diff --git a/src/include/socket.h b/src/include/socket.h
index 8197a65..68ce235 100644
--- a/src/include/socket.h
+++ b/src/include/socket.h
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ static int findInterfaces(const char* prefixList, char* names, union socketAddre
 #endif
   struct netIf userIfs[MAX_IFS];
   bool searchNot = prefixList && prefixList[0] == '^';
+  bool searchExact = prefixList && prefixList[0] == '=';
   int nUserIfs = parseStringList(prefixList, userIfs, MAX_IFS);
 
   int found = 0;
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ static int findInterfaces(const char* prefixList, char* names, union socketAddre
     }
 
     // check against user specified interfaces
-    if (!(matchIfList(interface->ifa_name, -1, userIfs, nUserIfs) ^ searchNot)) {
+    if (!(matchIfList(interface->ifa_name, -1, userIfs, nUserIfs, searchExact) ^ searchNot)) {
       continue;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/include/utils.h b/src/include/utils.h
index 29b72ad..93e72c8 100644
--- a/src/include/utils.h
+++ b/src/include/utils.h
@@ -20,6 +20,6 @@ struct netIf {
 };
 
 int parseStringList(const char* string, struct netIf* ifList, int maxList);
-bool matchIfList(const char* string, int port, struct netIf* ifList, int listSize);
+bool matchIfList(const char* string, int port, struct netIf* ifList, int listSize, bool matchExact);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/misc/utils.cc b/src/misc/utils.cc
index 5e884ae..5093755 100644
--- a/src/misc/utils.cc
+++ b/src/misc/utils.cc
@@ -147,8 +147,8 @@ int parseStringList(const char* string, struct netIf* ifList, int maxList) {
   if (!string) return 0;
 
   const char* ptr = string;
-  // Ignore "^" prefix, will be detected outside of this function
-  if (ptr[0] == '^') ptr++;
+  // Ignore "^" or "=" prefix, will be detected outside of this function
+  if (ptr[0] == '^' || ptr[0] == '=') ptr++;
 
   int ifNum = 0;
   int ifC = 0;
@@ -177,8 +177,10 @@ int parseStringList(const char* string, struct netIf* ifList, int maxList) {
   return ifNum;
 }
 
-static bool matchPrefix(const char* string, const char* prefix) {
-  return (strncmp(string, prefix, strlen(prefix)) == 0);
+static bool matchIf(const char* string, const char* ref, bool matchExact) {
+  // Make sure to include '\0' in the exact case
+  int matchLen = matchExact ? strlen(string) + 1 : strlen(ref);
+  return strncmp(string, ref, matchLen) == 0;
 }
 
 static bool matchPort(const int port1, const int port2) {
@@ -189,12 +191,12 @@ static bool matchPort(const int port1, const int port2) {
 }
 
 
-bool matchIfList(const char* string, int port, struct netIf* ifList, int listSize) {
+bool matchIfList(const char* string, int port, struct netIf* ifList, int listSize, bool matchExact) {
   // Make an exception for the case where no user list is defined
   if (listSize == 0) return true;
 
   for (int i=0; i<listSize; i++) {
-    if (matchPrefix(string, ifList[i].prefix)
+    if (matchIf(string, ifList[i].prefix, matchExact)
         && matchPort(port, ifList[i].port)) {
       return true;
     }
diff --git a/src/transport/net_ib.cc b/src/transport/net_ib.cc
index de72f89..43d8e35 100644
--- a/src/transport/net_ib.cc
+++ b/src/transport/net_ib.cc
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ ncclResult_t ncclIbInit(ncclDebugLogger_t logFunction) {
       char* userIbEnv = getenv("NCCL_IB_HCA");
       struct netIf userIfs[MAX_IB_DEVS];
       bool searchNot = userIbEnv && userIbEnv[0] == '^';
+      bool searchExact = userIbEnv && userIbEnv[0] == '=';
       int nUserIfs = parseStringList(userIbEnv, userIfs, MAX_IB_DEVS);
 
       if (ncclSuccess != wrap_ibv_get_device_list(&devices, &nIbDevs)) return ncclInternalError;
@@ -136,7 +137,7 @@ ncclResult_t ncclIbInit(ncclDebugLogger_t logFunction) {
               && portAttr.link_layer != IBV_LINK_LAYER_ETHERNET) continue;
 
           // check against user specified HCAs/ports
-          if (! (matchIfList(devices[d]->name, port, userIfs, nUserIfs) ^ searchNot)) {
+          if (! (matchIfList(devices[d]->name, port, userIfs, nUserIfs, searchExact) ^ searchNot)) {
             continue;
           }
           TRACE(NCCL_INIT|NCCL_NET,"NET/IB: [%d] %s:%d/%s ", d, devices[d]->name, port,