diff --git a/src/sqlacodegen/cli.py b/src/sqlacodegen/cli.py
index e176e85a..8301cb40 100644
--- a/src/sqlacodegen/cli.py
+++ b/src/sqlacodegen/cli.py
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import argparse
+import re
 import sys
 from contextlib import ExitStack
 from typing import TextIO
 
-from sqlalchemy.engine import create_engine
+from sqlalchemy import create_engine, inspect
 from sqlalchemy.schema import MetaData
 
 try:
@@ -46,7 +47,12 @@ def main() -> None:
         help="generator class to use",
     )
     parser.add_argument(
-        "--tables", help="tables to process (comma-delimited, default: all)"
+        "--tables",
+        help="tables to process (comma-delimited strings or regexp, default: all)",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--exclude-tables",
+        help="tables to exclude (comma-delimited strings or regexp, default: none)",
     )
     parser.add_argument("--noviews", action="store_true", help="ignore views")
     parser.add_argument("--outfile", help="file to write output to (default: stdout)")
@@ -69,6 +75,22 @@ def main() -> None:
     # Use reflection to fill in the metadata
     engine = create_engine(args.url)
     metadata = MetaData()
+    try:
+        # sa 1.4
+        tables = engine.table_names()
+    except AttributeError:
+        # sa 2.0
+        inspection = inspect(engine)
+        tables = inspection.get_table_names()
+
+    if args.tables:
+        # only keep the tables defined in args.tables
+        filter = re.compile(args.tables.replace(",", "|"))
+        tables = [t for t in tables if filter.match(t)]
+    if args.exclude_tables:
+        # exclude the tables defined in args.exclude_tables
+        filter = re.compile(args.exclude_tables.replace(",", "|"))
+        tables = [t for t in tables if not filter.match(t)]
     tables = args.tables.split(",") if args.tables else None
     schemas = args.schemas.split(",") if args.schemas else [None]
     options = set(args.options.split(",")) if args.options else set()