diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/api/CheckCodeOwnerConfigFilesInput.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/api/CheckCodeOwnerConfigFilesInput.java
index f06edf4..6e2abfc 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/api/CheckCodeOwnerConfigFilesInput.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/api/CheckCodeOwnerConfigFilesInput.java
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 
 package com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.api;
 
+import java.util.List;
+
 /**
  * The input for the {@link com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.restapi.CheckCodeOwnerConfigFiles}
  * REST endpoint.
@@ -26,4 +28,14 @@
    * <p>By default unset, {@code false}.
    */
   public Boolean validateDisabledBranches;
+
+  /**
+   * Branches for which code owner config files should be validated.
+   *
+   * <p>The {@code refs/heads/} prefix may be omitted.
+   *
+   * <p>By default unset, which means that code owner config files in all branches should be
+   * validated.
+   */
+  public List<String> branches;
 }
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/api/ProjectCodeOwners.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/api/ProjectCodeOwners.java
index b2823ea..6f86d06 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/api/ProjectCodeOwners.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/api/ProjectCodeOwners.java
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 
 package com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.api;
 
+import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList;
+import com.google.gerrit.common.Nullable;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.api.config.ConsistencyCheckInfo.ConsistencyProblemInfo;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.RestApiException;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -34,6 +36,7 @@
   /** Request to check code owner config files. */
   abstract class CheckCodeOwnerConfigFilesRequest {
     private boolean validateDisabledBranches;
+    private ImmutableList<String> branches;
 
     /**
      * Includes code owner config files in branches for which the code owners functionality is
@@ -61,6 +64,22 @@
       return validateDisabledBranches;
     }
 
+    /** Sets the branches for which code owner config files should be validated. */
+    public CheckCodeOwnerConfigFilesRequest setBranches(List<String> branches) {
+      this.branches = ImmutableList.copyOf(branches);
+      return this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Gets the branches for which code owner config files should be validated.
+     *
+     * <p>Returns {@code null} if no branches have been set.
+     */
+    @Nullable
+    public ImmutableList<String> getBranches() {
+      return branches;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Executes the request to check the code owner config files and retrieves the result of the
      * validation.
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/api/ProjectCodeOwnersImpl.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/api/ProjectCodeOwnersImpl.java
index 750d98d..0a4fdad 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/api/ProjectCodeOwnersImpl.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/api/ProjectCodeOwnersImpl.java
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@
         try {
           CheckCodeOwnerConfigFilesInput input = new CheckCodeOwnerConfigFilesInput();
           input.validateDisabledBranches = isValidateDisabledBranches();
+          input.branches = getBranches();
           return checkCodeOwnerConfigFiles.apply(projectResource, input).value();
         } catch (Exception e) {
           throw asRestApiException("Cannot check code owner config files", e);
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/restapi/CheckCodeOwnerConfigFiles.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/restapi/CheckCodeOwnerConfigFiles.java
index cb55949..a00f476 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/restapi/CheckCodeOwnerConfigFiles.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/restapi/CheckCodeOwnerConfigFiles.java
@@ -15,19 +15,24 @@
 package com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.restapi;
 
 import static com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList.toImmutableList;
+import static com.google.common.collect.ImmutableSet.toImmutableSet;
 
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList;
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableMap;
+import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableSet;
 import com.google.common.collect.LinkedListMultimap;
 import com.google.common.collect.ListMultimap;
 import com.google.common.collect.Multimaps;
 import com.google.common.flogger.FluentLogger;
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.BranchNameKey;
+import com.google.gerrit.entities.Project;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.api.config.ConsistencyCheckInfo.ConsistencyProblemInfo;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.AuthException;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.BadRequestException;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.Response;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.RestApiException;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.RestModifyView;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.UnprocessableEntityException;
 import com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.api.CheckCodeOwnerConfigFilesInput;
 import com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.backend.CodeOwnerBackend;
 import com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.backend.CodeOwnerConfig;
@@ -48,7 +53,6 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Optional;
-import java.util.stream.Stream;
 
 /**
  * REST endpoint that checks/validates the code owner config files in a project.
@@ -103,12 +107,18 @@
         .check(ProjectPermission.WRITE_CONFIG);
 
     logger.atFine().log(
-        "checking code owner config files for project %s (validateDisabledBranches = %s)",
-        projectResource.getNameKey(), input.validateDisabledBranches);
+        "checking code owner config files for project %s"
+            + " (validateDisabledBranches = %s, branches = %s)",
+        projectResource.getNameKey(), input.validateDisabledBranches, input.branches);
+
+    ImmutableSet<BranchNameKey> branches = branches(projectResource);
+
+    validateInput(projectResource.getNameKey(), branches, input);
 
