diff --git a/modules/utils/version.py b/modules/utils/version.py
index b40eb1c..acec835 100644
--- a/modules/utils/version.py
+++ b/modules/utils/version.py
@@ -44,6 +44,17 @@ def is_patch_update(current_ver, candidate_ver):
         return bb.utils.vercmp_string(candidate_ver, current_ver) > 0
 
 
+def is_minor_update(current_ver, candidate_ver):
+    """Check if candidate changes only the second component (e.g. 3.5.x -> 3.6.x)."""
+    cur = _split_version(current_ver)
+    cand = _split_version(candidate_ver)
+    if len(cur) != len(cand) or len(cur) < 2:
+        return False
+    if cur[0] != cand[0]:
+        return False
+    return bb.utils.vercmp_string(candidate_ver, current_ver) > 0
+
+
 def _find_best_version(current_ver, all_versions, filter_fn):
     candidates = [v for v in all_versions if filter_fn(current_ver, v)]
     if not candidates:
@@ -58,6 +69,10 @@ def find_patch_version(current_ver, all_versions):
     return _find_best_version(current_ver, all_versions, is_patch_update)
 
 
+def find_minor_version(current_ver, all_versions):
+    return _find_best_version(current_ver, all_versions, is_minor_update)
+
+
 def get_all_upstream_versions(rd):
     """Get all upstream versions using the fetcher infrastructure.
 
diff --git a/upgrade-helper.py b/upgrade-helper.py
index d023559..bef9bca 100755
--- a/upgrade-helper.py
+++ b/upgrade-helper.py
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ from utils.emailhandler import Email
 from statistics import Statistics
 from steps import upgrade_steps
 from testimage import TestImage
-from utils.version import is_patch_update, find_patch_version, get_all_upstream_versions
+from utils.version import is_patch_update, find_patch_version, get_all_upstream_versions, \
+    is_minor_update, find_minor_version
 
 if not os.getenv('BUILDDIR', False):
     E(" You must source oe-init-build-env before running this script!\n")
@@ -101,6 +102,8 @@ def parse_cmdline():
                         help="extract changelog between old and new versions, highlighting CVEs")
     parser.add_argument("--stable", action="store_true", default=False,
                         help="only upgrade to the next patch version within the stable branch (e.g. 1.2.3 -> 1.2.4)")
+    parser.add_argument("--minor", action="store_true", default=False,
+                        help="allow minor version upgrades within the same major (e.g. 3.5.x -> 3.6.x)")
 
     parser.add_argument("-d", "--debug-level", type=int, default=4, choices=range(1, 6),
                         help="set the debug level: CRITICAL=1, ERROR=2, WARNING=3, INFO=4, DEBUG=5")
@@ -702,22 +705,24 @@ class UniverseUpdater(Updater):
 
     def _get_packagegroups_to_upgrade(self, packages=None):
 
-        def _resolve_stable_version(pn, cur_ver, next_ver, tinfoil):
-            """Find the latest patch version within the current stable branch."""
-            if is_patch_update(cur_ver, next_ver):
+        def _resolve_stable_version(pn, cur_ver, next_ver, tinfoil, minor=False):
+            """Find the latest patch (or minor) version within the allowed range."""
+            check_fn = is_minor_update if minor else is_patch_update
+            find_fn = find_minor_version if minor else find_patch_version
+            if check_fn(cur_ver, next_ver):
                 return next_ver, None
-            I(" %s: latest version %s is not a patch update from %s,"
-              " searching for patch versions..." %
-              (pn, next_ver, cur_ver))
+            I(" %s: latest version %s is not a %s update from %s,"
+              " searching for versions..." %
+              (pn, next_ver, "minor" if minor else "patch", cur_ver))
             try:
                 rd = tinfoil.parse_recipe(pn)
                 if not rd:
                     I(" %s: could not parse recipe, skipping" % pn)
                     return None, None
                 all_versions = get_all_upstream_versions(rd)
-                ver = find_patch_version(cur_ver, all_versions)
+                ver = find_fn(cur_ver, all_versions)
                 if ver:
-                    I(" %s: found patch version %s" % (pn, ver))
+                    I(" %s: found version %s" % (pn, ver))
                     return ver, "N/A"
                 else:
                     I(" %s: no suitable version available, skipping" % pn)
@@ -791,7 +796,7 @@ class UniverseUpdater(Updater):
                 if upgrade_group:
                     upgrade_pkggroups.append(upgrade_group)
 
-        if self.args.stable and upgrade_pkggroups:
+        if (self.args.stable or self.args.minor) and upgrade_pkggroups:
             stable_tinfoil = bb.tinfoil.Tinfoil()
             stable_tinfoil.prepare(config_only=False)
             try:
@@ -801,7 +806,7 @@ class UniverseUpdater(Updater):
                     for pkg in group:
                         stable_ver, stable_rev = _resolve_stable_version(
                             pkg['pn'], pkg['cur_ver'], pkg['next_ver'],
-                            stable_tinfoil)
+                            stable_tinfoil, minor=self.args.minor)
                         if stable_ver is not None:
                             pkg['next_ver'] = stable_ver
                             if stable_rev is not None: