diff --git a/backends/cxxrtl/cxxrtl_backend.cc b/backends/cxxrtl/cxxrtl_backend.cc
index b72caf119..51450a9c8 100644
--- a/backends/cxxrtl/cxxrtl_backend.cc
+++ b/backends/cxxrtl/cxxrtl_backend.cc
@@ -2774,9 +2774,7 @@ struct CxxrtlWorker {
 		RTLIL::Module *top_module = nullptr;
 		std::vector<RTLIL::Module*> modules;
 		TopoSort<RTLIL::Module*> topo_design;
-		for (auto module : design->modules()) {
-			if (!design->selected_module(module))
-				continue;
+		for (auto module : design->all_selected_modules()) {
 			if (module->get_bool_attribute(ID(cxxrtl_blackbox)))
 				modules.push_back(module); // cxxrtl blackboxes first
 			if (module->get_blackbox_attribute() || module->get_bool_attribute(ID(cxxrtl_blackbox)))
@@ -2910,10 +2908,7 @@ struct CxxrtlWorker {
 		bool has_feedback_arcs = false;
 		bool has_buffered_comb_wires = false;
 
-		for (auto module : design->modules()) {
-			if (!design->selected_module(module))
-				continue;
-
+		for (auto module : design->all_selected_modules()) {
 			SigMap &sigmap = sigmaps[module];
 			sigmap.set(module);
 
@@ -3410,16 +3405,10 @@ struct CxxrtlWorker {
 	{
 		has_sync_init = false;
 
-		for (auto module : design->modules()) {
+		for (auto module : design->selected_modules(RTLIL::SELECT_WHOLE_CMDERR, RTLIL::SB_ALL)) {
 			if (module->get_blackbox_attribute() && !module->has_attribute(ID(cxxrtl_blackbox)))
 				continue;
 
-			if (!design->selected_whole_module(module))
-				if (design->selected_module(module))
-					log_cmd_error("Can't handle partially selected module `%s'!\n", id2cstr(module->name));
-			if (!design->selected_module(module))
-				continue;
-
 			for (auto proc : module->processes)
 				for (auto sync : proc.second->syncs)
 					if (sync->type == RTLIL::STi)
diff --git a/backends/intersynth/intersynth.cc b/backends/intersynth/intersynth.cc
index dcf107de3..008c4a57b 100644
--- a/backends/intersynth/intersynth.cc
+++ b/backends/intersynth/intersynth.cc
@@ -122,26 +122,19 @@ struct IntersynthBackend : public Backend {
 		for (auto lib : libs)
 			ct.setup_design(lib);
 
-		for (auto module : design->modules())
+		if (!selected) design->push_complete_selection();
+		for (auto module : design->selected_modules(RTLIL::SELECT_WHOLE_CMDERR, RTLIL::SB_UNBOXED_ONLY))
 		{
 			SigMap sigmap(module);
 
-			if (module->get_blackbox_attribute())
-				continue;
 			if (module->memories.size() == 0 && module->processes.size() == 0 && module->cells().size() == 0)
 				continue;
 
-			if (selected && !design->selected_whole_module(module->name)) {
-				if (design->selected_module(module->name))
-					log_cmd_error("Can't handle partially selected module %s!\n", log_id(module->name));
-				continue;
-			}
+			if (module->has_memories() || module->has_processes())
+				log_error("Can't generate a netlist for a module with unprocessed memories or processes!\n");
 
 			log("Generating netlist %s.\n", log_id(module->name));
 
-			if (module->memories.size() != 0 || module->processes.size() != 0)
-				log_error("Can't generate a netlist for a module with unprocessed memories or processes!\n");
-
 			std::set<std::string> constcells_code;
 			netlists_code += stringf("# Netlist of module %s\n", log_id(module->name));
 			netlists_code += stringf("netlist %s\n", log_id(module->name));
@@ -195,6 +188,7 @@ struct IntersynthBackend : public Backend {
 				netlists_code += code;
 			netlists_code += "\n";
 		}
+		if (!selected) design->pop_selection();
 
 		if (!flag_notypes) {
 			*f << stringf("### Connection Types\n");
diff --git a/backends/jny/jny.cc b/backends/jny/jny.cc
index 3897f7553..4b6452917 100644
--- a/backends/jny/jny.cc
+++ b/backends/jny/jny.cc
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ struct JnyWriter
 {
     private:
         std::ostream &f;
-        bool _use_selection;
 
