diff --git a/complete.go b/complete.go
index cad63f8f..c93186ad 100644
--- a/complete.go
+++ b/complete.go
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ var (
 		"cleaner",
 		"promptfmt",
 		"ratios",
+		"selmode",
 		"shell",
 		"shellflag",
 		"shellopts",
diff --git a/doc.go b/doc.go
index 86e0c421..bf3a1969 100644
--- a/doc.go
+++ b/doc.go
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ The following options can be used to customize the behavior of lf:
     relativenumber bool      (default off)
     reverse        bool      (default off)
     scrolloff      int       (default 0)
+    selmode        string    (default 'all')
     shell          string    (default 'sh' for Unix and 'cmd' for Windows)
     shellflag      string    (default '-c' for Unix and '/c' for Windows)
     shellopts      []string  (default '')
@@ -728,6 +729,12 @@ When 'number' is enabled, current line shows the absolute position, otherwise no
 
 Reverse the direction of sort.
 
+    selmode        string    (default 'all')
+
+Selection mode for commands.
+When set to 'all' it will use the selected files from all directories.
+When set to 'dir' it will only use the selected files in the current directory.
+
     scrolloff      int       (default 0)
 
 Minimum number of offset lines shown at all times in the top and the bottom of the screen when scrolling.
diff --git a/docstring.go b/docstring.go
index c0e933f8..02a011d8 100644
--- a/docstring.go
+++ b/docstring.go
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ The following options can be used to customize the behavior of lf:
     relativenumber bool      (default off)
     reverse        bool      (default off)
     scrolloff      int       (default 0)
+    selmode        string    (default 'all')
     shell          string    (default 'sh' for Unix and 'cmd' for Windows)
     shellflag      string    (default '-c' for Unix and '/c' for Windows)
     shellopts      []string  (default '')
@@ -777,6 +778,12 @@ shown.
 
 Reverse the direction of sort.
 
+    selmode        string    (default 'all')
+
+Selection mode for commands. When set to 'all' it will use the selected
+files from all directories. When set to 'dir' it will only use the selected
+files in the current directory.
+
     scrolloff      int       (default 0)
 
 Minimum number of offset lines shown at all times in the top and the bottom
diff --git a/eval.go b/eval.go
index af3671d1..3bdcea44 100644
--- a/eval.go
+++ b/eval.go
@@ -384,6 +384,8 @@ func (e *setExpr) eval(app *app, args []string) {
 		gOpts.ratios = rats
 		app.ui.wins = getWins(app.ui.screen)
 		app.ui.loadFile(app.nav, true)
+	case "selmode":
+		gOpts.selmode = e.val
 	case "shell":
 		gOpts.shell = e.val
 	case "shellflag":
diff --git a/lf.1 b/lf.1
index 77c58d18..64d83d36 100644
--- a/lf.1
+++ b/lf.1
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ The following options can be used to customize the behavior of lf:
     relativenumber bool      (default off)
     reverse        bool      (default off)
     scrolloff      int       (default 0)
+    selmode        string    (default 'all')
     shell          string    (default 'sh' for Unix and 'cmd' for Windows)
     shellflag      string    (default '-c' for Unix and '/c' for Windows)
     shellopts      []string  (default '')
@@ -881,6 +882,12 @@ Show the position number relative to the current line. When 'number' is enabled,
 .PP
 Reverse the direction of sort.
 .PP
+.EX
+    selmode        string    (default 'all')
+.EE
+.PP
+Selection mode for commands. When set to 'all' it will use the selected files from all directories. When set to 'dir' it will only use the selected files in the current directory.
+.PP
 .EX
     scrolloff      int       (default 0)
 .EE
diff --git a/nav.go b/nav.go
index 00ed77df..3f72cd1d 100644
--- a/nav.go
+++ b/nav.go
@@ -1739,27 +1739,37 @@ func (m indexedSelections) Swap(i, j int) {
 func (m indexedSelections) Less(i, j int) bool { return m.indices[i] < m.indices[j] }
 
 func (nav *nav) currSelections() []string {
+
+	currDirOnly := gOpts.selmode == "dir"
+	currDirPath := ""
+	if currDirOnly {
+		// select only from this directory
+		currDirPath = nav.currDir().path
+	}
+
 	paths := make([]string, 0, len(nav.selections))
 	indices := make([]int, 0, len(nav.selections))
 	for path, index := range nav.selections {
-		paths = append(paths, path)
-		indices = append(indices, index)
+		if !currDirOnly || filepath.Dir(path) == currDirPath {
+			paths = append(paths, path)
+			indices = append(indices, index)
+		}
 	}
 	sort.Sort(indexedSelections{paths: paths, indices: indices})
 	return paths
 }
 
 func (nav *nav) currFileOrSelections() (list []string, err error) {
-	if len(nav.selections) == 0 {
+	sel := nav.currSelections()
+
+	if len(sel) == 0 {
 		curr, err := nav.currFile()
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.New("no file selected")
 		}
-
 		return []string{curr.path}, nil
 	}
-
-	return nav.currSelections(), nil
+	return sel, nil
 }
 
 func (nav *nav) calcDirSize() error {
diff --git a/opts.go b/opts.go
index 3b7121e2..eab67f12 100644
--- a/opts.go
+++ b/opts.go
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ var gOpts struct {
 	previewer      string
 	cleaner        string
 	promptfmt      string
+	selmode        string
 	shell          string
 	shellflag      string
 	timefmt        string
@@ -110,6 +111,7 @@ func init() {
 	gOpts.previewer = ""
 	gOpts.cleaner = ""
 	gOpts.promptfmt = "\033[32;1m%u@%h\033[0m:\033[34;1m%d\033[0m\033[1m%f\033[0m"
+	gOpts.selmode = "all"
 	gOpts.shell = gDefaultShell
 	gOpts.shellflag = gDefaultShellFlag
 	gOpts.timefmt = time.ANSIC
diff --git a/ui.go b/ui.go
index e2872352..420993bf 100644
--- a/ui.go
+++ b/ui.go
@@ -774,8 +774,9 @@ func (ui *ui) drawStatLine(nav *nav) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if len(nav.selections) > 0 {
-		selection += fmt.Sprintf("  \033[35;7m %d \033[0m", len(nav.selections))
+	currSelections := nav.currSelections()
+	if len(currSelections) > 0 {
+		selection += fmt.Sprintf("  \033[35;7m %d \033[0m", len(currSelections))
 	}
 
 	if len(dir.filter) != 0 {