diff --git a/doc/openocd.texi b/doc/openocd.texi
index e51de4de9..15965dabb 100644
--- a/doc/openocd.texi
+++ b/doc/openocd.texi
@@ -3079,13 +3079,17 @@ This type of adapter does not expose some of the lower level api's
 that OpenOCD would normally use to access the target.
 
 Currently supported adapters include the ST STLINK and TI ICDI.
+STLINK firmware version >= V2.J21.S4 recommended due to issues with earlier
+versions of firmware where serial number is reset after first use.  Suggest
+using ST firmware update utility to upgrade STLINK firmware even if current
+version reported is V2.J21.S4.
 
 @deffn {Config Command} {hla_device_desc} description
 Currently Not Supported.
 @end deffn
 
 @deffn {Config Command} {hla_serial} serial
-Currently Not Supported.
+Specifies the serial number of the adapter.
 @end deffn
 
 @deffn {Config Command} {hla_layout} (@option{stlink}|@option{icdi})
diff --git a/src/jtag/aice/aice_usb.c b/src/jtag/aice/aice_usb.c
index 917d795b0..d933845c5 100644
--- a/src/jtag/aice/aice_usb.c
+++ b/src/jtag/aice/aice_usb.c
@@ -2099,7 +2099,7 @@ static int aice_usb_open(struct aice_port_param_s *param)
 	const uint16_t pids[] = { param->pid, 0 };
 	struct jtag_libusb_device_handle *devh;
 
-	if (jtag_libusb_open(vids, pids, &devh) != ERROR_OK)
+	if (jtag_libusb_open(vids, pids, NULL, &devh) != ERROR_OK)
 		return ERROR_FAIL;
 
 	/* BE ***VERY CAREFUL*** ABOUT MAKING CHANGES IN THIS
@@ -2123,7 +2123,7 @@ static int aice_usb_open(struct aice_port_param_s *param)
 	/* reopen jlink after usb_reset
 	 * on win32 this may take a second or two to re-enumerate */
 	int retval;
-	while ((retval = jtag_libusb_open(vids, pids, &devh)) != ERROR_OK) {
+	while ((retval = jtag_libusb_open(vids, pids, NULL, &devh)) != ERROR_OK) {
 		usleep(1000);
 		timeout--;
 		if (!timeout)
diff --git a/src/jtag/drivers/jlink.c b/src/jtag/drivers/jlink.c
index 39be94126..55b1e45f9 100644
--- a/src/jtag/drivers/jlink.c
+++ b/src/jtag/drivers/jlink.c
@@ -1699,7 +1699,7 @@ static void jlink_swd_queue_cmd(struct adiv5_dap *dap, uint8_t cmd, uint32_t *ds
 static struct jlink *jlink_usb_open()
 {
 	struct jtag_libusb_device_handle *devh;
-	if (jtag_libusb_open(vids, pids, &devh) != ERROR_OK)
+	if (jtag_libusb_open(vids, pids, NULL, &devh) != ERROR_OK)
 		return NULL;
 
 	/* BE ***VERY CAREFUL*** ABOUT MAKING CHANGES IN THIS
@@ -1723,7 +1723,7 @@ static struct jlink *jlink_usb_open()
 	/* reopen jlink after usb_reset
 	 * on win32 this may take a second or two to re-enumerate */
 	int retval;
-	while ((retval = jtag_libusb_open(vids, pids, &devh)) != ERROR_OK) {
+	while ((retval = jtag_libusb_open(vids, pids, NULL, &devh)) != ERROR_OK) {
 		usleep(1000);
 		timeout--;
 		if (!timeout)
diff --git a/src/jtag/drivers/libusb0_common.c b/src/jtag/drivers/libusb0_common.c
index 16dd4ecba..b44b7861b 100644
--- a/src/jtag/drivers/libusb0_common.c
+++ b/src/jtag/drivers/libusb0_common.c
@@ -37,9 +37,40 @@ static bool jtag_libusb_match(struct jtag_libusb_device *dev,
 	return false;
 }
 