         // XXX(aki): TODO: this needs to be updated to us
         // dict<T, V> and then coalesce_cells needs to be updated
@@ -112,9 +111,8 @@ struct JnyWriter
         }
 
     public:
-    JnyWriter(std::ostream &f, bool use_selection, bool connections, bool attributes, bool properties) noexcept:
-        f(f), _use_selection(use_selection),
-        _include_connections(connections), _include_attributes(attributes), _include_properties(properties)
+    JnyWriter(std::ostream &f, bool connections, bool attributes, bool properties) noexcept:
+        f(f), _include_connections(connections), _include_attributes(attributes), _include_properties(properties)
          { }
 
     void write_metadata(Design *design, uint16_t indent_level = 0, std::string invk = "")
@@ -155,7 +153,7 @@ struct JnyWriter
         f << "  \"modules\": [\n";
 
         bool first{true};
-        for (auto mod : _use_selection ? design->selected_modules() : design->modules()) {
+        for (auto mod : design->all_selected_modules()) {
             if (!first)
                 f << ",\n";
             write_module(mod, indent_level + 2);
@@ -425,6 +423,9 @@ struct JnyBackend : public Backend {
         log("    -no-properties\n");
         log("        Don't include property information in the netlist output.\n");
         log("\n");
+	log("    -selected\n");
+	log("        only write selected parts of the design.\n");
+        log("\n");
         log("The JSON schema for JNY output files is located in the \"jny.schema.json\" file\n");
         log("which is located at \"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/YosysHQ/yosys/main/misc/jny.schema.json\"\n");
         log("\n");
@@ -435,6 +436,7 @@ struct JnyBackend : public Backend {
         bool connections{true};
         bool attributes{true};
         bool properties{true};
+        bool selected{false};
 
         size_t argidx{1};
         for (; argidx < args.size(); argidx++) {
@@ -453,6 +455,11 @@ struct JnyBackend : public Backend {
                 continue;
             }
 
+            if (args[argidx] == "-selected") {
+                selected = true;
+                continue;
+            }
+
             break;
         }
 
@@ -469,8 +476,10 @@ struct JnyBackend : public Backend {
 
         log_header(design, "Executing jny backend.\n");
 
-        JnyWriter jny_writer(*f, false, connections, attributes, properties);
+        if (!selected) design->push_complete_selection();
+        JnyWriter jny_writer(*f, connections, attributes, properties);
         jny_writer.write_metadata(design, 0, invk.str());
+        if (!selected) design->pop_selection();
     }
 
 } JnyBackend;
@@ -561,8 +570,7 @@ struct JnyPass : public Pass {
             f = &buf;
         }
 
-
-        JnyWriter jny_writer(*f, false, connections, attributes, properties);
+        JnyWriter jny_writer(*f, connections, attributes, properties);
         jny_writer.write_metadata(design, 0, invk.str());
 
         if (!empty) {
diff --git a/backends/json/json.cc b/backends/json/json.cc
index 287c01ead..5556a1834 100644
--- a/backends/json/json.cc
+++ b/backends/json/json.cc
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ PRIVATE_NAMESPACE_BEGIN
 struct JsonWriter
 {
 	std::ostream &f;
-	bool use_selection;
 	bool aig_mode;
 	bool compat_int_mode;
 
@@ -43,9 +42,8 @@ struct JsonWriter
 	dict<SigBit, string> sigids;
 	pool<Aig> aig_models;
 
-	JsonWriter(std::ostream &f, bool use_selection, bool aig_mode, bool compat_int_mode) :
-			f(f), use_selection(use_selection), aig_mode(aig_mode),
-			compat_int_mode(compat_int_mode) { }
+	JsonWriter(std::ostream &f, bool aig_mode, bool compat_int_mode) :
+			f(f), aig_mode(aig_mode), compat_int_mode(compat_int_mode) { }
 
 	string get_string(string str)
 	{
@@ -170,7 +168,7 @@ struct JsonWriter
 		bool first = true;
 		for (auto n : module->ports) {
 			Wire *w = module->wire(n);
-			if (use_selection && !module->selected(w))
+			if (!module->selected(w))
 				continue;
 			f << stringf("%s\n", first ? "" : ",");
 			f << stringf("        %s: {\n", get_name(n).c_str());
@@ -189,9 +187,7 @@ struct JsonWriter
 
 		f << stringf("      \"cells\": {");
 		first = true;
-		for (auto c : module->cells()) {
-			if (use_selection && !module->selected(c))
-				continue;
+		for (auto c : module->selected_cells()) {
 			// Eventually we will want to emit $scopeinfo, but currently this
 			// will break JSON netlist consumers like nextpnr
 			if (c->type == ID($scopeinfo))
@@ -239,21 +235,19 @@ struct JsonWriter
 		}
 		f << stringf("\n      },\n");
 
