diff --git a/gopls/internal/regtest/workspace/workspace_test.go b/gopls/internal/regtest/workspace/workspace_test.go
index 456a5d19fca..11ab5077083 100644
--- a/gopls/internal/regtest/workspace/workspace_test.go
+++ b/gopls/internal/regtest/workspace/workspace_test.go
@@ -9,11 +9,13 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"sort"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"golang.org/x/tools/gopls/internal/hooks"
 	. "golang.org/x/tools/internal/lsp/regtest"
+	"golang.org/x/tools/internal/lsp/source"
 
 	"golang.org/x/tools/internal/lsp/command"
 	"golang.org/x/tools/internal/lsp/fake"
@@ -137,6 +139,38 @@ func TestReferences(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// make sure that directory filters work
+func TestFilters(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, tt := range []struct {
+		name, rootPath string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:     "module root",
+			rootPath: "pkg",
+		},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			opts := []RunOption{ProxyFiles(workspaceProxy)}
+			if tt.rootPath != "" {
+				opts = append(opts, WorkspaceFolders(tt.rootPath))
+			}
+			f := func(o *source.Options) {
+				o.DirectoryFilters = append(o.DirectoryFilters, "-inner")
+			}
+			opts = append(opts, Options(f))
+			WithOptions(opts...).Run(t, workspaceModule, func(t *testing.T, env *Env) {
+				syms := env.WorkspaceSymbol("Hi")
+				sort.Slice(syms, func(i, j int) bool { return syms[i].ContainerName < syms[j].ContainerName })
+				for i, s := range syms {
+					if strings.Contains(s.ContainerName, "/inner") {
+						t.Errorf("%s %v %s %s %d\n", s.Name, s.Kind, s.ContainerName, tt.name, i)
+					}
+				}
+			})
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 // Make sure that analysis diagnostics are cleared for the whole package when
 // the only opened file is closed. This test was inspired by the experience in
 // VS Code, where clicking on a reference result triggers a
diff --git a/internal/lsp/cache/view.go b/internal/lsp/cache/view.go
index b54210ef67b..db99b775f34 100644
--- a/internal/lsp/cache/view.go
+++ b/internal/lsp/cache/view.go
@@ -1060,23 +1060,9 @@ func pathExcludedByFilterFunc(root, gomodcache string, opts *source.Options) fun
 func pathExcludedByFilter(path, root, gomodcache string, opts *source.Options) bool {
 	path = strings.TrimPrefix(filepath.ToSlash(path), "/")
 	gomodcache = strings.TrimPrefix(filepath.ToSlash(strings.TrimPrefix(gomodcache, root)), "/")
-
-	excluded := false
 	filters := opts.DirectoryFilters
 	if gomodcache != "" {
 		filters = append(filters, "-"+gomodcache)
 	}
-	for _, filter := range filters {
-		op, prefix := filter[0], filter[1:]
-		// Non-empty prefixes have to be precise directory matches.
-		if prefix != "" {
-			prefix = prefix + "/"
-			path = path + "/"
-		}
-		if !strings.HasPrefix(path, prefix) {
-			continue
-		}
-		excluded = op == '-'
-	}
-	return excluded
+	return source.FiltersDisallow(path, filters)
 }
diff --git a/internal/lsp/fake/editor.go b/internal/lsp/fake/editor.go
index c9780b8bbdc..f92ef09f230 100644
--- a/internal/lsp/fake/editor.go
+++ b/internal/lsp/fake/editor.go
@@ -1068,6 +1068,16 @@ func (e *Editor) AcceptCompletion(ctx context.Context, path string, pos Pos, ite
 	}, item.AdditionalTextEdits...)))
 }
 
+// Symbols executes a workspace/symbols request on the server.
+func (e *Editor) Symbols(ctx context.Context, sym string) ([]protocol.SymbolInformation, error) {
+	if e.Server == nil {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	params := &protocol.WorkspaceSymbolParams{Query: sym}
+	ans, err := e.Server.Symbol(ctx, params)
+	return ans, err
+}
+
 // References executes a reference request on the server.
 func (e *Editor) References(ctx context.Context, path string, pos Pos) ([]protocol.Location, error) {
 	if e.Server == nil {
diff --git a/internal/lsp/regtest/wrappers.go b/internal/lsp/regtest/wrappers.go
index 96844e3b6d0..9031e71f1f1 100644
--- a/internal/lsp/regtest/wrappers.go
+++ b/internal/lsp/regtest/wrappers.go
@@ -358,6 +358,16 @@ func (e *Env) ExecuteCommand(params *protocol.ExecuteCommandParams, result inter
 	}
 }
 
+// WorkspaceSymbol calls workspace/symbol
+func (e *Env) WorkspaceSymbol(sym string) []protocol.SymbolInformation {
+	e.T.Helper()
+	ans, err := e.Editor.Symbols(e.Ctx, sym)
+	if err != nil {
+		e.T.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	return ans
+}
+
 // References calls textDocument/references for the given path at the given
 // position.
 func (e *Env) References(path string, pos fake.Pos) []protocol.Location {
diff --git a/internal/lsp/source/workspace_symbol.go b/internal/lsp/source/workspace_symbol.go
index 1f6fd208950..fe38c9356c2 100644
--- a/internal/lsp/source/workspace_symbol.go
+++ b/internal/lsp/source/workspace_symbol.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"go/types"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
@@ -316,7 +317,14 @@ func (sc *symbolCollector) walk(ctx context.Context, views []View) ([]protocol.S
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
+		filters := v.Options().DirectoryFilters
+		folder := filepath.ToSlash(v.Folder().Filename())
 		for uri, syms := range psyms {
+			norm := filepath.ToSlash(uri.Filename())
+			nm := strings.TrimPrefix(norm, folder)
+			if FiltersDisallow(nm, filters) {
+				continue
+			}
 			// Only scan each file once.
 			if _, ok := files[uri]; ok {
 				continue
@@ -364,6 +372,28 @@ func (sc *symbolCollector) walk(ctx context.Context, views []View) ([]protocol.S
 	return sc.results(), nil
 }
 
+// FilterDisallow is code from the body of cache.pathExcludedByFilter in cache/view.go
+// Exporting and using that function would cause an import cycle.
+// Moving it here and exporting it would leave behind view_test.go.
+// (This code is exported and used in the body of cache.pathExcludedByFilter)
+func FiltersDisallow(path string, filters []string) bool {
+	path = strings.TrimPrefix(path, "/")
+	var excluded bool
+	for _, filter := range filters {
+		op, prefix := filter[0], filter[1:]
+		// Non-empty prefixes have to be precise directory matches.
+		if prefix != "" {
+			prefix = prefix + "/"
+			path = path + "/"
+		}
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(path, prefix) {
+			continue
+		}
+		excluded = op == '-'
+	}
+	return excluded
+}
+
 // symbolFile holds symbol information for a single file.
 type symbolFile struct {
 	uri  span.URI