diff --git a/go/cli/mcap/cmd/filter.go b/go/cli/mcap/cmd/filter.go
index b88e3806f..588322ddb 100644
--- a/go/cli/mcap/cmd/filter.go
+++ b/go/cli/mcap/cmd/filter.go
@@ -17,33 +17,35 @@ import (
 )
 
 type filterFlags struct {
-	output             string
-	includeTopics      []string
-	excludeTopics      []string
-	startSec           uint64
-	endSec             uint64
-	startNano          uint64
-	endNano            uint64
-	start              string
-	end                string
-	includeMetadata    bool
-	includeAttachments bool
-	outputCompression  string
-	chunkSize          int64
-	unchunked          bool
+	output                      string
+	includeTopics               []string
+	excludeTopics               []string
+	includeLastPerChannelTopics []string
+	startSec                    uint64
+	endSec                      uint64
+	startNano                   uint64
+	endNano                     uint64
+	start                       string
+	end                         string
+	includeMetadata             bool
+	includeAttachments          bool
+	outputCompression           string
+	chunkSize                   int64
+	unchunked                   bool
 }
 
 type filterOpts struct {
-	output             string
-	includeTopics      []regexp.Regexp
-	excludeTopics      []regexp.Regexp
-	start              uint64
-	end                uint64
-	includeMetadata    bool
-	includeAttachments bool
-	compressionFormat  mcap.CompressionFormat
-	chunkSize          int64
-	unchunked          bool
+	output                      string
+	includeTopics               []regexp.Regexp
+	excludeTopics               []regexp.Regexp
+	includeLastPerChannelTopics []regexp.Regexp
+	start                       uint64
+	end                         uint64
+	includeMetadata             bool
+	includeAttachments          bool
+	compressionFormat           mcap.CompressionFormat
+	chunkSize                   int64
+	unchunked                   bool
 }
 
 // parseDateOrNanos parses a string containing either an RFC3339-formatted date with timezone
@@ -115,15 +117,22 @@ func buildFilterOptions(flags *filterFlags) (*filterOpts, error) {
 
 	includeTopics, err := compileMatchers(flags.includeTopics)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid included topic regex: %w", err)
 	}
 	opts.includeTopics = includeTopics
 
 	excludeTopics, err := compileMatchers(flags.excludeTopics)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid excluded topic regex: %w", err)
 	}
 	opts.excludeTopics = excludeTopics
+
+	includeLastPerChannelTopics, err := compileMatchers(flags.includeLastPerChannelTopics)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid last-per-channel topic regex: %w", err)
+	}
+	opts.includeLastPerChannelTopics = includeLastPerChannelTopics
+
 	opts.chunkSize = flags.chunkSize
 	opts.unchunked = flags.unchunked
 	return opts, nil
@@ -192,7 +201,7 @@ func compileMatchers(regexStrings []string) ([]regexp.Regexp, error) {
 		}
 		regex, err := regexp.Compile(regexString)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s is not a valid regex: %w", regexString, err)
 		}
 		matchers[i] = *regex
 	}
@@ -266,6 +275,8 @@ func filter(
 	buf := make([]byte, 1024)
 	schemas := make(map[uint16]markableSchema)
 	channels := make(map[uint16]markableChannel)
+	mostRecentMessageBeforeRangeStart := make(map[uint16]*mcap.Message)
+	messagesBeforeRangeStartWritten := false
 
