diff --git a/docs/source/config_file.rst b/docs/source/config_file.rst
index 60d0137c5506..abaec31c6888 100644
--- a/docs/source/config_file.rst
+++ b/docs/source/config_file.rst
@@ -191,6 +191,28 @@ section of the command line docs.
 
     This option may only be set in the global section (``[mypy]``).
 
+.. confval:: modules
+
+    :type: comma-separated list of strings
+
+    A comma-separated list of packages which should be checked by mypy if none are given on the command
+    line. Mypy *will not* recursively type check any submodules of the provided
+    module.
+
+    This option may only be set in the global section (``[mypy]``).
+
+
+.. confval:: packages
+
+    :type: comma-separated list of strings
+
+    A comma-separated list of packages which should be checked by mypy if none are given on the command
+    line.  Mypy *will* recursively type check any submodules of the provided
+    package. This flag is identical to :confval:`modules` apart from this
+    behavior.
+    
+    This option may only be set in the global section (``[mypy]``).
+
 .. confval:: exclude
 
     :type: regular expression
diff --git a/mypy/config_parser.py b/mypy/config_parser.py
index 52f8182220c1..be690ee78fbc 100644
--- a/mypy/config_parser.py
+++ b/mypy/config_parser.py
@@ -161,6 +161,8 @@ def check_follow_imports(choice: str) -> str:
     "python_executable": expand_path,
     "strict": bool,
     "exclude": lambda s: [s.strip()],
+    "packages": try_split,
+    "modules": try_split,
 }
 
 # Reuse the ini_config_types and overwrite the diff
@@ -178,6 +180,8 @@ def check_follow_imports(choice: str) -> str:
         "enable_error_code": lambda s: validate_codes(try_split(s)),
         "package_root": try_split,
         "exclude": str_or_array_as_list,
+        "packages": try_split,
+        "modules": try_split,
     }
 )
 
diff --git a/mypy/main.py b/mypy/main.py
index 1074a9ac70d8..e8be9f0d01fe 100644
--- a/mypy/main.py
+++ b/mypy/main.py
@@ -1222,8 +1222,13 @@ def set_strict_flags() -> None:
 
     # Paths listed in the config file will be ignored if any paths, modules or packages
     # are passed on the command line.
-    if options.files and not (special_opts.files or special_opts.packages or special_opts.modules):
-        special_opts.files = options.files
+    if not (special_opts.files or special_opts.packages or special_opts.modules):
+        if options.files:
+            special_opts.files = options.files
+        if options.packages:
+            special_opts.packages = options.packages
+        if options.modules:
+            special_opts.modules = options.modules
 
     # Check for invalid argument combinations.
     if require_targets:
diff --git a/mypy/options.py b/mypy/options.py
index 76df064842f2..1910f9532913 100644
--- a/mypy/options.py
+++ b/mypy/options.py
@@ -215,6 +215,12 @@ def __init__(self) -> None:
         # supports globbing
         self.files: list[str] | None = None
 
+        # A list of packages for mypy to type check
+        self.packages: list[str] | None = None
+
+        # A list of modules for mypy to type check
+        self.modules: list[str] | None = None
+
         # Write junit.xml to given file
         self.junit_xml: str | None = None