diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 3328c0f..6dedbef 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 - Run `check-mail-cmd` with `:check-mail`.
 - Display active key binds with `:help keys` (bound to `?` by default).
 - Multiple visual selections with `:mark -V`.
+- Set default collapse depth of directory tree with `dirlist-collapse`.
 
 ### Changed
 
diff --git a/config/aerc.conf b/config/aerc.conf
index fc6479a..c60f4b0 100644
--- a/config/aerc.conf
+++ b/config/aerc.conf
@@ -103,6 +103,12 @@ dirlist-delay=200ms
 # Default: false
 dirlist-tree=false
 
+# If dirlist-tree is enabled, set level at which folders are collapsed by
+# default. Set to 0 to disable.
+#
+# Default: 0
+dirlist-collapse=0
+
 # List of space-separated criteria to sort the messages by, see *sort*
 # command in *aerc*(1) for reference. Prefixing a criterion with "-r "
 # reverses that criterion.
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index c6fe70e..f0a7474 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ type UIConfig struct {
 	DirListFormat       string        `ini:"dirlist-format"`
 	DirListDelay        time.Duration `ini:"dirlist-delay"`
 	DirListTree         bool          `ini:"dirlist-tree"`
+	DirListCollapse     int           `ini:"dirlist-collapse"`
 	Sort                []string      `delim:" "`
 	NextMessageOnDelete bool          `ini:"next-message-on-delete"`
 	CompletionDelay     time.Duration `ini:"completion-delay"`
diff --git a/doc/aerc-config.5.scd b/doc/aerc-config.5.scd
index aaf15b8..f9a8758 100644
--- a/doc/aerc-config.5.scd
+++ b/doc/aerc-config.5.scd
@@ -207,6 +207,12 @@ These options are configured in the *[ui]* section of aerc.conf.
 
 	Default: false
 
+*dirlist-collapse*
+	If dirlist-tree is enabled, set level at which folders are collapsed
+	by default. Set to 0 to disable.
+
+	Default: 0
+
 *next-message-on-delete*
 	Moves to next message when the current message is deleted
 
diff --git a/widgets/dirtree.go b/widgets/dirtree.go
index 65fb311..eb0af6e 100644
--- a/widgets/dirtree.go
+++ b/widgets/dirtree.go
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ func (dt *DirectoryTree) buildTree() {
 	copy(dt.treeDirs, dt.dirs)
 
 	root := &types.Thread{Uid: 0}
-	buildTree(root, sTree, 0xFFFFFF)
+	dt.buildTreeNode(root, sTree, 0xFFFFFF, 1)
 
 	threads := make([]*types.Thread, 0)
 
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ func (dt *DirectoryTree) buildTree() {
 	}
 }
 
-func buildTree(node *types.Thread, stree [][]string, defaultUid uint32) {
+func (dt *DirectoryTree) buildTreeNode(node *types.Thread, stree [][]string, defaultUid uint32, depth int) {
 	m := make(map[string][][]string)
 	for _, branch := range stree {
 		if len(branch) > 1 {
@@ -398,7 +398,10 @@ func buildTree(node *types.Thread, stree [][]string, defaultUid uint32) {
 		}
 		nextNode := &types.Thread{Uid: uid}
 		node.AddChild(nextNode)
-		buildTree(nextNode, next, defaultUid)
+		if dt.UiConfig().DirListCollapse != 0 {
+			node.Hidden = depth > dt.UiConfig().DirListCollapse
+		}
+		dt.buildTreeNode(nextNode, next, defaultUid, depth+1)
 	}
 }