diff --git a/devlib/instrument/__init__.py b/devlib/instrument/__init__.py
index 981dd7b..8defbbc 100644
--- a/devlib/instrument/__init__.py
+++ b/devlib/instrument/__init__.py
@@ -195,8 +195,8 @@ class Instrument(object):
     def teardown(self):
         pass
 
-    def reset(self, sites=None, kinds=None):
-        if kinds is None and sites is None:
+    def reset(self, sites=None, kinds=None, channels=None):
+        if kinds is None and sites is None and channels is None:
             self.active_channels = sorted(self.channels.values(), key=lambda x: x.label)
         else:
             if isinstance(sites, basestring):
@@ -204,6 +204,12 @@ class Instrument(object):
             if isinstance(kinds, basestring):
                 kinds = [kinds]
             self.active_channels = []
+            for chan_name in (channels or []):
+                try:
+                    self.active_channels.append(self.channels[chan_name])
+                except KeyError:
+                    msg = 'Unexpected channel "{}"; must be in {}'
+                    raise ValueError(msg.format(chan_name, self.channels.keys()))
             for chan in self.channels.values():
                 if (kinds is None or chan.kind in kinds) and \
                    (sites is None or chan.site in sites):
diff --git a/devlib/instrument/daq.py b/devlib/instrument/daq.py
index cbee7b8..3120480 100644
--- a/devlib/instrument/daq.py
+++ b/devlib/instrument/daq.py
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ class DaqInstrument(Instrument):
             for kind in ['power', 'voltage']:
                 self.add_channel(label, kind)
 
-    def reset(self, sites=None, kinds=None):
-        super(DaqInstrument, self).reset(sites, kinds)
+    def reset(self, sites=None, kinds=None, channels=None):
+        super(DaqInstrument, self).reset(sites, kinds, channels)
         self.execute('close')
         result = self.execute('configure', config=self.device_config)
         if not result.status == Status.OK:  # pylint: disable=no-member
diff --git a/devlib/instrument/energy_probe.py b/devlib/instrument/energy_probe.py
index 54ce8de..a40a791 100644
--- a/devlib/instrument/energy_probe.py
+++ b/devlib/instrument/energy_probe.py
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ class EnergyProbeInstrument(Instrument):
             for kind in self.attributes:
                 self.add_channel(label, kind)
 
-    def reset(self, sites=None, kinds=None):
-        super(EnergyProbeInstrument, self).reset(sites, kinds)
+    def reset(self, sites=None, kinds=None, channels=None):
+        super(EnergyProbeInstrument, self).reset(sites, kinds, channels)
         self.raw_output_directory = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix='eprobe-caiman-')
         parts = ['-r {}:{} '.format(i, int(1000 * rval))
                  for i, rval in enumerate(self.resistor_values)]
diff --git a/devlib/instrument/netstats/__init__.py b/devlib/instrument/netstats/__init__.py
index 0a45a0d..f42ea9b 100644
--- a/devlib/instrument/netstats/__init__.py
+++ b/devlib/instrument/netstats/__init__.py
@@ -98,8 +98,8 @@ class NetstatsInstrument(Instrument):
             self.logger.debug('Deploying {} to target'.format(self.package))
             self.target.install(self.apk)
 
-    def reset(self, sites=None, kinds=None, period=None):  # pylint: disable=arguments-differ
-        super(NetstatsInstrument, self).reset(sites, kinds)
+    def reset(self, sites=None, kinds=None, channels=None, period=None):  # pylint: disable=arguments-differ
+        super(NetstatsInstrument, self).reset(sites, kinds, channels)
         period_arg, packages_arg = '', ''
         self.tag = 'netstats-{}'.format(datetime.now().strftime('%Y%m%d%H%M%s'))
         tag_arg = ' --es tag {}'.format(self.tag)