     ImmutableMap.Builder<String, Map<String, List<ConsistencyProblemInfo>>> resultsByBranchBuilder =
         ImmutableMap.builder();
-    branches(projectResource)
+    branches.stream()
+        .filter(branchNameKey -> shouldValidateBranch(input, branchNameKey))
         .filter(
             branchNameKey ->
                 validateDisabledBranches(input)
@@ -119,11 +129,12 @@
     return Response.ok(resultsByBranchBuilder.build());
   }
 
-  private Stream<BranchNameKey> branches(ProjectResource projectResource)
+  private ImmutableSet<BranchNameKey> branches(ProjectResource projectResource)
       throws RestApiException, IOException, PermissionBackendException {
     return listBranches.get().apply(projectResource).value().stream()
         .filter(branchInfo -> !"HEAD".equals(branchInfo.ref))
-        .map(branchInfo -> BranchNameKey.create(projectResource.getNameKey(), branchInfo.ref));
+        .map(branchInfo -> BranchNameKey.create(projectResource.getNameKey(), branchInfo.ref))
+        .collect(toImmutableSet());
   }
 
   private Map<String, List<ConsistencyProblemInfo>> checkBranch(BranchNameKey branchNameKey) {
@@ -179,6 +190,43 @@
             commitValidationMessage.getType(), commitValidationMessage.getMessage()));
   }
 
+  private void validateInput(
+      Project.NameKey projectName,
+      ImmutableSet<BranchNameKey> branches,
+      CheckCodeOwnerConfigFilesInput input)
+      throws RestApiException {
+    if (input.branches != null) {
+      for (String branchName : input.branches) {
+        BranchNameKey branchNameKey = BranchNameKey.create(projectName, branchName);
+        if (!branches.contains(branchNameKey)) {
+          throw new UnprocessableEntityException(String.format("branch %s not found", branchName));
+        }
+
+        if ((input.validateDisabledBranches == null || !input.validateDisabledBranches)
+            && codeOwnersPluginConfiguration.isDisabled(branchNameKey)) {
+          throw new BadRequestException(
+              String.format(
+                  "code owners functionality for branch %s is disabled,"
+                      + " set 'validate_disabled_braches' in the input to 'true' if code owner"
+                      + " config files in this branch should be validated",
+                  branchName));
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  private static boolean shouldValidateBranch(
+      CheckCodeOwnerConfigFilesInput input, BranchNameKey branchNameKey) {
+    boolean shouldValidateBranch =
+        input.branches == null
+            || input.branches.contains(branchNameKey.branch())
+            || input.branches.contains(branchNameKey.shortName());
+    if (!shouldValidateBranch) {
+      logger.atFine().log("skip validation for branch %s", branchNameKey.branch());
+    }
+    return shouldValidateBranch;
+  }
+
   private static boolean validateDisabledBranches(CheckCodeOwnerConfigFilesInput input) {
     return input.validateDisabledBranches != null && input.validateDisabledBranches;
   }
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/api/CheckCodeOwnerConfigFilesIT.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/api/CheckCodeOwnerConfigFilesIT.java
index f742ffe..a2f5572 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/api/CheckCodeOwnerConfigFilesIT.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/api/CheckCodeOwnerConfigFilesIT.java
@@ -16,16 +16,23 @@
 
 import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertThat;
 import static com.google.common.truth.TruthJUnit.assume;
+import static com.google.gerrit.acceptance.testsuite.project.TestProjectUpdate.block;
+import static com.google.gerrit.server.group.SystemGroupBackend.REGISTERED_USERS;
 import static com.google.gerrit.testing.GerritJUnit.assertThrows;
 
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList;
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableMap;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.config.GerritConfig;
+import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.testsuite.project.ProjectOperations;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.testsuite.request.RequestScopeOperations;
+import com.google.gerrit.entities.Permission;
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.Project;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.api.config.ConsistencyCheckInfo.ConsistencyProblemInfo;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.api.projects.BranchInput;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.AuthException;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.BadRequestException;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.RestApiException;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.UnprocessableEntityException;
 import com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.JgitPath;
 import com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.acceptance.AbstractCodeOwnersIT;
 import com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.backend.CodeOwnerBackend;
@@ -53,6 +60,7 @@
  */
 public class CheckCodeOwnerConfigFilesIT extends AbstractCodeOwnersIT {
   @Inject private RequestScopeOperations requestScopeOperations;
+  @Inject private ProjectOperations projectOperations;
 
   private BackendConfig backendConfig;
 