-		if (!module->memories.empty()) {
+		if (module->has_memories()) {
 			f << stringf("      \"memories\": {");
 			first = true;
-			for (auto &it : module->memories) {
-				if (use_selection && !module->selected(it.second))
-					continue;
+			for (auto m : module->selected_memories()) {
 				f << stringf("%s\n", first ? "" : ",");
-				f << stringf("        %s: {\n", get_name(it.second->name).c_str());
-				f << stringf("          \"hide_name\": %s,\n", it.second->name[0] == '$' ? "1" : "0");
+				f << stringf("        %s: {\n", get_name(m->name).c_str());
+				f << stringf("          \"hide_name\": %s,\n", m->name[0] == '$' ? "1" : "0");
 				f << stringf("          \"attributes\": {");
-				write_parameters(it.second->attributes);
+				write_parameters(m->attributes);
 				f << stringf("\n          },\n");
-				f << stringf("          \"width\": %d,\n", it.second->width);
-				f << stringf("          \"start_offset\": %d,\n", it.second->start_offset);
-				f << stringf("          \"size\": %d\n", it.second->size);
+				f << stringf("          \"width\": %d,\n", m->width);
+				f << stringf("          \"start_offset\": %d,\n", m->start_offset);
+				f << stringf("          \"size\": %d\n", m->size);
 				f << stringf("        }");
 				first = false;
 			}
@@ -262,9 +256,7 @@ struct JsonWriter
 
 		f << stringf("      \"netnames\": {");
 		first = true;
-		for (auto w : module->wires()) {
-			if (use_selection && !module->selected(w))
-				continue;
+		for (auto w : module->selected_wires()) {
 			f << stringf("%s\n", first ? "" : ",");
 			f << stringf("        %s: {\n", get_name(w->name).c_str());
 			f << stringf("          \"hide_name\": %s,\n", w->name[0] == '$' ? "1" : "0");
@@ -294,9 +286,8 @@ struct JsonWriter
 		f << stringf("{\n");
 		f << stringf("  \"creator\": %s,\n", get_string(yosys_version_str).c_str());
 		f << stringf("  \"modules\": {\n");
-		vector<Module*> modules = use_selection ? design->selected_modules() : design->modules();
 		bool first_module = true;
-		for (auto mod : modules) {
+		for (auto mod : design->all_selected_modules()) {
 			if (!first_module)
 				f << stringf(",\n");
 			write_module(mod);
@@ -354,7 +345,7 @@ struct JsonBackend : public Backend {
 		log("        as JSON numbers (for compatibility with old parsers)\n");
 		log("\n");
 		log("    -selected\n");
-		log("        output only select module\n");
+		log("        only write selected parts of the design.\n");
 		log("\n");
 		log("\n");
 		log("The general syntax of the JSON output created by this command is as follows:\n");
@@ -623,8 +614,10 @@ struct JsonBackend : public Backend {
 
 		log_header(design, "Executing JSON backend.\n");
 
-		JsonWriter json_writer(*f, use_selection, aig_mode, compat_int_mode);
+		if (!use_selection) design->push_complete_selection();
+		JsonWriter json_writer(*f, aig_mode, compat_int_mode);
 		json_writer.write_design(design);
+		if (!use_selection) design->pop_selection();
 	}
 } JsonBackend;
 
@@ -693,7 +686,7 @@ struct JsonPass : public Pass {
 			f = &buf;
 		}
 
-		JsonWriter json_writer(*f, true, aig_mode, compat_int_mode);
+		JsonWriter json_writer(*f, aig_mode, compat_int_mode);
 		json_writer.write_design(design);
 
 		if (!empty) {
diff --git a/backends/rtlil/rtlil_backend.cc b/backends/rtlil/rtlil_backend.cc
index ae60ee6c7..7bd1ec10b 100644
--- a/backends/rtlil/rtlil_backend.cc
+++ b/backends/rtlil/rtlil_backend.cc
@@ -335,37 +335,33 @@ void RTLIL_BACKEND::dump_module(std::ostream &f, std::string indent, RTLIL::Modu
 
 	if (print_body)
 	{
-		for (auto it : module->wires())
-			if (!only_selected || design->selected(module, it)) {
-				if (only_selected)
-					f << stringf("\n");
-				dump_wire(f, indent + "  ", it);
-			}
+		for (auto wire : module->selected_wires()) {
+			if (only_selected)
+				f << stringf("\n");
+			dump_wire(f, indent + "  ", wire);
+		}
 
-		for (auto it : module->memories)
-			if (!only_selected || design->selected(module, it.second)) {
-				if (only_selected)
-					f << stringf("\n");
-				dump_memory(f, indent + "  ", it.second);
-			}
+		for (auto memory : module->selected_memories()) {
+			if (only_selected)
+				f << stringf("\n");
+			dump_memory(f, indent + "  ", memory);
+		}
 
