diff --git a/lib/label/hints.c b/lib/label/hints.c
index 1e382198b..d6682617a 100644
--- a/lib/label/hints.c
+++ b/lib/label/hints.c
@@ -507,17 +507,6 @@ int validate_hints(struct cmd_context *cmd, struct dm_list *hints)
 		if (!(hint = _find_hint_name(hints, dev_name(dev))))
 			continue;
 
-		/*
-		 * If this dev is excluded by any filter then hints invalid.
-		 * use cmd->filter->passes_filter(cmd, cmd->filter, dev, "persistent") ?
-		 */
-		if (dev->filtered_flags) {
-			log_debug("Hints invalid for filtered %s: %s",
-				  dev_name(dev), dev_filtered_reason(dev));
-			ret = 0;
-			break;
-		}
-
 		/* The cmd hasn't needed this hint's dev so it's not been scanned. */
 		if (!hint->chosen)
 			continue;
@@ -705,8 +694,9 @@ static int _read_hint_file(struct cmd_context *cmd, struct dm_list *hints, int *
 	char devpath[PATH_MAX];
 	FILE *fp;
 	struct dev_iter *iter;
+	struct dev_use *du;
 	struct hint hint;
-	struct hint *alloc_hint;
+	struct hint *alloc_hint, *hp;
 	struct device *dev;
 	char *split[HINT_LINE_WORDS];
 	char *name, *pvid, *devn, *vgname, *p, *filter_str = NULL;
@@ -910,6 +900,32 @@ static int _read_hint_file(struct cmd_context *cmd, struct dm_list *hints, int *
 		return 1;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * Check that the dev in each hint is a dev that's matched to a
+	 * devices file entry.
+	 */
+	if (cmd->enable_devices_file) {
+		dm_list_iterate_items(hp, hints) {
+			if (!(du = get_du_for_devname(cmd, hp->name))) {
+				log_debug("ignore hints: no devices file entry for %s", hp->name);
+				*needs_refresh = 1;
+				return 1;
+			}
+			if (!du->dev) {
+				log_debug("ignore hints: no device matches devices file entry for %s", hp->name);
+				*needs_refresh = 1;
+				return 1;
+			}
+			if (hp->devt != du->dev->dev) {
+				log_debug("ignore hints: devno %d:%d does not match %d:%d for %s",
+					  (int)MAJOR(hp->devt), (int)MINOR(hp->devt),
+					  (int)MAJOR(du->dev->dev), (int)MINOR(du->dev->dev), hp->name);
+				*needs_refresh = 1;
+				return 1;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	log_debug("accept hints found %d", dm_list_size(hints));
 	return 1;
 }