+/* Returns true if the string descriptor indexed by str_index in device matches string */
+static bool string_descriptor_equal(usb_dev_handle *device, uint8_t str_index,
+									const char *string)
+{
+	int retval;
+	bool matched;
+	char desc_string[256+1]; /* Max size of string descriptor */
+
+	if (str_index == 0)
+		return false;
+
+	retval = usb_get_string_simple(device, str_index,
+			desc_string, sizeof(desc_string)-1);
+	if (retval < 0) {
+		LOG_ERROR("usb_get_string_simple() failed with %d", retval);
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	/* Null terminate descriptor string in case it needs to be logged. */
+	desc_string[sizeof(desc_string)-1] = '\0';
+
+	matched = strncmp(string, desc_string, sizeof(desc_string)) == 0;
+	if (!matched)
+		LOG_DEBUG("Device serial number '%s' doesn't match requested serial '%s'",
+			desc_string, string);
+	return matched;
+}
+
 int jtag_libusb_open(const uint16_t vids[], const uint16_t pids[],
+		const char *serial,
 		struct jtag_libusb_device_handle **out)
 {
+	int retval = -ENODEV;
+	struct jtag_libusb_device_handle *libusb_handle;
 	usb_init();
 
 	usb_find_busses();
@@ -52,13 +83,24 @@ int jtag_libusb_open(const uint16_t vids[], const uint16_t pids[],
 			if (!jtag_libusb_match(dev, vids, pids))
 				continue;
 
-			*out = usb_open(dev);
-			if (NULL == *out)
-				return -errno;
-			return 0;
+			libusb_handle = usb_open(dev);
+			if (NULL == libusb_handle) {
+				retval = -errno;
+				continue;
+			}
+
+			/* Device must be open to use libusb_get_string_descriptor_ascii. */
+			if (serial != NULL &&
+					!string_descriptor_equal(libusb_handle, dev->descriptor.iSerialNumber, serial)) {
+				usb_close(libusb_handle);
+				continue;
+			}
+			*out = libusb_handle;
+			retval = 0;
+			break;
 		}
 	}
-	return -ENODEV;
+	return retval;
 }
 
 void jtag_libusb_close(jtag_libusb_device_handle *dev)
diff --git a/src/jtag/drivers/libusb0_common.h b/src/jtag/drivers/libusb0_common.h
index db247ad85..370954fd3 100644
--- a/src/jtag/drivers/libusb0_common.h
+++ b/src/jtag/drivers/libusb0_common.h
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ static inline int jtag_libusb_release_interface(jtag_libusb_device_handle *devh,
 }
 
 int jtag_libusb_open(const uint16_t vids[], const uint16_t pids[],
+		const char *serial,
 		struct jtag_libusb_device_handle **out);
 void jtag_libusb_close(jtag_libusb_device_handle *dev);
 int jtag_libusb_control_transfer(jtag_libusb_device_handle *dev,
diff --git a/src/jtag/drivers/libusb1_common.c b/src/jtag/drivers/libusb1_common.c
index 99e0d4826..a29b2e910 100644
--- a/src/jtag/drivers/libusb1_common.c
+++ b/src/jtag/drivers/libusb1_common.c
@@ -28,25 +28,53 @@
 static struct libusb_context *jtag_libusb_context; /**< Libusb context **/
 static libusb_device **devs; /**< The usb device list **/
 
-static bool jtag_libusb_match(struct jtag_libusb_device *dev,
+static bool jtag_libusb_match(struct libusb_device_descriptor *dev_desc,
 		const uint16_t vids[], const uint16_t pids[])
 {
-	struct libusb_device_descriptor dev_desc;
-
 	for (unsigned i = 0; vids[i]; i++) {
-		if (libusb_get_device_descriptor(dev, &dev_desc) == 0) {
-			if (dev_desc.idVendor == vids[i] &&
-				dev_desc.idProduct == pids[i])
-				return true;
+		if (dev_desc->idVendor == vids[i] &&
+			dev_desc->idProduct == pids[i]) {
+			return true;
 		}
 	}
 	return false;
 }
 
+/* Returns true if the string descriptor indexed by str_index in device matches string */
+static bool string_descriptor_equal(libusb_device_handle *device, uint8_t str_index,
+									const char *string)
+{
+	int retval;
+	bool matched;
+	char desc_string[256+1]; /* Max size of string descriptor */
+
+	if (str_index == 0)
+		return false;
+
+	retval = libusb_get_string_descriptor_ascii(device, str_index,
+			(unsigned char *)desc_string, sizeof(desc_string)-1);
+	if (retval < 0) {
+		LOG_ERROR("libusb_get_string_descriptor_ascii() failed with %d", retval);
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	/* Null terminate descriptor string in case it needs to be logged. */
+	desc_string[sizeof(desc_string)-1] = '\0';
+
+	matched = strncmp(string, desc_string, sizeof(desc_string)) == 0;
+	if (!matched)
+		LOG_DEBUG("Device serial number '%s' doesn't match requested serial '%s'",
+			desc_string, string);
+	return matched;
+}
+
 int jtag_libusb_open(const uint16_t vids[], const uint16_t pids[],
+		const char *serial,
 		struct jtag_libusb_device_handle **out)
 {
 	int cnt, idx, errCode;
+	int retval = -ENODEV;
+	struct jtag_libusb_device_handle *libusb_handle = NULL;
 
