diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 485d1ad1..5a283e4d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ O_BENCH := 0  # benchmark mode (stops at first user input)
 O_NOSSN := 0  # disable session support
 O_NOUG := 0  # disable user, group name in status bar
 O_NOX11 := 0  # disable X11 integration
+O_MATCHFLTR := 0  # allow filters without matches
 
 # User patches
 O_GITSTATUS := 0 # add git status to detail view
@@ -115,6 +116,10 @@ ifeq ($(strip $(O_NOX11)),1)
 	CPPFLAGS += -DNOX11
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(strip $(O_MATCHFLTR)),1)
+	CPPFLAGS += -DMATCHFLTR
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) ncursesw && echo 1),1)
 	CFLAGS_CURSES ?= $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags ncursesw)
 	LDLIBS_CURSES ?= $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs   ncursesw)
diff --git a/misc/haiku/Makefile b/misc/haiku/Makefile
index c4aabe14..7a60a1cc 100644
--- a/misc/haiku/Makefile
+++ b/misc/haiku/Makefile
@@ -21,9 +21,10 @@ O_ICONS := 0  # support icons-in-terminal
 O_NERD := 0  # support icons-nerdfont
 O_QSORT := 0  # use Alexey Tourbin's QSORT implementation
 O_BENCH := 0  # benchmark mode (stops at first user input)
-O_NOSSN := 0  # enable session support
+O_NOSSN := 0  # disable session support
 O_NOUG := 0  # disable user, group name in status bar
 O_NOX11 := 0  # disable X11 integration
+O_MATCHFLTR := 0  # allow filters without matches
 
 # User patches
 O_GITSTATUS := 0 # add git status to detail view
@@ -118,6 +119,10 @@ ifeq ($(strip $(O_NOX11)),1)
 	CPPFLAGS += -DNOX11
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(strip $(O_MATCHFLTR)),1)
+	CPPFLAGS += -DMATCHFLTR
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) ncursesw && echo 1),1)
 	CFLAGS_CURSES ?= $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags ncursesw)
 	LDLIBS_CURSES ?= $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs   ncursesw)
diff --git a/src/nnn.c b/src/nnn.c
index 67a1dd4d..76a6f645 100644
--- a/src/nnn.c
+++ b/src/nnn.c
@@ -3367,9 +3367,14 @@ static int filterentries(char *path, char *lastname)
 		 * - new matches can only be a subset of current matches.
 		 */
 		/* ndents = total; */
-
+#ifdef MATCHFLTR
+		r = matches(pln);
+		if (r <= 0) {
+			!r ? unget_wch(KEY_BACKSPACE) : showfilter(ln);
+#else
 		if (matches(pln) == -1) {
 			showfilter(ln);
+#endif
 			continue;
 		}