diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index c3837923..baa98bdb 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 use regex::bytes::Regex;
 
-use crate::{dependencies::build_dependencies, CommandBuilder, Filter, Match, Mode, RustfixMode};
+use crate::{
+    dependencies::build_dependencies, CommandBuilder, Filter, Level, Match, Mode, RustfixMode,
+};
 pub use color_eyre;
 use color_eyre::eyre::Result;
 use std::{
@@ -59,6 +61,9 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub run_only_ignored: bool,
     /// Filters must match exactly instead of just checking for substrings.
     pub filter_exact: bool,
+    /// If set, lower level annotations will still be checked but we won't go below
+    /// `forced_lowest_annotation_level`.
+    pub forced_lowest_annotation_level: Option<Level>,
 }
 
 impl Config {
@@ -103,6 +108,7 @@ impl Config {
             list: false,
             run_only_ignored: false,
             filter_exact: false,
+            forced_lowest_annotation_level: None,
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 95f553e1..a38f00db 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ use dependencies::{Build, BuildManager};
 use lazy_static::lazy_static;
 use parser::{ErrorMatch, MaybeSpanned, OptWithLine, Revisioned, Spanned};
 use regex::bytes::{Captures, Regex};
-use rustc_stderr::{Level, Message};
+use rustc_stderr::Message;
 use spanned::Span;
 use status_emitter::{StatusEmitter, TestStatus};
 use std::borrow::Cow;
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ pub use cmd::*;
 pub use config::*;
 pub use error::*;
 pub use mode::*;
+pub use rustc_stderr::Level;
 
 /// A filter's match rule.
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
@@ -665,6 +666,7 @@ impl dyn TestStatus {
             status,
             &stdout,
             &stderr,
+            config.forced_lowest_annotation_level,
         )?;
 
         if let Mode::Run { .. } = *mode {
@@ -990,6 +992,7 @@ fn check_test_result(
     status: ExitStatus,
     stdout: &[u8],
     stderr: &[u8],
+    forced_lowest_annotation_level: Option<Level>,
 ) -> Result<Command, Errored> {
     let mut errors = vec![];
     errors.extend(mode.ok(status).err());
@@ -1013,6 +1016,7 @@ fn check_test_result(
         config,
         revision,
         comments,
+        forced_lowest_annotation_level,
     )?;
     if errors.is_empty() {
         Ok(command)
@@ -1067,6 +1071,7 @@ fn check_annotations(
     config: &Config,
     revision: &str,
     comments: &Comments,
+    forced_lowest_annotation_level: Option<Level>,
 ) -> Result<(), Errored> {
     let error_patterns = comments
         .for_revision(revision)
@@ -1094,7 +1099,7 @@ fn check_annotations(
     // The order on `Level` is such that `Error` is the highest level.
     // We will ensure that *all* diagnostics of level at least `lowest_annotation_level`
     // are matched.
-    let mut lowest_annotation_level = Level::Error;
+    let mut lowest_annotation_level = forced_lowest_annotation_level.unwrap_or(Level::Error);
     for &ErrorMatch {
         ref pattern,
         level,
@@ -1107,7 +1112,11 @@ fn check_annotations(
         // If we found a diagnostic with a level annotation, make sure that all
         // diagnostics of that level have annotations, even if we don't end up finding a matching diagnostic
         // for this pattern.
-        if lowest_annotation_level > level {
+        if lowest_annotation_level > level
+            && forced_lowest_annotation_level
+                .map(|forced_minimum| forced_minimum <= level)
+                .unwrap_or(true)
+        {
             lowest_annotation_level = level;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/rustc_stderr.rs b/src/rustc_stderr.rs
index 0daa422b..c7d1488a 100644
--- a/src/rustc_stderr.rs
+++ b/src/rustc_stderr.rs
@@ -14,12 +14,18 @@ struct RustcMessage {
     children: Vec<RustcMessage>,
 }
 
+/// Message level.
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, Debug, PartialOrd, Ord, PartialEq, Eq)]
-pub(crate) enum Level {
+pub enum Level {
+    /// Internal compiler error.
     Ice = 5,
+    /// Compilation error.
     Error = 4,
+    /// Compilation warning.
     Warn = 3,
+    /// Help message.
     Help = 2,
+    /// Note message.
     Note = 1,
     /// Only used for "For more information about this error, try `rustc --explain EXXXX`".
     FailureNote = 0,
diff --git a/src/tests.rs b/src/tests.rs
index 137001df..5069b1d4 100644
--- a/src/tests.rs
+++ b/src/tests.rs
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ fn main() {
         &config,
         "",
         &comments,
+        None,
     )
     .unwrap();
     match &errors[..] {
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@ fn main() {
             &config,
             "",
             &comments,
+            None,
         )
         .unwrap();
         match &errors[..] {
@@ -108,6 +110,7 @@ fn main() {
             &config,
             "",
             &comments,
+            None,
         )
         .unwrap();
         match &errors[..] {
@@ -139,6 +142,7 @@ fn main() {
             &config,
             "",
             &comments,
+            None,
         )
         .unwrap();
         match &errors[..] {
@@ -180,6 +184,7 @@ fn main() {
         &config,
         "",
         &comments,
+        None,
     )
     .unwrap();
     match &errors[..] {
@@ -223,6 +228,7 @@ fn main() {
         &config,
         "",
         &comments,
+        None,
     )
     .unwrap();
     match &errors[..] {
@@ -277,6 +283,7 @@ fn main() {
         &config,
         "",
         &comments,
+        None,
     )
     .unwrap();
     match &errors[..] {
@@ -341,6 +348,7 @@ fn main() {
         &config,
         "",
         &comments,
+        None,
     )
     .unwrap();
     match &errors[..] {