcopenshell_wrapper.iterator_double_precision
 
 # Make sure people are able to use python's platform agnostic paths
 class iterator(_iterator):
-    def __init__(self, settings, file_or_filename, num_threads = 1):
+    def __init__(self, settings, file_or_filename, num_threads = 1, include = None, exclude = None):
         self.settings = settings
         if isinstance(file_or_filename, file):
             file_or_filename = file_or_filename.wrapped_data
         else:
             file_or_filename = os.path.abspath(file_or_filename)
-        _iterator.__init__(self, settings, file_or_filename, num_threads)
+        
+        if include is not None and exclude is not None:
+            raise ValueError("include and exclude cannot be specified simultaneously")
+        
+        if include is not None or exclude is not None:
+            # Couldn't get the typemaps properly applied using %extend so we
+            # replicate the SWIG-generated __init__ call on the output of a
+            # free function.
+            # @todo verify this works with SWIG 4            
+            self.this = ifcopenshell_wrapper.\
+                construct_iterator_double_precision_with_include_exclude(
+                    self.settings, 
+                    file_or_filename, 
+                    include if exclude is None else exclude, 
+                    include is not None, 
+                    num_threads)
+        else:
+            _iterator.__init__(self, settings, file_or_filename, num_threads)
 
     if has_occ:
         def get(self):
@@ -165,8 +182,8 @@ def create_shape(settings, inst, repr=None):
         ))
 
 
-def iterate(settings, filename):
-    it = iterator(settings, filename)
+def iterate(settings, file_or_filename, num_threads = 1, include = None, exclude = None):
+    it = iterator(settings, file_or_filename, num_threads, include, exclude)
     if it.initialize():
         while True:
             yield it.get()
diff --git a/src/ifcwrap/IfcGeomWrapper.i b/src/ifcwrap/IfcGeomWrapper.i
index 4850a1071d..5bc968dab6 100644
--- a/src/ifcwrap/IfcGeomWrapper.i
+++ b/src/ifcwrap/IfcGeomWrapper.i
@@ -160,6 +160,30 @@ struct ShapeRTTI : public boost::static_visitor<PyObject*>
 	%}
 }
 
+
+// I couldn't get the vector<string> typemap to be applied when %extending Iterator constructor.
+// anyway it does not matter as SWIG generates C code without actual constructors
+%inline %{
+	template <typename T>
+	IfcGeom::Iterator<T>* construct_iterator_with_include_exclude_(IfcGeom::IteratorSettings settings, IfcParse::IfcFile* file, std::vector<std::string> elems, bool include, int num_threads) {
+		std::set<std::string> elems_set(elems.begin(), elems.end());
+		IfcGeom::entity_filter ef{ include, false, elems_set };
+		return new IfcGeom::Iterator<T>(settings, file, {ef}, num_threads);
+	}
+
+	IfcGeom::Iterator<float>* construct_iterator_single_precision_with_include_exclude(IfcGeom::IteratorSettings settings, IfcParse::IfcFile* file, std::vector<std::string> elems, bool include, int num_threads) {
+		return construct_iterator_with_include_exclude_<float>(settings, file, elems, include, num_threads);
+	}
+
+	IfcGeom::Iterator<double>* construct_iterator_double_precision_with_include_exclude(IfcGeom::IteratorSettings settings, IfcParse::IfcFile* file, std::vector<std::string> elems, bool include, int num_threads) {
+		return construct_iterator_with_include_exclude_<double>(settings, file, elems, include, num_threads);
+	}
+%}
+
+%ignore construct_iterator_with_include_exclude_;
+%newobject construct_iterator_single_precision_with_include_exclude;
+%newobject construct_iterator_double_precision_with_include_exclude;
+
 %extend IfcGeom::Iterator<float> {
 	static int mantissa_size() {
 		return std::numeric_limits<float>::digits;