diff --git a/hgext/graphlog.py b/hgext/graphlog.py
--- a/hgext/graphlog.py
+++ b/hgext/graphlog.py
@@ -303,8 +303,10 @@ def revset(repo, pats, opts):
         # pats/include/exclude cannot be represented as separate
         # revset expressions as their filtering logic applies at file
         # level. For instance "-I a -X a" matches a revision touching
-        # "a" and "b" while "file(a) and not file(b)" does not.
-        matchargs = []
+        # "a" and "b" while "file(a) and not file(b)" does
+        # not. Besides, filesets are evaluated against the working
+        # directory.
+        matchargs = ['r:']
         for p in pats:
             matchargs.append('p:' + p)
         for p in opts.get('include', []):
diff --git a/mercurial/revset.py b/mercurial/revset.py
--- a/mercurial/revset.py
+++ b/mercurial/revset.py
@@ -534,12 +534,16 @@ def _matchfiles(repo, subset, x):
     #
     # builds a match object from them and filters subset. Allowed
     # prefixes are 'p:' for regular patterns, 'i:' for include
-    # patterns and 'x:' for exclude patterns.
+    # patterns and 'x:' for exclude patterns. Use 'r:' prefix to pass
+    # a revision identifier, or the empty string to reference the
+    # working directory, from which the match object is
+    # initialized. At most one 'r:' argument can be passed.
 
     # i18n: "_matchfiles" is a keyword
     l = getargs(x, 1, -1, _("_matchfiles requires at least one argument"))
     pats, inc, exc = [], [], []
     hasset = False
+    rev = None
     for arg in l:
         s = getstring(arg, _("_matchfiles requires string arguments"))
         prefix, value = s[:2], s[2:]
@@ -549,6 +553,11 @@ def _matchfiles(repo, subset, x):
             inc.append(value)
         elif prefix == 'x:':
             exc.append(value)
+        elif prefix == 'r:':
+            if rev is not None:
+                raise error.ParseError(_('_matchfiles expected at most one '
+                                         'revision'))
+            rev = value
         else:
             raise error.ParseError(_('invalid _matchfiles prefix: %s') % prefix)
         if not hasset and matchmod.patkind(value) == 'set':
@@ -557,9 +566,12 @@ def _matchfiles(repo, subset, x):
     s = []
     for r in subset:
         c = repo[r]
-        if not m or hasset:
+        if not m or (hasset and rev is None):
+            ctx = c
+            if rev is not None:
+                ctx = repo[rev or None]
             m = matchmod.match(repo.root, repo.getcwd(), pats, include=inc,
-                               exclude=exc, ctx=c)
+                               exclude=exc, ctx=ctx)
         for f in c.files():
             if m(f):
                 s.append(r)
diff --git a/tests/test-glog.t b/tests/test-glog.t
--- a/tests/test-glog.t
+++ b/tests/test-glog.t
@@ -1539,12 +1539,12 @@ have 2 filelog topological heads in a li
 Test falling back to slow path for non-existing files
 
   $ testlog a c
-  ('group', ('group', ('func', ('symbol', '_matchfiles'), ('list', ('string', 'p:a'), ('string', 'p:c')))))
+  ('group', ('group', ('func', ('symbol', '_matchfiles'), ('list', ('list', ('string', 'r:'), ('string', 'p:a')), ('string', 'p:c')))))
 
 Test multiple --include/--exclude/paths
 
   $ testlog --include a --include e --exclude b --exclude e a e
-  ('group', ('group', ('func', ('symbol', '_matchfiles'), ('list', ('list', ('list', ('list', ('list', ('string', 'p:a'), ('string', 'p:e')), ('string', 'i:a')), ('string', 'i:e')), ('string', 'x:b')), ('string', 'x:e')))))
+  ('group', ('group', ('func', ('symbol', '_matchfiles'), ('list', ('list', ('list', ('list', ('list', ('list', ('string', 'r:'), ('string', 'p:a')), ('string', 'p:e')), ('string', 'i:a')), ('string', 'i:e')), ('string', 'x:b')), ('string', 'x:e')))))
 
 Test glob expansion of pats
 
@@ -1660,3 +1660,10 @@ Test --copies
   |
   o  0 add a   copies:
   
+Test "set:..." and parent revision
+
+  $ hg up -q 4
+  $ testlog --include "set:copied()"
+  ('group', ('group', ('func', ('symbol', '_matchfiles'), ('list', ('string', 'r:'), ('string', 'i:set:copied()')))))
+  $ testlog -r "sort(file('set:copied()'), -rev)"
+  ('group', ('group', ('func', ('symbol', 'sort'), ('list', ('func', ('symbol', 'file'), ('string', 'set:copied()')), ('negate', ('symbol', 'rev'))))))