 	if (libusb_init(&jtag_libusb_context) < 0)
 		return -ENODEV;
@@ -54,22 +82,37 @@ int jtag_libusb_open(const uint16_t vids[], const uint16_t pids[],
 	cnt = libusb_get_device_list(jtag_libusb_context, &devs);
 
 	for (idx = 0; idx < cnt; idx++) {
-		if (!jtag_libusb_match(devs[idx], vids, pids))
+		struct libusb_device_descriptor dev_desc;
+
+		if (libusb_get_device_descriptor(devs[idx], &dev_desc) != 0)
 			continue;
 
-		errCode = libusb_open(devs[idx], out);
+		if (!jtag_libusb_match(&dev_desc, vids, pids))
+			continue;
 
-		/** Free the device list **/
-		libusb_free_device_list(devs, 1);
+		errCode = libusb_open(devs[idx], &libusb_handle);
 
 		if (errCode) {
 			LOG_ERROR("libusb_open() failed with %s",
 				  libusb_error_name(errCode));
-			return errCode;
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		/* Device must be open to use libusb_get_string_descriptor_ascii. */
+		if (serial != NULL &&
+				!string_descriptor_equal(libusb_handle, dev_desc.iSerialNumber, serial)) {
+			libusb_close(libusb_handle);
+			continue;
 		}
-		return 0;
+
+		/* Success. */
+		*out = libusb_handle;
+		retval = 0;
+		break;
 	}
-	return -ENODEV;
+	if (cnt >= 0)
+		libusb_free_device_list(devs, 1);
+	return retval;
 }
 
 void jtag_libusb_close(jtag_libusb_device_handle *dev)
diff --git a/src/jtag/drivers/libusb1_common.h b/src/jtag/drivers/libusb1_common.h
index e33b83ad8..a4447ca9b 100644
--- a/src/jtag/drivers/libusb1_common.h
+++ b/src/jtag/drivers/libusb1_common.h
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ static inline int jtag_libusb_release_interface(jtag_libusb_device_handle *devh,
 }
 
 int jtag_libusb_open(const uint16_t vids[], const uint16_t pids[],
+		const char *serial,
 		struct jtag_libusb_device_handle **out);
 void jtag_libusb_close(jtag_libusb_device_handle *dev);
 int jtag_libusb_control_transfer(jtag_libusb_device_handle *dev,
diff --git a/src/jtag/drivers/opendous.c b/src/jtag/drivers/opendous.c
index 8bfaf0d99..6af3b28f4 100644
--- a/src/jtag/drivers/opendous.c
+++ b/src/jtag/drivers/opendous.c
@@ -709,7 +709,7 @@ struct opendous_jtag *opendous_usb_open(void)
 	struct opendous_jtag *result;
 
 	struct jtag_libusb_device_handle *devh;
-	if (jtag_libusb_open(opendous_probe->VID, opendous_probe->PID, &devh) != ERROR_OK)
+	if (jtag_libusb_open(opendous_probe->VID, opendous_probe->PID, NULL, &devh) != ERROR_OK)
 		return NULL;
 
 	jtag_libusb_set_configuration(devh, 0);
diff --git a/src/jtag/drivers/osbdm.c b/src/jtag/drivers/osbdm.c
index db9c29f24..d1eeedb33 100644
--- a/src/jtag/drivers/osbdm.c
+++ b/src/jtag/drivers/osbdm.c
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ static int osbdm_flush(struct osbdm *osbdm, struct queue* queue)
 static int osbdm_open(struct osbdm *osbdm)
 {
 	(void)memset(osbdm, 0, sizeof(*osbdm));
-	if (jtag_libusb_open(osbdm_vid, osbdm_pid, &osbdm->devh) != ERROR_OK)
+	if (jtag_libusb_open(osbdm_vid, osbdm_pid, NULL, &osbdm->devh) != ERROR_OK)
 		return ERROR_FAIL;
 
 	if (jtag_libusb_claim_interface(osbdm->devh, 0) != ERROR_OK)
diff --git a/src/jtag/drivers/stlink_usb.c b/src/jtag/drivers/stlink_usb.c
index bd970ab4e..58af0dd59 100644
--- a/src/jtag/drivers/stlink_usb.c
+++ b/src/jtag/drivers/stlink_usb.c
@@ -1600,9 +1600,11 @@ static int stlink_usb_open(struct hl_interface_param_s *param, void **fd)
 
 	const uint16_t vids[] = { param->vid, 0 };
 	const uint16_t pids[] = { param->pid, 0 };
+	const char *serial = param->serial;
 