 	for {
 		token, data, err := lexer.Next(buf)
@@ -298,6 +309,12 @@ func filter(
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
+			for i := range opts.includeLastPerChannelTopics {
+				matcher := opts.includeLastPerChannelTopics[i]
+				if matcher.MatchString(channel.Topic) {
+					mostRecentMessageBeforeRangeStart[channel.ID] = nil
+				}
+			}
 			// if any topics match an includeTopic, add it.
 			for i := range opts.includeTopics {
 				matcher := opts.includeTopics[i]
@@ -327,12 +344,58 @@ func filter(
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
+			mostRecent, ok := mostRecentMessageBeforeRangeStart[message.ChannelID]
 			if message.LogTime < opts.start {
+				if ok {
+					if mostRecent == nil || mostRecent.LogTime <= message.LogTime {
+						mostRecentMessageBeforeRangeStart[message.ChannelID] = message
+						// Copy the data buffer explicitly, to avoid keeping a reference to the greater
+						// `buf` array that underlies `message.Data`.
+						mostRecentMessageBeforeRangeStart[message.ChannelID].Data = append([]byte{}, message.Data...)
+					}
+				}
 				continue
 			}
 			if message.LogTime >= opts.end {
 				continue
 			}
+			if !messagesBeforeRangeStartWritten {
+				messagesBeforeRangeStartWritten = true
+				// We have reached the start of the record, so add any stored messages here
+				for _, mostRecent := range mostRecentMessageBeforeRangeStart {
+					if mostRecent == nil {
+						continue
+					}
+					// We might still need to write the channel
+					channel, ok := channels[mostRecent.ChannelID]
+					if !ok {
+						continue
+					}
+					if !channel.written {
+						if channel.SchemaID != 0 {
+							schema, ok := schemas[channel.SchemaID]
+							if !ok {
+								return fmt.Errorf("encountered channel with topic %s with unknown schema ID %d",
+									channel.Topic, channel.SchemaID)
+							}
+							if !schema.written {
+								if err := mcapWriter.WriteSchema(schema.Schema); err != nil {
+									return err
+								}
+								schemas[channel.SchemaID] = markableSchema{schema.Schema, true}
+							}
+						}
+						if err := mcapWriter.WriteChannel(channel.Channel); err != nil {
+							return err
+						}
+						channels[mostRecent.ChannelID] = markableChannel{channel.Channel, true}
+					}
+					if err := mcapWriter.WriteMessage(mostRecent); err != nil {
+						return err
+					}
+					numMessages++
+				}
+			}
 			channel, ok := channels[message.ChannelID]
 			if !ok {
 				continue
@@ -406,6 +469,12 @@ usage:
 			[]string{},
 			"messages with topic names matching this regex will be excluded, can be supplied multiple times",
 		)
+		includeLastPerChannelTopics := filterCmd.PersistentFlags().StringArray(
+			"include-last-per-channel-topic-regex",
+			[]string{},
+			"For included topics matching this regex, the most recent message prior to the start time"+
+				" will still be included.",
+		)
 		start := filterCmd.PersistentFlags().StringP(
 			"start",
 			"S",
@@ -463,19 +532,20 @@ usage:
 		)
 		filterCmd.Run = func(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 			filterOptions, err := buildFilterOptions(&filterFlags{
-				output:             *output,
-				includeTopics:      *includeTopics,
-				excludeTopics:      *excludeTopics,
-				start:              *start,
-				startSec:           *startSec,
-				startNano:          *startNano,
-				end:                *end,
-				endSec:             *endSec,
-				endNano:            *endNano,
-				chunkSize:          *chunkSize,
-				includeMetadata:    *includeMetadata,
-				includeAttachments: *includeAttachments,
-				outputCompression:  *outputCompression,
+				output:                      *output,
+				includeTopics:               *includeTopics,
+				excludeTopics:               *excludeTopics,
+				includeLastPerChannelTopics: *includeLastPerChannelTopics,
+				start:                       *start,
+				startSec:                    *startSec,
+				startNano:                   *startNano,
+				end:                         *end,
+				endSec:                      *endSec,
+				endNano:                     *endNano,
+				chunkSize:                   *chunkSize,
+				includeMetadata:             *includeMetadata,
+				includeAttachments:          *includeAttachments,
+				outputCompression:           *outputCompression,
 			})
 			if err != nil {
 				die("configuration error: %s", err)
diff --git a/go/cli/mcap/cmd/filter_test.go b/go/cli/mcap/cmd/filter_test.go
index 40db7ecd0..5428b7278 100644
--- a/go/cli/mcap/cmd/filter_test.go
+++ b/go/cli/mcap/cmd/filter_test.go
@@ -311,3 +311,95 @@ func TestBuildFilterOptions(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestLastPerChannelBehavior(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		name                 string
+		flags                *filterFlags
+		expectedMessageCount map[uint16]int
+	}{
+		{name: "noop",
+			flags: &filterFlags{
+				startNano: 50,
+			},
+			expectedMessageCount: map[uint16]int{
+				1: 50,
+				2: 50,
+				3: 50,
+			},
+		},
+		{name: "last per channel on all topics",
+			flags: &filterFlags{
+				startNano:                   50,
+				includeLastPerChannelTopics: []string{".*"},
+			},
+			expectedMessageCount: map[uint16]int{
+				1: 51,
+				2: 51,
+				3: 51,
+			},
+		},
+		{name: "last per channel on camera topics only",
+			flags: &filterFlags{
+				startNano:                   50,
+				includeLastPerChannelTopics: []string{"camera_.*"},
+			},
+			expectedMessageCount: map[uint16]int{
+				1: 51,
+				2: 51,
+				3: 50,
+			},
+		},
+		{name: "does not override include topics",
+			flags: &filterFlags{
+				startNano:                   50,
+				includeLastPerChannelTopics: []string{"camera_.*"},
+				includeTopics:               []string{"camera_a"},
+			},
+			expectedMessageCount: map[uint16]int{
+				1: 51,
+				2: 0,
+				3: 0,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	for _, c := range cases {
+		t.Run(c.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			opts, err := buildFilterOptions(c.flags)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			writeBuf := bytes.Buffer{}
+			readBuf := bytes.Buffer{}
+
+			writeFilterTestInput(t, &readBuf)
+			require.NoError(t, filter(&readBuf, &writeBuf, opts))
+			lexer, err := mcap.NewLexer(&writeBuf, &mcap.LexerOptions{})
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			defer lexer.Close()
+			messageCounter := map[uint16]int{
+				1: 0,
+				2: 0,
+				3: 0,
+			}
+			for {
+				token, record, err := lexer.Next(nil)
+				if err != nil {
+					require.ErrorIs(t, err, io.EOF)
+					break
+				}
+				if token == mcap.TokenMessage {
+					message, err := mcap.ParseMessage(record)
+					require.NoError(t, err)
+					messageCounter[message.ChannelID]++
+				}
+			}
+			for channelID, count := range messageCounter {
+				require.Equal(
+					t,
+					c.expectedMessageCount[channelID],
+					count,
+					"message count incorrect on channel %d", channelID,
+				)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}