diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index bf236aefe0..65484bb3e0 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -866,6 +866,8 @@ type InhibitRule struct {
 	// A set of labels that must be equal between the source and target alert
 	// for them to be a match.
 	Equal model.LabelNames `yaml:"equal,omitempty" json:"equal,omitempty"`
+	// EqualPairs defines a set of pairs that have to be equal in the source and target alert
+	EqualPairs []LabelPair `yaml:"equal_pairs,omitempty" json:"equal_pairs,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // UnmarshalYAML implements the yaml.Unmarshaler interface for InhibitRule.
@@ -890,6 +892,12 @@ func (r *InhibitRule) UnmarshalYAML(unmarshal func(interface{}) error) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// LabelPair defines a source / target label pair
+type LabelPair struct {
+	SourceLabel model.LabelName `yaml:"source_label,omitempty" json:"source_label,omitempty"`
+	TargetLabel model.LabelName `yaml:"target_label,omitempty" json:"target_label,omitempty"`
+}
+
 // Receiver configuration provides configuration on how to contact a receiver.
 type Receiver struct {
 	// A unique identifier for this receiver.
diff --git a/docs/configuration.md b/docs/configuration.md
index 13bc3bc4c8..5da0e2910e 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/configuration.md
@@ -413,6 +413,17 @@ source_matchers:
 # alert for the inhibition to take effect.
 [ equal: '[' <labelname>, ... ']' ]
 
+# Label pairs that must have an equal value in the source and target
+# alert for the inhibition to take effect.
+equal_pairs:
+  [ - <label_pair> ... ]
+
+```
+
+#### `<label_pair>`
+```yaml
+source_label: <labelname>
+target_label: <labelname>
 ```
 
 ## Label matchers
diff --git a/inhibit/inhibit.go b/inhibit/inhibit.go
index a8f96f28aa..8c2d7fb061 100644
--- a/inhibit/inhibit.go
+++ b/inhibit/inhibit.go
@@ -157,19 +157,29 @@ type InhibitRule struct {
 	// The set of Filters which define the group of target alerts (which are
 	// inhibited by the source alerts).
 	TargetMatchers labels.Matchers
-	// A set of label names whose label values need to be identical in source and
+	// A set of label name pairs whose label values need to be identical in source and
 	// target alerts in order for the inhibition to take effect.
-	Equal map[model.LabelName]struct{}
+	EqualPairs LabelPairs
 
 	// Cache of alerts matching source labels.
 	scache *store.Alerts
 }
 
+// LabelPairs defines a set of source / target label pairs
+type LabelPairs []LabelPair
+
+// LabelPair defines a source / target label pair
+type LabelPair struct {
+	SourceLabel model.LabelName
+	TargetLabel model.LabelName
+}
+
 // NewInhibitRule returns a new InhibitRule based on a configuration definition.
 func NewInhibitRule(cr config.InhibitRule) *InhibitRule {
 	var (
 		sourcem labels.Matchers
 		targetm labels.Matchers
+		pairs   LabelPairs
 	)
 	// cr.SourceMatch will be deprecated. This for loop appends regex matchers.
 	for ln, lv := range cr.SourceMatch {
@@ -213,15 +223,26 @@ func NewInhibitRule(cr config.InhibitRule) *InhibitRule {
 	// We append the new-style matchers. This can be simplified once the deprecated matcher syntax is removed.
 	targetm = append(targetm, cr.TargetMatchers...)
 
-	equal := map[model.LabelName]struct{}{}
 	for _, ln := range cr.Equal {
-		equal[ln] = struct{}{}
+		pair := LabelPair{
+			SourceLabel: ln,
+			TargetLabel: ln,
+		}
+		pairs = append(pairs, pair)
+	}
+
+	for _, p := range cr.EqualPairs {
+		pair := LabelPair{
+			SourceLabel: p.SourceLabel,
+			TargetLabel: p.TargetLabel,
+		}
+		pairs = append(pairs, pair)
 	}
 
 	return &InhibitRule{
 		SourceMatchers: sourcem,
 		TargetMatchers: targetm,
-		Equal:          equal,
+		EqualPairs:     pairs,
 		scache:         store.NewAlerts(),
 	}
 }
@@ -237,8 +258,8 @@ Outer:
 		if a.Resolved() {
 			continue
 		}
-		for n := range r.Equal {
-			if a.Labels[n] != lset[n] {
+		for _, p := range r.EqualPairs {
+			if a.Labels[p.SourceLabel] != lset[p.TargetLabel] {
 				continue Outer
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/inhibit/inhibit_test.go b/inhibit/inhibit_test.go
index 24089a671d..8eaf478a15 100644
--- a/inhibit/inhibit_test.go
+++ b/inhibit/inhibit_test.go
@@ -35,10 +35,11 @@ func TestInhibitRuleHasEqual(t *testing.T) {
 
 	now := time.Now()
 	cases := []struct {
-		initial map[model.Fingerprint]*types.Alert
-		equal   model.LabelNames
-		input   model.LabelSet
-		result  bool
+		initial    map[model.Fingerprint]*types.Alert
+		equal      model.LabelNames
+		equalPairs LabelPairs
+		input      model.LabelSet
+		result     bool
 	}{
 		{
 			// No source alerts at all.
@@ -118,16 +119,62 @@ func TestInhibitRuleHasEqual(t *testing.T) {
 			input:  model.LabelSet{"a": "b"},
 			result: false,
 		},
+		{
+			// Equal label pair does match
+			initial: map[model.Fingerprint]*types.Alert{
+				1: {
+					Alert: model.Alert{
+						Labels:   model.LabelSet{"a": "b"},
+						StartsAt: now.Add(-time.Minute),
+						EndsAt:   now.Add(time.Hour),
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			equalPairs: LabelPairs{
+				{
+					SourceLabel: "a",
+					TargetLabel: "x",
+				},
+			},
+			input:  model.LabelSet{"x": "b"},
+			result: true,
+		},
+		{
+			// Equal label pair does not match
+			initial: map[model.Fingerprint]*types.Alert{
+				1: {
+					Alert: model.Alert{
+						Labels:   model.LabelSet{"a": "b"},
+						StartsAt: now.Add(-time.Minute),
+						EndsAt:   now.Add(time.Hour),
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			equalPairs: LabelPairs{
+				{
+					SourceLabel: "a",
+					TargetLabel: "x",
+				},
+			},
+			input:  model.LabelSet{"x": "c"},
+			result: false,
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, c := range cases {
 		r := &InhibitRule{
-			Equal:  map[model.LabelName]struct{}{},
-			scache: store.NewAlerts(),
+			EqualPairs: LabelPairs{},
+			scache:     store.NewAlerts(),
 		}
 		for _, ln := range c.equal {
-			r.Equal[ln] = struct{}{}
+			pair := LabelPair{
+				SourceLabel: ln,
+				TargetLabel: ln,
+			}
+			r.EqualPairs = append(r.EqualPairs, pair)
 		}
+		r.EqualPairs = append(r.EqualPairs, c.equalPairs...)
+
 		for _, v := range c.initial {
 			r.scache.Set(v)
 		}