-	LOG_DEBUG("transport: %d vid: 0x%04x pid: 0x%04x", param->transport,
-		param->vid, param->pid);
+	LOG_DEBUG("transport: %d vid: 0x%04x pid: 0x%04x serial: %s",
+			param->transport, param->vid, param->pid,
+			param->serial ? param->serial : "");
 
 	/*
 	  On certain host USB configurations(e.g. MacBook Air)
@@ -1614,7 +1616,7 @@ static int stlink_usb_open(struct hl_interface_param_s *param, void **fd)
 	  in order to become operational.
 	 */
 	do {
-		if (jtag_libusb_open(vids, pids, &h->fd) != ERROR_OK) {
+		if (jtag_libusb_open(vids, pids, serial, &h->fd) != ERROR_OK) {
 			LOG_ERROR("open failed");
 			goto error_open;
 		}
diff --git a/src/jtag/drivers/usb_blaster/ublast2_access_libusb.c b/src/jtag/drivers/usb_blaster/ublast2_access_libusb.c
index 437150d75..70dab20d5 100644
--- a/src/jtag/drivers/usb_blaster/ublast2_access_libusb.c
+++ b/src/jtag/drivers/usb_blaster/ublast2_access_libusb.c
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ static int ublast2_libusb_init(struct ublast_lowlevel *low)
 	bool renumeration = false;
 	int ret;
 
-	if (jtag_libusb_open(vids, pids, &temp) == ERROR_OK) {
+	if (jtag_libusb_open(vids, pids, NULL, &temp) == ERROR_OK) {
 		LOG_INFO("Altera USB-Blaster II (uninitialized) found");
 		LOG_INFO("Loading firmware...");
 		ret = load_usb_blaster_firmware(temp, low);
@@ -200,13 +200,13 @@ static int ublast2_libusb_init(struct ublast_lowlevel *low)
 	const uint16_t pids_renum[] = { low->ublast_pid, 0 };
 
 	if (renumeration == false) {
-		if (jtag_libusb_open(vids_renum, pids_renum, &low->libusb_dev) != ERROR_OK) {
+		if (jtag_libusb_open(vids_renum, pids_renum, NULL, &low->libusb_dev) != ERROR_OK) {
 			LOG_ERROR("Altera USB-Blaster II not found");
 			return ERROR_FAIL;
 		}
 	} else {
 		int retry = 10;
-		while (jtag_libusb_open(vids_renum, pids_renum, &low->libusb_dev) != ERROR_OK && retry--) {
+		while (jtag_libusb_open(vids_renum, pids_renum, NULL, &low->libusb_dev) != ERROR_OK && retry--) {
 			usleep(1000000);
 			LOG_INFO("Waiting for renumerate...");
 		}
diff --git a/tcl/interface/stlink-v2-1.cfg b/tcl/interface/stlink-v2-1.cfg
index e1bccbc26..093e80177 100644
--- a/tcl/interface/stlink-v2-1.cfg
+++ b/tcl/interface/stlink-v2-1.cfg
@@ -7,3 +7,10 @@ hla_layout stlink
 hla_device_desc "ST-LINK/V2-1"
 hla_vid_pid 0x0483 0x374b
 
+# Optionally specify the serial number of ST-LINK/V2 usb device.  ST-LINK/V2
+# devices seem to have serial numbers with unreadable characters.  ST-LINK/V2
+# firmware version >= V2.J21.S4 recommended to avoid issues with adapter serial
+# number reset issues.
+# eg.
+#hla_serial "\xaa\xbc\x6e\x06\x50\x75\xff\x55\x17\x42\x19\x3f"
+
diff --git a/tcl/interface/stlink-v2.cfg b/tcl/interface/stlink-v2.cfg
index e145d6353..ae545a118 100644
--- a/tcl/interface/stlink-v2.cfg
+++ b/tcl/interface/stlink-v2.cfg
@@ -7,3 +7,10 @@ hla_layout stlink
 hla_device_desc "ST-LINK/V2"
 hla_vid_pid 0x0483 0x3748
 
+# Optionally specify the serial number of ST-LINK/V2 usb device.  ST-LINK/V2
+# devices seem to have serial numbers with unreadable characters.  ST-LINK/V2
+# firmware version >= V2.J21.S4 recommended to avoid issues with adapter serial
+# number reset issues.
+# eg.
+#hla_serial "\xaa\xbc\x6e\x06\x50\x75\xff\x55\x17\x42\x19\x3f"
+