@@ -209,6 +217,106 @@
             "refs/meta/config", ImmutableMap.of());
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void validateSpecifiedBranches() throws Exception {
+    gApi.projects().name(project.get()).branch("stable-1.0").create(new BranchInput());
+    gApi.projects().name(project.get()).branch("stable-1.1").create(new BranchInput());
+
+    assertThat(
+            projectCodeOwnersApiFactory
+                .project(project)
+                .checkCodeOwnerConfigFiles()
+                .setBranches(ImmutableList.of("refs/heads/stable-1.0", "refs/heads/stable-1.1"))
+                .check())
+        .containsExactly(
+            "refs/heads/stable-1.0", ImmutableMap.of(),
+            "refs/heads/stable-1.1", ImmutableMap.of());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void validateSpecifiedBranches_shortNames() throws Exception {
+    gApi.projects().name(project.get()).branch("stable-1.0").create(new BranchInput());
+    gApi.projects().name(project.get()).branch("stable-1.1").create(new BranchInput());
+
+    assertThat(
+            projectCodeOwnersApiFactory
+                .project(project)
+                .checkCodeOwnerConfigFiles()
+                .setBranches(ImmutableList.of("stable-1.0", "stable-1.1"))
+                .check())
+        .containsExactly(
+            "refs/heads/stable-1.0", ImmutableMap.of(),
+            "refs/heads/stable-1.1", ImmutableMap.of());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void cannotValidateNonExistingBranch() throws Exception {
+    UnprocessableEntityException exception =
+        assertThrows(
+            UnprocessableEntityException.class,
+            () ->
+                projectCodeOwnersApiFactory
+                    .project(project)
+                    .checkCodeOwnerConfigFiles()
+                    .setBranches(ImmutableList.of("refs/heads/non-existing"))
+                    .check());
+    assertThat(exception).hasMessageThat().isEqualTo("branch refs/heads/non-existing not found");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void cannotValidateNonVisibleBranch() throws Exception {
+    projectOperations
+        .project(project)
+        .forUpdate()
+        .add(block(Permission.READ).ref("refs/*").group(REGISTERED_USERS))
+        .update();
+
+    UnprocessableEntityException exception =
+        assertThrows(
+            UnprocessableEntityException.class,
+            () ->
+                projectCodeOwnersApiFactory
+                    .project(project)
+                    .checkCodeOwnerConfigFiles()
+                    .setBranches(ImmutableList.of("refs/heads/master"))
+                    .check());
+    assertThat(exception).hasMessageThat().isEqualTo("branch refs/heads/master not found");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  @GerritConfig(name = "plugin.code-owners.disabledBranch", value = "refs/meta/config")
+  public void cannotValidateDisabledBranchWithoutEnablingValidationForDisabledBranches()
+      throws Exception {
+    BadRequestException exception =
+        assertThrows(
+            BadRequestException.class,
+            () ->
+                projectCodeOwnersApiFactory
+                    .project(project)
+                    .checkCodeOwnerConfigFiles()
+                    .setBranches(ImmutableList.of("refs/meta/config"))
+                    .check());
+    assertThat(exception)
+        .hasMessageThat()
+        .isEqualTo(
+            "code owners functionality for branch refs/meta/config is disabled,"
+                + " set 'validate_disabled_braches' in the input to 'true' if code owner config"
+                + " files in this branch should be validated");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  @GerritConfig(name = "plugin.code-owners.disabledBranch", value = "refs/meta/config")
+  public void validateSpecifiedBranchThatIsDisabled() throws Exception {
+    assertThat(
+            projectCodeOwnersApiFactory
+                .project(project)
+                .checkCodeOwnerConfigFiles()
+                .validateDisabledBranches()
+                .setBranches(ImmutableList.of("refs/meta/config"))
+                .check())
+        .containsExactly("refs/meta/config", ImmutableMap.of());
+  }
+
   private ConsistencyProblemInfo error(String message) {
     return new ConsistencyProblemInfo(ConsistencyProblemInfo.Status.ERROR, message);
   }
diff --git a/resources/Documentation/rest-api.md b/resources/Documentation/rest-api.md
index 5c23d5b..189ff23 100644
--- a/resources/Documentation/rest-api.md
+++ b/resources/Documentation/rest-api.md
@@ -382,6 +382,7 @@
 | Field Name                   |          | Description |
 | ---------------------------- | -------- | ----------- |
 | `validate_disabled_branches` | optional | Whether code owner config files in branches for which the code owners functionality is disabled should be validated too. By default unset, `false`.
+| `branches`                   | optional | List of branches for which code owner config files should be validated. The `refs/heads/` prefix may be omitted. By default unset, which means that code owner config files in all branches should be validated.
 
 ---