diff --git a/cub/cub/util_device.cuh b/cub/cub/util_device.cuh
index e1cc4d5372..fe3324e3a1 100644
--- a/cub/cub/util_device.cuh
+++ b/cub/cub/util_device.cuh
@@ -657,14 +657,61 @@ struct ChainedPolicy
 
   /// Specializes and dispatches op in accordance to the first policy in the chain of adequate PTX version
   template <typename FunctorT>
-  CUB_RUNTIME_FUNCTION _CCCL_FORCEINLINE static cudaError_t Invoke(int device_ptx_version, FunctorT& op)
+  CUB_RUNTIME_FUNCTION _CCCL_FORCEINLINE static cudaError_t
+  Invoke(int device_ptx_version, FunctorT& op, ::cuda::std::true_type = {})
   {
     if (device_ptx_version < PolicyPtxVersion)
     {
-      return PrevPolicyT::Invoke(device_ptx_version, op);
+      // only continue traversing if the lowest architecture we are compiling for is smaller than the current policy
+      // TODO(bgruber): replace dispatching by if constexpr in C++17
+      constexpr bool cond =
+#ifdef __CUDA_ARCH_LIST__
+        _NV_FIRST_ARG(__CUDA_ARCH_LIST__) < PolicyPtxVersion;
+#else
+        true;
+#endif
+      return PrevPolicyT::Invoke(device_ptx_version, op, ::cuda::std::bool_constant<cond>{});
+    }
+
+    // only invoke the function object for ptx versions smaller/equal to the largest architecture we are compiling for
+    // TODO(bgruber): replace dispatching by if constexpr in C++17
+    constexpr bool cond =
+#ifdef __CUDA_ARCH_LIST__
+      // TODO(bgruber): alternative to get_last: just use the comma operator inside: (__CUDA_ARCH_LIST__). however nvcc
+      // warns on expression without side effects. should I supress the warning instead?
+      PolicyPtxVersion <= get_last({__CUDA_ARCH_LIST__});
+#else
+      true;
+#endif
+    {
+      return DoInvoke(op, ::cuda::std::bool_constant<cond>{});
     }
+    ::cuda::std::__libcpp_unreachable();
+  }
+
+  template <std::size_t N>
+  CUB_RUNTIME_FUNCTION static constexpr int get_last(const int (&a)[N])
+  {
+    return a[N - 1];
+  }
+
+  template <typename FunctorT>
+  CUB_RUNTIME_FUNCTION _CCCL_FORCEINLINE static cudaError_t Invoke(int, FunctorT&, ::cuda::std::false_type)
+  {
+    ::cuda::std::__libcpp_unreachable();
+  }
+
+  template <typename FunctorT>
+  CUB_RUNTIME_FUNCTION _CCCL_FORCEINLINE static cudaError_t DoInvoke(FunctorT& op, ::cuda::std::true_type)
+  {
     return op.template Invoke<PolicyT>();
   }
+
+  template <typename FunctorT>
+  CUB_RUNTIME_FUNCTION _CCCL_FORCEINLINE static cudaError_t DoInvoke(FunctorT&, ::cuda::std::false_type)
+  {
+    ::cuda::std::__libcpp_unreachable();
+  }
 };
 
 /// Helper for dispatching into a policy chain (end-of-chain specialization)
@@ -676,10 +723,17 @@ struct ChainedPolicy<PTX_VERSION, PolicyT, PolicyT>
 
   /// Specializes and dispatches op in accordance to the first policy in the chain of adequate PTX version
   template <typename FunctorT>
-  CUB_RUNTIME_FUNCTION _CCCL_FORCEINLINE static cudaError_t Invoke(int /*ptx_version*/, FunctorT& op)
+  CUB_RUNTIME_FUNCTION _CCCL_FORCEINLINE static cudaError_t
+  Invoke(int /*ptx_version*/, FunctorT& op, ::cuda::std::true_type = {})
   {
     return op.template Invoke<PolicyT>();
   }
+
+  template <typename FunctorT>
+  CUB_RUNTIME_FUNCTION _CCCL_FORCEINLINE static cudaError_t Invoke(int, FunctorT&, ::cuda::std::false_type)
+  {
+    ::cuda::std::__libcpp_unreachable();
+  }
 };
 
 CUB_NAMESPACE_END
diff --git a/cub/test/catch2_test_util_device.cu b/cub/test/catch2_test_util_device.cu
index c59c076ec5..1021bfbb1f 100644
--- a/cub/test/catch2_test_util_device.cu
+++ b/cub/test/catch2_test_util_device.cu
@@ -87,3 +87,57 @@ CUB_TEST("CUB correctly identifies the ptx version the kernel was compiled for",
   REQUIRE(ptx_version == kernel_cuda_arch);
   REQUIRE(host_ptx_version == kernel_cuda_arch);
 }
+
+#ifdef __CUDA_ARCH_LIST__
+// We list all virtual architectures, which is what __CUDA_ARCH_LIST__ contains
+struct policy_hub
+{
+#  define GEN_POLICY(cur, prev)                                             \
+    struct policy##cur : cub::ChainedPolicy<cur, policy##cur, policy##prev> \
+    {                                                                       \
+      static constexpr int value = cur;                                     \
+    }
+  GEN_POLICY(100, 100);
+  GEN_POLICY(200, 100);
+  GEN_POLICY(300, 200);
+  GEN_POLICY(400, 300);
+  GEN_POLICY(500, 300);
+  GEN_POLICY(600, 500);
+  GEN_POLICY(700, 600);
+  GEN_POLICY(800, 700);
+  GEN_POLICY(900, 800);
+  GEN_POLICY(1000, 900);
+  // TODO(bgruber): add more policies here when new architectures emerge
+  GEN_POLICY(2000, 1000);
+#  undef GEN_POLICY
+
+  using max_policy = policy2000;
+};
+
+// Check that selected is one of arches
+template <int selected, int... arch_list>
+struct check
+{
+  // we just compare the major version (divide by 100), so the tests also pass for e.g. __CUDA_ARCH_LIST__=860
+  static_assert(::cuda::std::_Or<::cuda::std::bool_constant<selected / 100 == arch_list / 100>...>::value, "");
+  using type = cudaError_t;
+};
+
+struct Closure
+{
+  // We need to fail template instantiation if ActivePolicy::value is not one from the __CUDA_ARCH_LIST__
+  template <typename ActivePolicy>
+  _CCCL_HOST_DEVICE auto Invoke() const -> typename check<ActivePolicy::value, __CUDA_ARCH_LIST__>::type
+  {
+    return cudaSuccess;
+  }
+};
+
+CUB_TEST("ChainedPolicy prunes based on __CUDA_ARCH_LIST__", "[util][dispatch]")
+{
+  int ptx_version = 0;
+  cub::PtxVersion(ptx_version);
+  Closure c;
+  policy_hub::max_policy::Invoke(ptx_version, c);
+}
+#endif