-		for (auto it : module->cells())
-			if (!only_selected || design->selected(module, it)) {
-				if (only_selected)
-					f << stringf("\n");
-				dump_cell(f, indent + "  ", it);
-			}
+		for (auto cell : module->selected_cells()) {
+			if (only_selected)
+				f << stringf("\n");
+			dump_cell(f, indent + "  ", cell);
+		}
 
-		for (auto it : module->processes)
-			if (!only_selected || design->selected(module, it.second)) {
-				if (only_selected)
-					f << stringf("\n");
-				dump_proc(f, indent + "  ", it.second);
-			}
+		for (auto process : module->selected_processes()) {
+			if (only_selected)
+				f << stringf("\n");
+			dump_proc(f, indent + "  ", process);
+		}
 
 		bool first_conn_line = true;
 		for (auto it = module->connections().begin(); it != module->connections().end(); ++it) {
-			bool show_conn = !only_selected || design->selected_whole_module(module->name);
+			bool show_conn = !only_selected || module->is_selected_whole();
 			if (!show_conn) {
 				RTLIL::SigSpec sigs = it->first;
 				sigs.append(it->second);
@@ -392,12 +388,13 @@ void RTLIL_BACKEND::dump_design(std::ostream &f, RTLIL::Design *design, bool onl
 {
 	int init_autoidx = autoidx;
 
+	if (!only_selected) design->push_complete_selection();
 	if (!flag_m) {
 		int count_selected_mods = 0;
-		for (auto module : design->modules()) {
-			if (design->selected_whole_module(module->name))
+		for (auto module : design->all_selected_modules()) {
+			if (module->is_selected_whole())
 				flag_m = true;
-			if (design->selected(module))
+			else
 				count_selected_mods++;
 		}
 		if (count_selected_mods > 1)
@@ -410,13 +407,12 @@ void RTLIL_BACKEND::dump_design(std::ostream &f, RTLIL::Design *design, bool onl
 		f << stringf("autoidx %d\n", autoidx);
 	}
 
-	for (auto module : design->modules()) {
-		if (!only_selected || design->selected(module)) {
-			if (only_selected)
-				f << stringf("\n");
-			dump_module(f, "", module, design, only_selected, flag_m, flag_n);
-		}
+	for (auto module : design->all_selected_modules()) {
+		if (only_selected)
+			f << stringf("\n");
+		dump_module(f, "", module, design, only_selected, flag_m, flag_n);
 	}
+	if (!only_selected) design->pop_selection();
 
 	log_assert(init_autoidx == autoidx);
 }
diff --git a/backends/verilog/verilog_backend.cc b/backends/verilog/verilog_backend.cc
index a8dd356bc..6481dcd11 100644
--- a/backends/verilog/verilog_backend.cc
+++ b/backends/verilog/verilog_backend.cc
@@ -2590,17 +2590,14 @@ struct VerilogBackend : public Backend {
 		design->sort();
 
 		*f << stringf("/* Generated by %s */\n", yosys_version_str);
-		for (auto module : design->modules()) {
+		if (!selected) design->push_complete_selection();
+		for (auto module : design->selected_modules(RTLIL::SELECT_WHOLE_CMDERR, RTLIL::SB_ALL)) {
 			if (module->get_blackbox_attribute() != blackboxes)
 				continue;
-			if (selected && !design->selected_whole_module(module->name)) {
-				if (design->selected_module(module->name))
-					log_cmd_error("Can't handle partially selected module %s!\n", log_id(module->name));
-				continue;
-			}
 			log("Dumping module `%s'.\n", module->name.c_str());
 			dump_module(*f, "", module);
 		}
+		if (!selected) design->pop_selection();
 
 		auto_name_map.clear();
 		reg_wires.clear();
diff --git a/kernel/rtlil.cc b/kernel/rtlil.cc
index af1d55bfd..db11b4d1a 100644
--- a/kernel/rtlil.cc
+++ b/kernel/rtlil.cc
@@ -1218,10 +1218,10 @@ std::vector<RTLIL::Module*> RTLIL::Design::selected_modules(RTLIL::SelectPartial
 				log_warning("Ignoring partially selected module %s.\n", log_id(it.first));
 				break;
 			case RTLIL::SELECT_WHOLE_ERR:
-				log_error("Unsupported partially selected module %s.\n", log_id(it.first));
+				log_error("Can't handle partially selected module %s.\n", log_id(it.first));
 				break;
 			case RTLIL::SELECT_WHOLE_CMDERR:
-				log_cmd_error("Unsupported partially selected module %s.\n", log_id(it.first));
+				log_cmd_error("Can't handle partially selected module %s.\n", log_id(it.first));
 				break;
 			default:
 				break;