diff --git a/src/pyhf/workspace.py b/src/pyhf/workspace.py
index 7ce0bc486d..72f0cf21e5 100644
--- a/src/pyhf/workspace.py
+++ b/src/pyhf/workspace.py
@@ -583,16 +583,40 @@ def _prune_and_rename(
                                     ),
                                 )
                                 for modifier in sample['modifiers']
-                                if modifier['name'] not in prune_modifiers
-                                and modifier['type'] not in prune_modifier_types
+                                if (
+                                    channel['name'] not in prune_channels
+                                    and prune_channels != []
+                                )  # want to remove only if channel is in prune_channels or if prune_channels is empty, i.e. we want to prune this modifier for every channel
+                                or (
+                                    sample['name'] not in prune_samples
+                                    and prune_samples != []
+                                )  # want to remove only if sample is in prune_samples or if prune_samples is empty, i.e. we want to prune this modifier for every sample
+                                or (
+                                    modifier['name'] not in prune_modifiers
+                                    and modifier['type'] not in prune_modifier_types
+                                )
+                                or prune_measurements
+                                != []  # need to keep the modifier in case it is used in another measurement
                             ],
                         }
                         for sample in channel['samples']
-                        if sample['name'] not in prune_samples
+                        if (
+                            channel['name'] not in prune_channels
+                            and prune_channels != []
+                        )  # want to remove only if channel is in prune_channels or if prune_channels is empty, i.e. we want to prune this sample for every channel
+                        or sample['name'] not in prune_samples
+                        or prune_modifiers
+                        != []  # we only want to remove this sample if we did not specify modifiers to prune
+                        or prune_modifier_types != []
                     ],
                 }
                 for channel in self['channels']
                 if channel['name'] not in prune_channels
+                or (  # we only want to remove this channel if we did not specify any samples or modifiers to prune
+                    prune_samples != []
+                    or prune_modifiers != []
+                    or prune_modifier_types != []
+                )
             ],
             'measurements': [
                 {
@@ -607,8 +631,14 @@ def _prune_and_rename(
                                     parameter['name'], parameter['name']
                                 ),
                             )
-                            for parameter in measurement['config']['parameters']
-                            if parameter['name'] not in prune_modifiers
+                            for parameter in measurement['config'][
+                                'parameters'
+                            ]  # we only want to remove this parameter if measurement is in prune_measurements or if prune_measurements is empty
+                            if (
+                                measurement['name'] not in prune_measurements
+                                and prune_measurements != []
+                            )
+                            or parameter['name'] not in prune_modifiers
                         ],
                         'poi': rename_modifiers.get(
                             measurement['config']['poi'], measurement['config']['poi']
@@ -617,6 +647,8 @@ def _prune_and_rename(
                 }
                 for measurement in self['measurements']
                 if measurement['name'] not in prune_measurements
+                or prune_modifiers
+                != []  # we only want to remove this measurement if we did not specify parameters to remove
             ],
             'observations': [
                 dict(
@@ -625,6 +657,11 @@ def _prune_and_rename(
                 )
                 for observation in self['observations']
                 if observation['name'] not in prune_channels
+                or (  # we only want to remove this channel if we did not specify any samples or modifiers to prune
+                    prune_samples != []
+                    or prune_modifiers != []
+                    or prune_modifier_types != []
+                )
             ],
             'version': self['version'],
         }
@@ -637,6 +674,7 @@ def prune(
         samples=None,
         channels=None,
         measurements=None,
+        mode="logical_or",
     ):
         """
         Return a new, pruned workspace specification. This will not modify the original workspace.
@@ -649,6 +687,7 @@ def prune(
             samples: A :obj:`list` of samples to prune.
             channels: A :obj:`list` of channels to prune.
             measurements: A :obj:`list` of measurements to prune.
+            mode (:obj: string): `logical_or` or `logical_and` to chain pruning with a logical OR or a logical AND, respectively. Default: `logical_or`.
 
         Returns:
             ~pyhf.workspace.Workspace: A new workspace object with the specified components removed
@@ -657,6 +696,12 @@ def prune(
           ~pyhf.exceptions.InvalidWorkspaceOperation: An item name to prune does not exist in the workspace.
 
         """
+
+        if mode not in ["logical_and", "logical_or"]:
+            raise ValueError(
+                "Pruning mode must be either `logical_and` or `logical_or`."
+            )
+
         # avoid mutable defaults
         modifiers = [] if modifiers is None else modifiers
         modifier_types = [] if modifier_types is None else modifier_types
@@ -664,12 +709,28 @@ def prune(
         channels = [] if channels is None else channels
         measurements = [] if measurements is None else measurements
 
-        return self._prune_and_rename(
-            prune_modifiers=modifiers,
-            prune_modifier_types=modifier_types,
-            prune_samples=samples,
-            prune_channels=channels,
-            prune_measurements=measurements,
+        if mode == "logical_and":
+            if samples != [] and measurements != []:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    "Pruning of measurements and samples cannot be run with mode `logical_and`."
+                )
+            if modifier_types != [] and measurements != []:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    "Pruning of measurements and modifier_types cannot be run with mode `logical_and`."
+                )
+            return self._prune_and_rename(
+                prune_modifiers=modifiers,
+                prune_modifier_types=modifier_types,
+                prune_samples=samples,
+                prune_channels=channels,
+                prune_measurements=measurements,
+            )
+        return (
+            self._prune_and_rename(prune_modifiers=modifiers)
+            ._prune_and_rename(prune_modifier_types=modifier_types)
+            ._prune_and_rename(prune_samples=samples)
+            ._prune_and_rename(prune_channels=channels)
+            ._prune_and_rename(prune_measurements=measurements)
         )
 
     def rename(self, modifiers=None, samples=None, channels=None, measurements=None):