diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c6edbfa3..51db4661 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ 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
+O_NOSORT := 0  # disable sorting entries on dir load
 
 # User patches
 O_GITSTATUS := 0 # add git status to detail view
@@ -121,6 +122,10 @@ ifeq ($(strip $(O_MATCHFLTR)),1)
 	CPPFLAGS += -DMATCHFLTR
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(strip $(O_NOSORT)),1)
+	CPPFLAGS += -DNOSORT
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(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 900ed00f..8673207e 100644
--- a/src/nnn.c
+++ b/src/nnn.c
@@ -5847,7 +5847,9 @@ static void populate(char *path, char *lastname)
 	if (!ndents)
 		return;
 
+#ifndef NOSORT
 	ENTSORT(pdents, ndents, entrycmpfn);
+#endif
 
 #ifdef DEBUG
 	clock_gettime(CLOCK_REALTIME, &ts2);