diff --git a/colcon_core/package_decorator.py b/colcon_core/package_decorator.py
index 256b7c859..3226da1a1 100644
--- a/colcon_core/package_decorator.py
+++ b/colcon_core/package_decorator.py
@@ -46,8 +46,9 @@ def add_recursive_dependencies(
 
     :param set decorators: The known packages to consider
     :param Iterable[str] direct_categories: The names of the direct categories
-    :param Iterable[str] recursive_categories: The names of the recursive
-    categories
+    :param Iterable[str]|Mapping[str, Iterable[str]] recursive_categories:
+      The names of the recursive categories, optionally mapped from the
+      immediate upstream category which included the dependency
     """
     descriptors = [decorator.descriptor for decorator in decorators]
     for decorator in decorators:
diff --git a/colcon_core/package_descriptor.py b/colcon_core/package_descriptor.py
index 0e61006dc..bffdf9e5f 100644
--- a/colcon_core/package_descriptor.py
+++ b/colcon_core/package_descriptor.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0
 
 from collections import defaultdict
+from collections.abc import Mapping
 from copy import deepcopy
 import os
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -105,12 +106,15 @@ def get_recursive_dependencies(
           consider
         :param Iterable[str] direct_categories: The names of the direct
           categories
-        :param Iterable[str] recursive_categories: The names of the recursive
-          categories
+        :param Iterable[str]|Mapping[str, Iterable[str]] recursive_categories:
+          The names of the recursive categories, optionally mapped from the
+          immediate upstream category which included the dependency
         :returns: The dependencies
         :rtype: set[DependencyDescriptor]
         :raises AssertionError: if a package lists itself as a dependency
         """
+        if not isinstance(recursive_categories, Mapping):
+            recursive_categories = defaultdict(lambda: recursive_categories)
         # the following variable only exists for faster access within the loop
         descriptors_by_name = defaultdict(set)
         for d in descriptors:
@@ -132,11 +136,17 @@ def get_recursive_dependencies(
                 descs = descriptors_by_name[dep]
                 if not descs:
                     continue
+                categories = set()
+                for category in dep.metadata['categories']:
+                    cats = recursive_categories.get(category)
+                    if cats is None:
+                        categories = None
+                        break
+                    categories.update(cats)
                 # recursing into the same function of the dependency descriptor
                 # queue recursive dependencies
                 for d in descs:
-                    queue |= d.get_dependencies(
-                        categories=recursive_categories)
+                    queue |= d.get_dependencies(categories=categories)
                 # add the depth
                 dep.metadata['depth'] = depth
                 # add dependency to result set
diff --git a/colcon_core/package_selection/__init__.py b/colcon_core/package_selection/__init__.py
index 6b1bdc9f0..ba0156e47 100644
--- a/colcon_core/package_selection/__init__.py
+++ b/colcon_core/package_selection/__init__.py
@@ -136,8 +136,9 @@ def get_packages(
     :param additional_argument_names: A list of additional arguments to
       consider
     :param Iterable[str] direct_categories: The names of the direct categories
-    :param Iterable[str] recursive_categories: The names of the recursive
-      categories
+    :param Iterable[str]|Mapping[str, Iterable[str]] recursive_categories:
+      The names of the recursive categories, optionally mapped from the
+      immediate upstream category which included the dependency
     :rtype: list
     :raises RuntimeError: if the returned set of packages contains duplicates
       package names
diff --git a/test/test_package_descriptor.py b/test/test_package_descriptor.py
index 7c53c09a2..4baf7b247 100644
--- a/test/test_package_descriptor.py
+++ b/test/test_package_descriptor.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Copyright 2016-2018 Dirk Thomas
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0
 
+from collections import defaultdict
 import os
 from pathlib import Path
 
@@ -49,7 +50,8 @@ def test_get_dependencies():
     assert "'self'" in str(e.value)
 
 
-def test_get_recursive_dependencies():
+@pytest.fixture
+def recursive_dependencies():
     d = PackageDescriptor('/some/path')
     d.name = 'A'
     d.dependencies['build'].add('B')
@@ -70,6 +72,7 @@ def test_get_recursive_dependencies():
     d3.dependencies['build'].add('h')
     d3.dependencies['test'].add('G')
     d3.dependencies['test'].add('I')
+    d3.dependencies['test'].add('J')
 
     d4 = PackageDescriptor('/more/path')
     d4.name = 'G'
@@ -80,10 +83,35 @@ def test_get_recursive_dependencies():
     # circular dependencies should be ignored
     d5.dependencies['run'].add('A')
 
-    rec_deps = d.get_recursive_dependencies(
-        {d, d1, d2, d3, d4, d5},
+    d6 = PackageDescriptor('/paths/galore')
+    d6.name = 'J'
+
+    return d, {d, d1, d2, d3, d4, d5, d6}
+
+
+def test_get_recursive_dependencies(recursive_dependencies):
+    desc, all_descs = recursive_dependencies
+    rec_deps = desc.get_recursive_dependencies(
+        all_descs,
         direct_categories=('build', 'run'),
         recursive_categories=('run', 'test'))
+    assert rec_deps == {
+        # direct dependencies
+        'B',
+        # recursive dependencies
+        'F', 'G', 'I', 'J',
+    }
+
+
+def test_get_recursive_dependencies_map(recursive_dependencies):
+    recursive_categories = defaultdict(lambda: ('run', 'test'))
+    recursive_categories['run'] = ('run',)
+
+    desc, all_descs = recursive_dependencies
+    rec_deps = desc.get_recursive_dependencies(
+        all_descs,
+        direct_categories=('build', 'run'),
+        recursive_categories=recursive_categories)
     assert rec_deps == {
         # direct dependencies
         'B',