diff --git a/buildtest/cli/build.py b/buildtest/cli/build.py
index aa4f4a931..85a5f0aba 100644
--- a/buildtest/cli/build.py
+++ b/buildtest/cli/build.py
@@ -310,6 +310,12 @@ def discover_buildspecs_by_tags(buildspec_cache, tagnames):
     buildspecs = []
     # query all buildspecs from BUILDSPEC_CACHE_FILE for tags keyword and
     # if it matches input_tag we add buildspec to list
+    tagnames = [
+        tag.strip() for tagname in tagnames for tag in tagname.split(",") if tag.strip()
+    ]
+
+    if not tagnames:
+        return buildspecs, buildspecs_by_tags
 
     for name in tagnames:
         buildspecs_by_tags[name] = set()
diff --git a/buildtest/cli/help.py b/buildtest/cli/help.py
index 65827120a..225972974 100644
--- a/buildtest/cli/help.py
+++ b/buildtest/cli/help.py
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ def print_build_help():
         "buildtest build -t pass -t python",
         "Build buildspecs by tagname 'pass' and 'python'",
     )
+    table.add_row(
+        "buildtest build -t pass,fail",
+        "Build buildspecs by tagnames that are specified as comma sperated list",
+    )
     table.add_row(
         "buildtest build -e <executor1> -e <executor2>",
         "Building buildspecs by executor",
diff --git a/docs/gettingstarted/buildingtest.rst b/docs/gettingstarted/buildingtest.rst
index d05e3b1c6..e6de28af8 100644
--- a/docs/gettingstarted/buildingtest.rst
+++ b/docs/gettingstarted/buildingtest.rst
@@ -138,6 +138,13 @@ tags by running ``buildtest buildspec find --tags``.
 .. Note:: The ``--tags`` is used for discovering buildspec file and not filtering tests
    by tag.
 
+You can specify multiple tag names as a comma separated list. In the
+example below we build all tests with tag names ``pass``, ``fail`` and ``network``.
+
+.. dropdown:: ``buildtest build -t pass,fail -t network``
+
+    .. command-output:: buildtest build -t pass,fail -t network
+
 You can combine ``--tags`` with ``--buildspec`` to discover buildspecs in a single command.
 buildtest will query tags and buildspecs independently and combine all discovered
 buildspecs together.
diff --git a/scripts/spack_container/doc-examples.py b/scripts/spack_container/doc-examples.py
index d9b8326c9..2ef22832d 100644
--- a/scripts/spack_container/doc-examples.py
+++ b/scripts/spack_container/doc-examples.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 from buildtest.utils.file import create_dir, is_dir, is_file
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-
     if getpass.getuser() != "spack" or os.getenv("HOME") != "/home/spack":
         sys.exit(
             "This script can only be run inside container: ghcr.io/buildtesters/buildtest_spack:latest"
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_build.py b/tests/cli/test_build.py
index f7778cfc7..c7debbd80 100644
--- a/tests/cli/test_build.py
+++ b/tests/cli/test_build.py
@@ -46,6 +46,29 @@ def test_build_by_tags():
     )
     cmd.build()
 
+    #  testing multiple tags as comma seperated list:  buildtest build --tags fail,python --tags network
+    cmd = BuildTest(
+        configuration=configuration,
+        tags=["fail,python", "network"],
+        buildtest_system=system,
+    )
+    cmd.build()
+
+    cmd = BuildTest(
+        configuration=configuration,
+        tags=[",,"],
+        buildtest_system=system,
+    )
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
+        cmd.build()
+
+    cmd = BuildTest(
+        configuration=configuration,
+        tags=["  ,python,  fail,   ,,"],
+        buildtest_system=system,
+    )
+    cmd.build()
+
 
 @pytest.mark.cli
 def test_build_rerun():