diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7405b2a..62803d7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@ options:
 
     Same as config `exclude`
 
++   `-sc, --skipChildren`
+
+    Skip children of an `excluded` directory. Avoids deep scanning of excluded big folders.
+
+    Same as config `skipChildren`.
+
 +   `-do, --deleteOrphaned`
 
     Delete orphaned or `excluded` (when using API) files/folders in target folder. `false` as default.
@@ -143,6 +149,7 @@ name | description | type | values | default | can be `async` ?
 `config.stayHardlink` | only worked when `type: 'hardlink'`. When `stayHardlink: true`, if src file is "src/a.js", the target file "target/a.js" will be a hardlink of "src/a.js".  | Boolean | - | `true` | -
 `config.exclude` | Priority: `forceSync > exclude`. Filter which src files should not be synced. | RegExp / String / Array (item is RegExp / String) | - | null | -
 `config.forceSync` | Priority: `forceSync > exclude`. Force sync some files even though they are `excluded`. | RegExp / String / Array (item is RegExp / String) | - | `(file) => { return false }` | No
+`config.skipChildren` | skip children of an `excluded` directory. | Boolean | - | `false` | -
 `config.onError` | callback function when something wrong | Function | - | `(err) => { throw new Error(err) }` | Yes when `syncDirectory.async()`
 
 #### Some confusing params
diff --git a/cmd.js b/cmd.js
index 3750aa9..4e1e6b7 100755
--- a/cmd.js
+++ b/cmd.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ const commander = require('commander');
 const isAbsoluteUrl = require('is-absolute');
 const run = require('./index').sync;
 
-const actor = function ({ from, to, watch, deleteOrphaned, supportSymlink, type, quiet, exclude }) {
+const actor = function ({ from, to, watch, deleteOrphaned, supportSymlink, type, quiet, exclude, skipChildren }) {
     const cwd = process.cwd();
 
     if (!from) {
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ const actor = function ({ from, to, watch, deleteOrphaned, supportSymlink, type,
         console.log('   - deleteOrphaned:', deleteOrphaned);
         console.log('   - type: ', type);
         console.log('   - exclude: ', exclude);
+        console.log('   - skipChildren: ', skipChildren);
         console.log('   - supportSymlink: ', supportSymlink);
         console.log('');
     }
@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@ const actor = function ({ from, to, watch, deleteOrphaned, supportSymlink, type,
         type,
         deleteOrphaned,
         exclude,
+        skipChildren
         afterEachSync({ eventType, relativePath }) {
             if (!quiet) {
                 console.log(`${eventType}: `, relativePath);
@@ -69,8 +71,9 @@ commander
     .option('-c, --copy', 'Sync with type `copy`, `copy` as default')
     .option('-hardlink, --hardlink', 'Sync with type `hardlink`, `copy` as default')
     .option('-e, --exclude <strings...>', 'Filter which src files should not be synced')
+    .option('-sc, --skipChildren', 'Skip children of an excluded directory')
     .action((from, to, options) => {
-        const { watch, deleteOrphaned, symlink, hardlink, quiet, exclude } = options;
+        const { watch, deleteOrphaned, symlink, hardlink, quiet, exclude, skipChildren } = options;
 
         const params = {
             from,
@@ -80,6 +83,7 @@ commander
             supportSymlink: !!symlink,
             quiet,
             exclude,
+            skipChildren: !!skipChildren,
             type: hardlink ? 'hardlink' : 'copy',
         };
 
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 337306a..1159712 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ const formatParams = (srcDir, targetDir, customOptions) => {
         include: null,
         exclude: null,
         forceSync: null,
+        skipChildren: false,
         onError: (err) => {
             const e = new Error(err.message);
             e.stack = err.stack;
diff --git a/lib/local-syncfiles.js b/lib/local-syncfiles.js
index 6f4b5b3..f7add25 100644
--- a/lib/local-syncfiles.js
+++ b/lib/local-syncfiles.js
@@ -8,17 +8,17 @@ const matchUtil = require('./match-util');
 const readdirEnhanced = require('readdir-enhanced');
 const { ignoredSymlinkDirs } = require('./config');
 
