diff --git a/cylc/flow/network/scan_nt.py b/cylc/flow/network/scan_nt.py
index 8e1ba11766e..a47440a83a0 100644
--- a/cylc/flow/network/scan_nt.py
+++ b/cylc/flow/network/scan_nt.py
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ async def dir_is_flow(listing):
 
 
 @pipe
-async def scan(run_dir=None):
+async def scan(run_dir=None, max_depth=3):
     """List flows installed on the filesystem.
 
     This is an async generator so use and async for to extract results::
@@ -80,8 +80,13 @@ async def scan(run_dir=None):
             print(flow['name'])
 
     Args:
-        directory (pathlib.Path):
+        run_dir (pathlib.Path):
             The directory to scan, defaults to the cylc run directory.
+        max_depth (int):
+            The maximum number of levels to descend before bailing.
+
+            * ``max_depth=1`` will pick up top-level suites (e.g. ``foo``).
+            * ``max_depth=2`` will pick up nested suites (e.g. ``foo/bar``).
 
     Yields:
         dict - Dictionary containing information about the flow.
@@ -94,10 +99,10 @@ async def scan(run_dir=None):
     stack = asyncio.Queue()
     for subdir in await scandir(run_dir):
         if subdir.is_dir():
-            await stack.put(subdir)
+            await stack.put((1, subdir))
 
     # for path in stack:
-    async for path in asyncqgen(stack):
+    async for depth, path in asyncqgen(stack):
         contents = await scandir(path)
         if await dir_is_flow(contents):
             # this is a flow directory
@@ -105,11 +110,11 @@ async def scan(run_dir=None):
                 'name': str(path.relative_to(run_dir)),
                 'path': path,
             }
-        else:
+        elif depth < max_depth:
             # we may have a nested flow, lets see...
             for subdir in contents:
                 if subdir.is_dir():
-                    await stack.put(subdir)
+                    await stack.put((depth + 1, subdir))
 
 
 def join_regexes(*patterns):
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_scan_nt.py b/tests/integration/test_scan_nt.py
index e16f47e91ac..f6e85854e0e 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_scan_nt.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_scan_nt.py
@@ -124,6 +124,18 @@ def run_dir_with_really_nasty_symlinks():
     rmtree(tmp_path)
 
 
+@pytest.fixture(scope='session')
+def nested_run_dir():
+    tmp_path = Path(TemporaryDirectory().name)
+    tmp_path.mkdir()
+    init_flows(
+        tmp_path,
+        running=('a', 'b/c', 'd/e/f', 'g/h/i/j'),
+    )
+    yield tmp_path
+    rmtree(tmp_path)
+
+
 async def listify(async_gen, field='name'):
     """Convert an async generator into a list."""
     ret = []
@@ -219,3 +231,21 @@ async def test_is_active(sample_run_dir):
         {'path': sample_run_dir / 'elephant'},
         True
     )
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_max_depth(nested_run_dir):
+    """It should descend only as far as permitted."""
+    assert await listify(
+        scan(nested_run_dir, max_depth=1)
+    ) == [
+        'a'
+    ]
+
+    assert await listify(
+        scan(nested_run_dir, max_depth=3)
+    ) == [
+        'a',
+        'b/c',
+        'd/e/f'
+    ]