diff --git a/lib/types/string.js b/lib/types/string.js
index 37ab98ff..42abe8b0 100755
--- a/lib/types/string.js
+++ b/lib/types/string.js
@@ -23,7 +23,10 @@ const internals = {
         }
     },
     dataUriRegex: /^data:[\w+.-]+\/[\w+.-]+;((charset=[\w-]+|base64),)?(.*)$/,
-    hexRegex: /^[a-f0-9]+$/i,
+    hexRegex: {
+        withPrefix: /^(0x)?[0-9a-f]+$/i,
+        withoutPrefix: /^[0-9a-f]+$/i
+    },
     ipRegex: ipRegex({ cidr: 'forbidden' }).regex,
     isoDurationRegex: /^P(?!$)(\d+Y)?(\d+M)?(\d+W)?(\d+D)?(T(?=\d)(\d+H)?(\d+M)?(\d+S)?)?$/,
 
@@ -364,16 +367,18 @@ module.exports = Any.extend({
         hex: {
             method(options = {}) {
 
-                Common.assertOptions(options, ['byteAligned']);
+                Common.assertOptions(options, ['byteAligned', 'withPrefix']);
 
-                options = { byteAligned: false, ...options };
+                options = { byteAligned: false, withPrefix: false, ...options };
                 assert(typeof options.byteAligned === 'boolean', 'byteAligned must be boolean');
+                assert(typeof options.withPrefix === 'boolean', 'withPrefix must be boolean');
 
                 return this.$_addRule({ name: 'hex', args: { options } });
             },
             validate(value, helpers, { options }) {
 
-                if (!internals.hexRegex.test(value)) {
+                const re = options.withPrefix ? internals.hexRegex.withPrefix : internals.hexRegex.withoutPrefix;
+                if (!re.test(value)) {
                     return helpers.error('string.hex');
                 }
 
diff --git a/test/types/string.js b/test/types/string.js
index 17b9c454..8ab5db48 100755
--- a/test/types/string.js
+++ b/test/types/string.js
@@ -4518,6 +4518,21 @@ describe('string', () => {
                 }]
             ]);
         });
+
+        it('validates an hexadecimal string with prefix explicitly required', () => {
+
+            const rule = Joi.string().hex({ withPrefix: true }).strict();
+            Helper.validate(rule, [
+                ['0x0123456789abcdef', true],
+                ['123456789abcdef', true],
+                ['0123afg', false, {
+                    message: '"value" must only contain hexadecimal characters',
+                    path: [],
+                    type: 'string.hex',
+                    context: { value: '0123afg', label: 'value' }
+                }]
+            ]);
+        });
     });
 
     describe('hostname()', () => {