diff --git a/NEWS.adoc b/NEWS.adoc
index 4653a34e14..00c11d8fec 100644
--- a/NEWS.adoc
+++ b/NEWS.adoc
@@ -374,6 +374,10 @@ https://github.com/networkupstools/nut/milestone/11
    to have fixed a Segmentation Fault seen in earlier NUT releases with
    some of the devices supported by this driver. [#2427]
 
+ - apc_modbus driver should now properly handle mismatches of criteria passed
+   to the regular expression matcher (e.g. serial number) allowing several USB
+   devices to be monitored without conflict. [#2609]
+
  - phoenixcontact_modbus driver: Introduced Phoenix Contact QUINT4-UPS/24DC
    management (only new modbus addresses). [#2689, #2716]
 
diff --git a/drivers/apc_modbus.c b/drivers/apc_modbus.c
index 8e5ea3653d..3e9d6537af 100644
--- a/drivers/apc_modbus.c
+++ b/drivers/apc_modbus.c
@@ -1739,6 +1739,16 @@ static int _apc_modbus_usb_callback(const modbus_usb_device_t *device)
 		if (ret == 1) {
 			/* known good hit */
 			break;
+		} else if (ret == 0) {
+			/* known active rejection */
+			upsdebugx(2, "%s: Device does not match - skipping", __func__);
+			/* go to next device that libmodbus would suggest and use this callback again */
+			return -1;
+		} else if (ret == -1) {
+			fatal_with_errno(EXIT_FAILURE, "%s: matcher", __func__);
+		} else if (ret == -2) {
+			upsdebugx(2, "%s: matcher: unspecified error", __func__);
+			return -1;
 		}
 
 		current_matcher = current_matcher->next;