diff --git a/compiler/tests-common/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/test/InTextDirectivesUtils.java b/compiler/tests-common/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/test/InTextDirectivesUtils.java
index c99ca3c8f74..36b373b2fb2 100644
--- a/compiler/tests-common/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/test/InTextDirectivesUtils.java
+++ b/compiler/tests-common/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/test/InTextDirectivesUtils.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2000-2018 JetBrains s.r.o. Use of this source code is governed by the Apache 2.0 license
+ * Copyright 2010-2018 JetBrains s.r.o. Use of this source code is governed by the Apache 2.0 license
  * that can be found in the license/LICENSE.txt file.
  */
 
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import com.google.common.collect.Sets;
 import com.intellij.openapi.util.io.FileUtil;
 import com.intellij.openapi.util.text.StringUtil;
 import com.intellij.util.ArrayUtil;
+import kotlin.io.FilesKt;
 import kotlin.text.StringsKt;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.Nullable;
@@ -232,6 +233,8 @@ public final class InTextDirectivesUtils {
     }
 
     public static boolean isIgnoredTarget(TargetBackend targetBackend, File file) {
+        if (!isAllowedByWhitelist(targetBackend, file)) return true;
+
         return isIgnoredTargetByPrefix(targetBackend, file, "// IGNORE_BACKEND: ");
     }
 
@@ -243,4 +246,17 @@ public final class InTextDirectivesUtils {
     public static boolean isPassingTarget(TargetBackend targetBackend, File file) {
         return isCompatibleTarget(targetBackend, file) && !isIgnoredTarget(targetBackend, file) && !isIgnoredTargetWithoutCheck(targetBackend, file);
     }
+
+    private static boolean isAllowedByWhitelist(@NotNull TargetBackend targetBackend, @NotNull File file) {
+        List<File> whitelist = targetBackend.getWhitelist();
+        if (whitelist == null) return true;
+
+        for (File entry : whitelist) {
+            if (FilesKt.startsWith(file, entry)) {
+                return true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/compiler/tests-common/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/test/TargetBackend.kt b/compiler/tests-common/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/test/TargetBackend.kt
index baeeea72a88..b47bbf4134b 100644
--- a/compiler/tests-common/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/test/TargetBackend.kt
+++ b/compiler/tests-common/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/test/TargetBackend.kt
@@ -1,23 +1,21 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2010-2016 JetBrains s.r.o.
- *
- * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
- * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
- * You may obtain a copy of the License at
- *
- * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
- *
- * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
- * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
- * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
- * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
- * limitations under the License.
+ * Copyright 2010-2018 JetBrains s.r.o. Use of this source code is governed by the Apache 2.0 license
+ * that can be found in the license/LICENSE.txt file.
  */
 
-package org.jetbrains.kotlin.test;
+package org.jetbrains.kotlin.test
 
-enum class TargetBackend {
+import java.io.File
+
+enum class TargetBackend(
+    // if whitelist === null it will not be used in test generator (will work as usual)
+    // if path to testData file starts with or equals to any entry from whitelist it will be processed as usual
+    // otherwise a testData file will be treated as ignored
+    val whitelist: List<File>? = null
+) {
     ANY,
     JVM,
-    JS
+    JVM_IR,
+    JS,
+    JS_IR(JS_IR_BACKEND_TEST_WHITELIST);
 }
diff --git a/compiler/tests-common/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/test/jsIrBackendTestWhitelist.kt b/compiler/tests-common/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/test/jsIrBackendTestWhitelist.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..68b8401ea7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/tests-common/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/test/jsIrBackendTestWhitelist.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2010-2018 JetBrains s.r.o. Use of this source code is governed by the Apache 2.0 license
+ * that can be found in the license/LICENSE.txt file.
+ */
+
+package org.jetbrains.kotlin.test
+
+import java.io.File
+
+val JS_IR_BACKEND_TEST_WHITELIST = listOf(
+    "js/js.translator/testData/box/annotation"
+).map { File(it) }
diff --git a/generators/test-generator/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/generators/tests/generator/SimpleTestMethodModel.java b/generators/test-generator/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/generators/tests/generator/SimpleTestMethodModel.java
index 93a5fd624c7..e859409e01e 100644
--- a/generators/test-generator/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/generators/tests/generator/SimpleTestMethodModel.java
+++ b/generators/test-generator/tests/org/jetbrains/kotlin/generators/tests/generator/SimpleTestMethodModel.java
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ public class SimpleTestMethodModel implements TestMethodModel {
             p.println("return;");
             p.popIndent();
             p.println("}");
-            p.println("throw new AssertionError(\"Looks like this test can be unmuted. Remove IGNORE_BACKEND directive for that.\");");
+            p.println("throw new AssertionError(\"Looks like this test can be unmuted. Remove IGNORE_BACKEND directive or add it to whitelist for that.\");");
         }
     }