diff --git a/cmds/lshal/DebugCommand.cpp b/cmds/lshal/DebugCommand.cpp
index f371320..dd8812d 100644
--- a/cmds/lshal/DebugCommand.cpp
+++ b/cmds/lshal/DebugCommand.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,14 @@
     if (optind >= arg.argc) {
         return USAGE;
     }
+
+    // Optargs cannnot be used because the flag should not be considered set
+    // if it should really be contained in mOptions.
+    if (std::string(arg.argv[optind]) == "-E") {
+        mExcludesParentInstances = true;
+        optind++;
+    }
+
     mInterfaceName = arg.argv[optind];
     ++optind;
     for (; optind < arg.argc; ++optind) {
@@ -59,6 +67,7 @@
 
     return mLshal.emitDebugInfo(
             pair.first, pair.second.empty() ? "default" : pair.second, mOptions,
+            mExcludesParentInstances,
             mLshal.out().buf(),
             mLshal.err());
 }
@@ -67,8 +76,9 @@
 
     static const std::string debug =
             "debug:\n"
-            "    lshal debug <interface> [options [options [...]]] \n"
+            "    lshal debug [-E] <interface> [options [options [...]]] \n"
             "        Print debug information of a specified interface.\n"
+            "        -E: excludes debug output if HAL is actually a subclass.\n"
             "        <inteface>: Format is `android.hardware.foo@1.0::IFoo/default`.\n"
             "            If instance name is missing `default` is used.\n"
             "        options: space separated options to IBase::debug.\n";
diff --git a/cmds/lshal/DebugCommand.h b/cmds/lshal/DebugCommand.h
index 9b91084..6e12008 100644
--- a/cmds/lshal/DebugCommand.h
+++ b/cmds/lshal/DebugCommand.h
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@
     std::string mInterfaceName;
     std::vector<std::string> mOptions;
 
+    // Outputs the actual descriptor of a hal instead of the debug output
+    // if the arguments provided are a superclass of the actual hal impl.
+    bool mExcludesParentInstances;
+
     DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(DebugCommand);
 };
 
diff --git a/cmds/lshal/ListCommand.cpp b/cmds/lshal/ListCommand.cpp
index 7399692..e4b3c90 100644
--- a/cmds/lshal/ListCommand.cpp
+++ b/cmds/lshal/ListCommand.cpp
@@ -397,7 +397,8 @@
             emitDebugInfo = [this](const auto& iName) {
                 std::stringstream ss;
                 auto pair = splitFirst(iName, '/');
-                mLshal.emitDebugInfo(pair.first, pair.second, {}, ss,
+                mLshal.emitDebugInfo(pair.first, pair.second, {},
+                                     false /* excludesParentInstances */, ss,
                                      NullableOStream<std::ostream>(nullptr));
                 return ss.str();
             };
diff --git a/cmds/lshal/Lshal.cpp b/cmds/lshal/Lshal.cpp
index c6f28ac..8c83457 100644
--- a/cmds/lshal/Lshal.cpp
+++ b/cmds/lshal/Lshal.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <string>
 
 #include <hidl/ServiceManagement.h>
+#include <hidl/HidlTransportUtils.h>
 
 #include "DebugCommand.h"
 #include "ListCommand.h"
@@ -97,9 +98,11 @@
         const std::string &interfaceName,
         const std::string &instanceName,
         const std::vector<std::string> &options,
+        bool excludesParentInstances,
         std::ostream &out,
         NullableOStream<std::ostream> err) const {
     using android::hidl::base::V1_0::IBase;
+    using android::hardware::details::getDescriptor;
 
     hardware::Return<sp<IBase>> retBase = serviceManager()->get(interfaceName, instanceName);
 
@@ -120,6 +123,18 @@
         return NO_INTERFACE;
     }
 
+    if (excludesParentInstances) {
+        const std::string descriptor = getDescriptor(base.get());
+        if (descriptor.empty()) {
+            std::string msg = interfaceName + "/" + instanceName + " getDescriptor failed";
+            err << msg << std::endl;
+            LOG(ERROR) << msg;
+        }
+        if (descriptor != interfaceName) {
+            return OK;
+        }
+    }
+
     PipeRelay relay(out);
 
     if (relay.initCheck() != OK) {
diff --git a/cmds/lshal/Lshal.h b/cmds/lshal/Lshal.h
index 690f30e..9457f1e 100644
--- a/cmds/lshal/Lshal.h
+++ b/cmds/lshal/Lshal.h
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
             const std::string &interfaceName,
             const std::string &instanceName,
             const std::vector<std::string> &options,
+            bool excludesParentInstances,
             std::ostream &out,
             NullableOStream<std::ostream> err) const;