diff --git a/misc/auto-completion/bash/nnn-completion.bash b/misc/auto-completion/bash/nnn-completion.bash
index bd9382ad..e89e7dd0 100644
--- a/misc/auto-completion/bash/nnn-completion.bash
+++ b/misc/auto-completion/bash/nnn-completion.bash
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ _nnn ()
         -a
         -A
         -b
+        -B
         -c
         -C
         -d
diff --git a/misc/auto-completion/fish/nnn.fish b/misc/auto-completion/fish/nnn.fish
index c3dc6e79..d195088e 100644
--- a/misc/auto-completion/fish/nnn.fish
+++ b/misc/auto-completion/fish/nnn.fish
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ end
 complete -c nnn -s a    -d 'auto-create NNN_FIFO'
 complete -c nnn -s A    -d 'disable dir auto-enter'
 complete -c nnn -s b -r -d 'bookmark key to open' -x -a '(echo $NNN_BMS | awk -F: -v RS=\; \'{print $1"\t"$2}\')'
+complete -c nnn -s B    -d 'use bsdtar for archives'
 complete -c nnn -s c    -d 'cli-only opener'
 complete -c nnn -s C    -d 'color by context'
 complete -c nnn -s d    -d 'start in detail mode'
diff --git a/misc/auto-completion/zsh/_nnn b/misc/auto-completion/zsh/_nnn
index 293fd4fb..55eadab1 100644
--- a/misc/auto-completion/zsh/_nnn
+++ b/misc/auto-completion/zsh/_nnn
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ args=(
     '(-a)-a[auto-create NNN_FIFO]'
     '(-A)-A[disable dir auto-enter]'
     '(-b)-b[bookmark key to open]:key char'
+    '(-B)-B[use bsdtar for archives]'
     '(-c)-c[cli-only opener]'
     '(-C)-C[color by context]'
     '(-d)-d[start in detail mode]'
diff --git a/nnn.1 b/nnn.1
index f8f4962b..1e998241 100644
--- a/nnn.1
+++ b/nnn.1
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ supports the following options:
 .Fl "b key"
         specify bookmark key to open
 .Pp
+.Fl B
+        use bsdtar for archives (default: atool)
+.Pp
 .Fl c
         indicates that the opener is a cli-only opener (overrides -e)
 .Pp
diff --git a/src/nnn.c b/src/nnn.c
index 54e99408..b10143a4 100644
--- a/src/nnn.c
+++ b/src/nnn.c
@@ -373,7 +373,8 @@ typedef struct {
 	uint_t stayonsel  : 1;  /* Disable auto-advance on selection */
 	uint_t trash      : 2;  /* Trash method 0: rm -rf, 1: trash-cli, 2: gio trash */
 	uint_t uidgid     : 1;  /* Show owner and group info */
-	uint_t reserved   : 6;  /* Adjust when adding/removing a field */
+	uint_t usebsdtar  : 1;  /* Use bsdtar as default archive utility */
+	uint_t reserved   : 5;  /* Adjust when adding/removing a field */
 } runstate;
 
 /* Contexts or workspaces */
@@ -2670,7 +2671,7 @@ static void get_archive_cmd(char *cmd, const char *archive)
 {
 	uchar_t i = 3;
 
-	if (getutil(utils[UTIL_ATOOL]))
+	if (!g_state.usebsdtar && getutil(utils[UTIL_ATOOL]))
 		i = 0;
 	else if (getutil(utils[UTIL_BSDTAR]))
 		i = 1;
@@ -4573,7 +4574,7 @@ static bool handle_archive(char *fpath /* in-out param */, char op)
 	char arg[] = "-tvf"; /* options for tar/bsdtar to list files */
 	char *util, *outdir = NULL;
 	bool x_to = FALSE;
-	bool is_atool = getutil(utils[UTIL_ATOOL]);
+	bool is_atool = (!g_state.usebsdtar && getutil(utils[UTIL_ATOOL]));
 
 	if (op == 'x') {
 		outdir = xreadline(is_atool ? "." : xbasename(fpath), messages[MSG_NEW_PATH]);
@@ -8095,6 +8096,7 @@ static void usage(void)
 #endif
 		" -A      no dir auto-enter during filter\n"
 		" -b key  open bookmark key (trumps -s/S)\n"
+		" -B      use bsdtar for archives\n"
 		" -c      cli-only NNN_OPENER (trumps -e)\n"
 		" -C      8-color scheme\n"
 		" -d      detail mode\n"
@@ -8290,7 +8292,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	while ((opt = (env_opts_id > 0
 		       ? env_opts[--env_opts_id]
-		       : getopt(argc, argv, "aAb:cCdDeEfF:gHiJKl:nop:P:QrRs:St:T:uUVxh"))) != -1) {
+		       : getopt(argc, argv, "aAb:BcCdDeEfF:gHiJKl:nop:P:QrRs:St:T:uUVxh"))) != -1) {
 		switch (opt) {
 #ifndef NOFIFO
 		case 'a':
@@ -8304,6 +8306,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			if (env_opts_id < 0)
 				arg = optarg;
 			break;
+		case 'B':
+			g_state.usebsdtar = 1;
+			break;
 		case 'c':
 			cfg.cliopener = 1;
 			break;