-const readdirSync = (dir, filter) => {
+const readdirSync = (dir, skip, filter) => {
     return readdirEnhanced.sync(dir, {
-        deep: true,
+        deep: skip ? filter : true,
         filter,
         basePath: dir
     });
 };
 
-const readdirAsync = async (dir, filter) => {
+const readdirAsync = async (dir, skip, filter) => {
     return await readdirEnhanced.async(dir, {
-        deep: true,
+        deep: skip ? filter : true,
         filter,
         basePath: dir
     });
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ const removeFile = filePath => {
     }
 };
 
-const syncProcessor = (srcDir, targetDir, { type, exclude, forceSync, afterSync, deleteOrphaned, staySymlink, include }) => {
-    const srcFiles = readdirSync(srcDir, stats => {
+const syncProcessor = (srcDir, targetDir, { type, exclude, forceSync, skipChildren, afterSync, deleteOrphaned, staySymlink, include }) => {
+    const srcFiles = readdirSync(srcDir, skipChildren, stats => {
         const filePath = stats.path;
         const isDirectory = isDirectoryUtil(filePath);
         const relativePath = `${filePath.replace(srcDir, '')}${isDirectory ? '/' : ''}`;
@@ -180,8 +180,8 @@ const syncProcessor = (srcDir, targetDir, { type, exclude, forceSync, afterSync,
 };
 
 // same as syncProcessor
-const asyncProcessor = async (srcDir, targetDir, { type, exclude, forceSync, afterSync, deleteOrphaned, staySymlink, include }) => {
-    const srcFiles = await readdirAsync(srcDir, stats => {
+const asyncProcessor = async (srcDir, targetDir, { type, exclude, forceSync, skipChildren, afterSync, deleteOrphaned, staySymlink, include }) => {
+    const srcFiles = await readdirAsync(srcDir, skipChildren, stats => {
         const filePath = stats.path;
         const isDirectory = isDirectoryUtil(filePath);
         const relativePath = `${filePath.replace(srcDir, '')}${isDirectory ? '/' : ''}`;
diff --git a/test/test.js b/test/test.js
index 0892f9e..f76e3cf 100644
--- a/test/test.js
+++ b/test/test.js
@@ -462,8 +462,7 @@ describe('options', function () {
 
 			const t = syncDirectory => async function () {
 				const exclude = sinon.spy(p =>
-					p.indexOf('/Dccc1/')>=0 || p === '/fccc1');
-					//p === '/Dccc1/' || p === '/fccc1');
+					p.indexOf('/Dccc1/') === 0 || p === '/fccc1');
 
 				await syncDirectory(srcDir, targetDir, {
 					type: 'copy',
@@ -471,14 +470,40 @@ describe('options', function () {
 				});
 
 				assert(exclude.calledWith('/Dccc1/'));
-				// assert(exclude.neverCalledWith('/Dccc1/fccc2'));
-				// assert(exclude.neverCalledWith('/Dccc1/Dccc2/'));
+				assert(exclude.calledWith('/Dccc1/fccc2'));
+				assert(exclude.calledWith('/Dccc1/Dccc2/'));
 				assertDirTree(testDir, treeAfter);
 			};
 
 			it('copy new/changed except exclude function (sync)', t(syncDirectory.sync));
 			it('copy new/changed except exclude function (async)', t(syncDirectory.async));
 		});
+
+		describe('skipChildren', function () {
+			const treeAfter = {
+				srcDir: treeBefore.srcDir,
+				targetDir: { ...tree.ab, ...tree.d },
+			};
+
+			const t = syncDirectory => async function () {
+				const exclude = sinon.spy(p =>
+					p === '/Dccc1/' || p === '/fccc1');
+
+				await syncDirectory(srcDir, targetDir, {
+					type: 'copy',
+					exclude,
+					skipChildren: true,
+				});
+
+				assert(exclude.calledWith('/Dccc1/'));
+				assert(exclude.neverCalledWith('/Dccc1/fccc2'));
+				assert(exclude.neverCalledWith('/Dccc1/Dccc2/'));
+				assertDirTree(testDir, treeAfter);
+			};
+
+			it('copy and skip exclude dir (sync)', t(syncDirectory.sync));
+			it('copy and skip exclude dir (async)', t(syncDirectory.async));
+		});
 	});
 
 	describe('forceSync', function () {